Sarah Latimer: Unrealized Expectations – Part 1

A simple reach to touch and squeeze my hand, followed by a slight smile in the corners of what are usually distant eyes that at that moment were deeply focused on mine, brought me to tears. Last week, after my husband had prepared a sandwich lunch for his mother and me and I had fed her, done her hair, and given her a manicure, I prayed with her. I just gently touched her arm with one hand and went to our Heavenly Father with praises, intercession, and petitions in our Savior’s name. “Mom” is on hospice care and in the final stages of one of those horrific, neurodegenerative diseases. (You know, it’s one of those– dementia, Alzheimer’s, and such that takes the mind and the body slowly.) We haven’t heard any real words from her in almost a year, nor had even a laugh or smile or indication that she knows what is going on around her. She makes little movement and cannot walk or feed herself. So, the act of her lifting her hand to reach for mine and squeeze it was a big deal. Even her focus into my eyes was significant. At that moment, I had been praying and giving thanks for her son, Hugh, and all he does and for the joy that we have as wives and mothers of godly men. I can’t, of course, know what was going on in her mind, but I do believe that she was joining me in this prayer and letting me it when she reached for my hand and squeezed it. I think there was also more to it than just that. After she squeezed my hand and I realized I had her attention, I talked with her about her husband and how blessed she was to have his care and that they had just celebrated more than 50 years of marriage. With that, there was an immediate change in her appearance. A sadness came over her. I think I know what that was about I believe it was the disappointment that she could not celebrate her anniversary in the manner she would like. Knowing her and how she loved to bake cakes, decorate them, and gather family together for festive celebrations, I believe she was feeling some level of frustration over unrealized expectations. We have all known how this feels. There is nothing she can do to change her circumstances. It breaks my heart. I hate this disease and will continue to do everything I can to give her comfort and care through the remainder of her life.

We all make plans and have expectations. It’s part of what makes us women. We are always in thought and thinking. (I still struggle with the concept that men can actually think of “nothing”, but I trust them when they tell me it is true. I do not know that “nothingness”. My thoughts may be distant and somewhat meaningless or fantastic at a given point in time, but I’m thinking from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep. I even have dreams that rival Ridley Scott movies.) Oh, I’m getting off subject here. Well, we are thinkers, planners, and we most certainly have expectations. However, most of us are not at all in Mom’s shoes. We have abilities and choices to make.

It’s almost spring, and we’ve made it through the holiday season and a time of the year where there is a noticeably disproportionate number of weddings and anniversaries celebrated, at least in my circle. I wonder if there are many of you, who have suffered some disappointment in your relationships or circumstances recently. Did you have expectations of a significant tax refund that would pay for romantic getaway that didn’t happen? Did you hope for a relationship to blossom that didn’t? Or did you hope that your husband would remember your anniversary this year, but he didn’t…again!?! Maybe with the economy the way that it is, you’ve decided that you need to be more practical and invest in items that will see you and your family through for the future instead of just some short-term luxury, but the lack of this item or event has left you feeling a little short-changed. Right now, with what’s going on in our world, we are all (man and woman) reasonably feeling short-changed. We have to deal with disappointment and sometimes those disappointments, when dwelled on, can lead to depression and bitterness. I have a suggestion for something better. Hang with me for a bit.

Let me ask you something. Who is responsible for your happiness? Think about that for a minute. When you got married, did you think that you were saying “I do” to a fairy tale relationship with Prince Charming, who would make your every dream come true and you’d never have any hardships, needs, disagreements, or disappointments? Some of us did think that, and we then had a rude awakening. What I’ve come to find is that there are no perfect human beings and life is full of wonder and blessings, but if I set expectations that are not realistic and out of my control then I am setting myself up for disappointment; I also realize that there is little that I can control. So, how do I find happiness, especially when there are many disappointments and others don’t fulfill my expectations?

There are several things, I do:

  1. I remember that God is trustworthy and loves me, so I will let Him be in control of all of the big stuff (and the little stuff, too) and I’ll trust Him to determine whether I really need something or not. Some things I just can’t control. I either have to accept living without or trusting that, if I need them, the LORD will provide what is needed for me to have it in His way. Many times I have had a plan to achieve a good outcome that didn’t pan out, but the goal was still achieved, just in a very different way and through different means than I had pursued/planned. I’ve learned that I don’t have to have my way, because my way is always far inferior to God’s way. Remember the bible story of Ruth? It started out as a very sad story. The daughters-in-law were all instructed to go back to their families after all of Naomi’s sons had died, but Ruth would not leave Naomi and insisted “your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God”. She devoted herself to Naomi. She worked hard to support herself and also Naomi, and she followed some instructions that seemed very strange and odd to her. However, she did as she was instructed in big things (moving to another country and culture) and in small things (lying at Boaz’s feet and covering herself with his tunic). In the meantime, she worked hard at menial chores that provided for what was needed– gathering grain from the fields that was left for the widows and orphans, where she gathered for both her and Naomi. In the end of the story, she became the wife of well-respected Boaz and also became a mother. She ultimately was the great grandmother of beloved King David and is a woman honored throughout history! If you have time this week, read the book of Ruth. There is much to be learned from this story. If you are trusted in His Son, repented, and made the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob your God, then you are the daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords! Ask Him to put His desires in your heart and to show you how to fulfill them. If your desires don’t come to fruition right away, be patient and trust that if it is God’s will, He will provide. Just don’t let the not having something make you feel bitter, angry, or anything less than loved.
  2. Don’t rely on other people to do “sweet” things for me or provide things for my happiness. If I really want or need something, I do my best to figure out a way to provide it for myself. You can, too. Here are a few examples of things that make me feel good (even pampered) that I have found I can provide for myself when I want them (and I can do them in a remote location):

  • Herbal and flavored teas– There are many herbal and flavored teas that can be grown and produced in many parts of the country. Peppermint, lemon balm, and chamomile are fairly easy plants to grow. Peppermint and lemon balm are perennials in zones 4-8 that grow aggressively. (Sometimes you even have to cut them back as they want to take over. Isn’t that a wonderful problem with a favorite tea!). Chamomile is a self-sowing annual that grows in even poor, mildly acidic-to-neutral pH soil as long as it is well-drained and in a sunny location. Leaves from blackberry vines (if not sprayed) can be collected in late fall, dried, and used for flavoring tea; rose hips can be collected dried and used in tea, if you don’t spray your rose bushes. If you live where there are orange trees or have access to oranges, you can peel the skin, leaving the white pith, and use this to make wonderful teas. I like to buy oranges in bulk in the fall/winter season and dry their peel in my Weston stainless steel dehydrator that I bought from Ready Made Resources to use year ’round. Freeze-dried ginger root slices are wonderful additions to flavor tea; a single slice of ginger seeped in warm water makes a soothing tea to treat nausea, too. So, grow your own wonderful teas. You don’t need someone to take you to tea or buy a box them from afar when they are growing in your own yard and are sustainable. You can just put your own ingredients in an infuser or disposable tea bags and use whenever you want.
  • Homemade Chocolate Bar- Feel the need for a chocolate bar but don’t want to drive the distance to the store for one or wait for someone to bring you a box of chocolate? Combine a tablespoon or two of each of the following in a small bowl or on top of graham crackers–

    • frozen nuts (I prefer almonds or pecans),
    • milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips,
    • white chips, and
    • mini-marshmallows (you can make from scratch, too; see how on YouTube, but cut much smaller than in the video; store in airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer a long time.)

    If you want to add a caramel flavor to your nut/chocolate/marshmallow combination, drizzle a little caramel sauce over the marshmallows, or add coconut, too. You can also put this on graham crackers and put in the 400 degree oven for a minute to begin melting the ingredients together a little (somewhat like a S’mores).

    Caramel Sauce- To make your own caramel sauce, in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, combine:

    • 1 cup of brown sugar,
    • 1/2 cup of butter, and
    • 1/4 cup of milk.

    Heat over medium heat, stirring to the bottom of the pan almost continuously until it boils for 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and boil for another minute, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and let cool for about ten minutes before using or pouring into storage container, as it is very hot.

    Brown Sugar- To make your own fresh brown sugar, in a blender, mixer, or food processor, combine:

    • 1 cup of granulated pure cane sugar, and
    • 1 tablespoon of unsulfured molasses.

    Mix the sugar and molasses until blended thoroughly. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

    Graham Crackers- To make your own graham crackers:

    • 1/2 cup of butter
    • 2 cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour (or 1 1/2 cups of store-bought whole wheat flower plus an extra 1/2 cup of wheat germ)
    • 1/2 cup wheat germ
    • 1/2 cup of bread flour
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract,
    • 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup milk

      Mix thoroughly and chill the dough for at least four hours, until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes (rectangles, circles, or shapes) and place onto greased cookie sheets 1/2 inch apart. Poke some holes in them with a fork. Bake 10-12 minutes in preheated oven until until begin to brown on edges. Cool on cooling racks and use. Store in airtight containers in freezer for long-lasting freshness.

February in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers.

What Did Gold Do in February?

Gold had a very good February. Starting at $1,126 an ounce, it jumped as high as $1,261 an ounce. By February 11th, spot gold had closed over the $1,200 mark, and never looked back. Toward the end of the month, spot gold was parked above the $1,230 level

Factors Affecting Gold This Month

Much like last month, blood was running in the street on Wall Street, and pain continues in the Oil Patch.

OIL GLUT (Continuing)

Oil futures saw a stomach-churning ride in February. Desperate traders eagerly snapped up any rumor as evidence the nightmare was about to end, only to see their hopes (and oil prices) dashed. It became hard to tell what was pushing the stock markets around, either China’s slowdown, or oil falling even more. Analysts at Citibank also noticed this negative feedback loop between oil and stocks, warning “We Should All Fear Oilmageddon.”

NEGATIVE INTEREST RATES

Negative interest rates seem to be doing the exact opposite of what central bankers want. Top financial analysts are pointing to negative interest rate policy (NIRP) as a major cause of the global financial instability that we’ve seen this year. Banks that are being charged interest on deposits by central banks can’t pass that new cost on to consumers. They’d all yank their money, causing a bank run and failure, and put it in a bank that didn’t charge them for deposits. This means that bank profits, which were already squeezed from zero interest rates, are shrinking even more. This causes the opposite effect than what central banks wanted from NIRP: banks are lending LESS, not MORE.

This is a big reason that financial stocks have been such an anchor around Wall St.’s neck. Combine this with energy stocks tanking on plunging oil prices, and the reason stocks are down so much this year is obvious. Janet Yellen seems to be ignoring the real results of NIRP. She’s asked the big banks to run simulations of whethe or not they could survive negative interest rates in the US.

Super megabank Goldman Sachs is now wondering if the central banks have broken Capitalism itself with zero and negative interest rates.

The Bank of Japan’s imposition of negative rates DID increase consumer purchases in one area – home safes to store cash in.

WAR ON CASH

Since the central banks blame the failure of their policies on the fact that the public won’t do what they’re told, and they also want to be ready to bail out the Big Banks again, they have turned to waging war on cash. The first step in this war is to eliminate the $100 and €500 currency notes. Campaigning under the guise of “fighting terrorism” and “fighting crime,” they let slip the real reason: taking taxes directly out of your bank account. This war is also on tradesmen, and anyone who conducts business in cash. If there is no physical money, the government can see when you’re paid for handyman work, or buy something for “cash,” and levy taxes accordingly.

The Europeans aren’t waiting around to see if the EU central government demonetizes the €500 note. They’re piling into high denomination Swiss Franc banknotes. MarketWatch reported on the < href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/big-jump-in-use-of-swiss-1000-franc-bills-2016-02-22">huge jump in demand for 1000 franc notes from Switzerland. The same thing is happening in Japan, as people “pad their mattresses” with 10,000 yen notes.

Other avenues of storing wealth in physical form will be fine art and expensive wines for the wealthy, and precious metals for everyone.

DOLLAR LOSING SAFE HAVEN STATUS

The dollar was notably absent from any safe haven buying during the recent meltdown in stocks. The Japanese yen saw healthy demand, especially in Asia. Treasuries remained a “go to” safe haven asset, but more often than not, the dollar was ignored. The unraveling of expectations of a March interest rate hike by the Fed put notable pressure on the dollar. It had gained a good bit of ground as traders anticipated that the Fed would keep raising interest rates.

Another knock against the greenback is Iran’s refusal to take dollars for oil shipments.

On the Retail Front

You want to talk physical precious metals demand? Let’s talk physical precious metals demand. American Silver Eagle sales topped 4 million in February, to bring the two month total to 10 million coins. This is the best start of the year for Silver Eagles since 2013. Gold Eagle sales are up over 58% from last year, clocking in at 195,500 troy oz so far this year. Adding 51,000 24K Gold Buffalos, and US Mint gold sales were 246,500 troy oz for the first two months of 2016.

HUGE retail gold demand has caught the attention of the mainstream press, with Bloomberg proclaiming “Gold is Back in Fashion” after $15 trillion was wiped out in the global financial markets. Forbes says “Investors Are Flocking To Gold Like There’s No Tomorrow.” I’m kind of partial to the headline “Gold Bulls Feast” due to negative interest rates by central banks.

On the central bank side, we see Russia and China adding to reserves for yet another month, and Canada liquidating all gold reserves. So, we have China dumping US Treasuries and buying gold, and Canada selling gold and buying “financial assets that are easily tradable and that have deep markets of buyers and sellers.” (I know who I think is right!)

Also on the central bank front, the Hungarian Central Bank has been reaping the profits of currency wars, as the forint has become deeply devalued. But instead of sending the profits to the Treasury, it’s been buying luxury real estate and $15 million paintings with the money. The blowback has finally reached a point that the Prime Minister can’t protect his buddy at the central bank any longer, so they bought 112 9mm pistols and 200,000 rounds of ammo, to protect their vast real estate and fine art holdings from “terrorists.”

Market Buzz

Jim Rogers says that the whole global market is about to come tumbling down, and there’s nothing the central banks can do about. Of course, the little people will feel most of the pain, while the movers and shakers are insulated from the consequences of their actions.

Chief Investment Strategist at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch notes that there has been $12.3 TRILLION in global quantitative easing, and nothing to show for it but a world on the brink of recession.

MarketWatch agrees, quoting Steen Jakobsen, chief economist at Saxo Bank, saying the huge meltdown in stocks in early February was “the week when central bank planning died—the 2016 version of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It sounds worse than it is, as this was always coming.”

Bill Gross, known as The Bond King, notes how the inability of zero interest rates and negative interest rates to have any positive impact exposes the impotence of Central Banks. Gross, who predicted the subprime mortgage crisis, said he has one question for the central bankers: “How’s that working for ya?”

The Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warns that the levels of corporate debt are at the worst point since 2007, and the misguided notion by central banks that they can control the global economy is to blame.

Tracy Knudsen. the senior market analyst at Lowry Research says there’s no sign of a bottom in the stock market.

Top forecaster Tom DeMark says you ain’t seen nothing yet, as far as the S&P 500 going lower.

Peter Schiff thinks the Fed has screwed up, and we’re about to see a period of rising inflation and stagnant growth, aka stagflation.

The CEO of Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold miner, says
the US$1,500 per ounce call from a recent HSBC report is “very achievable,” as the precious metal enters the early stages of a new bull market.

Over at SRSrocco Report, they notice that the huge demand for silver has seen the amount of COMEX deliverable silver hit a historic low.


Looking Ahead

The Fed is itching for any excuse to raise rates next month. If they do, it will make the dollar even more noncompetitive, hurting US businesses. At press time, the Fed funds futures rate as tracked by CME Group’s FedWatch gives a March rate hike only a 6% chance. (It only gives a 28% chance of any rate hike at all in 2016.)

OPEC and Russia are likely to keep trying the central bankers’ trick of moving the market higher for oil with just words, but don’t look for anything to actually happen. The little guys in OPEC are the ones being crushed between the two petroleum giants, while we just enjoy $1.50 gas.

The stock markets don’t look like they will calm down anytime soon, with prices still artificially inflated by cheap Fed money and stock buybacks. Gold will naturally be the safe haven of choice for many people who haven’t given it a second thought for the last three years.

To close this month, we ask the question: “How low are crude prices?” Our look at “What a Barrel of Oil WON’T Buy You” may put it in perspective.

Recipe of the Week: Spicy Wine Pot Roast, by J.M.

Here is a pot roast recipe from long-time SurvivalBlog reader J.M.  To tone the spiciness down, simply reduce the amount of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.

Ingredients:

  • 3 to 4 lb beef pot roast
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 (¾oz) package brown gravy mix
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup catsup
  • ¼ cup dry red wine
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pinch garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and place in a slow cooking
    pot.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat.
  3. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.
  4. Remove meat and slice.
  5. If desired, thicken the sauce with flour dissolved in a small
    amount of water and serve over meat.

Makes 6 to 7 servings

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Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

We really enjoy a hot porridge breakfast topped with a little butter and honey, surrounded by whole milk. Our porridge is often a mix of grains we have on hand from the pantry and just about any variation of the mix works! For readers who want to try porridge for the first time or just like to cook with a recipe safety net, this version is delicious and nutritious! It’s called Grandma’s Grain Recipe from 101 Cookbooks – T.A.

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail.
Thanks!

Letter: ShepherdFarmerGeek on Relocation to Belize

Dear Editor:
SurvivalBlog’s spin-off site SurvivalRealty.com has just listed a unique retreat opportunity called Providence Belize. The Shepherdess and I a-l-m-o-s-t moved there ourselves last year, but God is clearly calling us to stay and stand where we are with the people He has led us to help.

That said, we visited Belize once, for one day on a cruise excursion. It’s just beautiful (a subtropical paradise if you’re a gardener like me and tired of the drought conditions around Spokane!). Belize is a former British Colony. (It was called British Honduras, before 1973), and English is their primary language. I’ve never met Jim Duncan personally, but have corresponded with him for almost a year about this and I believe that he’s a man of integrity and he has commitment to Jesus.

I have zero financial connection with Providence Belize, whatsoever. My only concern is to see Jim Duncan’s vision of a remnant community succeed, as well as helping those fellow preppers who are ready to pick up and move their families somewhere safer. With Providence Belize you don’t have to freelance it, and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are already American Christians there to help you adapt and navigate the local scene.

Many of us have realized that we need a survival community to face the coming storm. What better place than one specifically intended for Christian preppers? If God is leading you out of the United States then this could be the safe place you’ve been looking for.

Trust God. Be Prepared. We can do both! – ShepherdFarmerGeek

Letter Re: Shielding Electronics From EMP

HJL,
Another point on electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and Faraday cages is even something simple can be protective. There are 30 Gallon galvanized steel trash cans with lids (made in the USA!) available at my local farm and ranch store for $22. This makes for affordable and easy storage, and you can wrap things in common aluminum foil. Or even something like a steel cabinet or vault, but generally try to avoid gaps or spaces. It doesn’t have to be zero signal, but reduce the field strength enough to prevent damage.

Vehicles have some protection for many years. In the early days of electronic ignition systems, truckers with CB linear amplifiers were causing police vehicles to stall. And driving near powerful radio towers also caused some glitches. The protection added since the early 1970s isn’t military grade, but realize if your vehicle doesn’t even hiccup when it is next to you or your neighbor’s Amateur Radio rig that is putting out a kilowatt of power, then it is likely to survive an EMP–at least where you aren’t close to ground zero. (And most of the American Redoubt isn’t likely to be a target of an EMP.) Also note that solar flares are usually detected early enough, so there will be time to
disconnect and shield most of your electronics. 

You might want to find a metal shed large enough for your vehicles (and get some plating for the floor and see if your radio doesn’t receive anything inside anywhere), but it is still all a matter of how many bucks you have versus the size and likelihood of the bang you are trying to shield yourself from. – T.Z.

Economics and Investing:

UK’s exit from EU would be a “shock” to global economy: G20

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Bob Shapiro: Oil and The Dollar

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Fleeing Firms Put Pressure on Congress and Candidates (Washington Examiner)

Bank of America is Preparing Big Layoffs in Investment Banking and Trading
(Business Insider) 

JP Morgan: We’re Bracing for Energy Losses (CNBC)

Wells Fargo Girds for Oil & Gas Loan Losses (Morningstar)

International News

G20: Leaders Split on How to Kick-Start Global Growth (The Telegraph)

4,000 HSBC Staff Face the Axe (Daily Mail)

Royal Bank of Scotland Hits Eighth Straight Annual Loss (Yahoo News)

Personal Economics and Household Finance

IRS: Cyberattack Twice as Bad as Previously Known (Market Watch)

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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:

Some important reading: The Hidden Persuaders – How The Internet Flips Election & Alters Our Thoughts. This article helps explain why bloggers in general and Matt Drudge in particular are so despised by the mainstream media.  Because Matt and his small staff have thousands of independent thinkers all over the world tipping them to news stories, they are outside of the control of the Google Thought Police Machine. Likewise, the column items that you recommend to us at SurvivalBlog–often from small town newspapers and from “boots on the ground” bloggers–have the same value in creating refreshingly independent journalism. – JWR

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Patrice Lewis, Editrix of the often-cited Rural Revolution blog posted a fantastic essay titled Social Justice Whiners: The Group We Love To Hate. (I can only wonder what would these whiners would say if I told them that I create my own fully-mobile “Very Safe Space”, whenever I pack a .45 ACP pistol?) By the way, far more than just a commentator on current events, Patrice Lewis also lives the life of preparedness, on her North Idaho ranch, and shares her lessons learned in her blog. See this recent example: Wood Cookstove Update.

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Frank B. sent this article link: ‘Super lice’ outbreak hits 25 states

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SurvivalBlog reader Jerry W. wrote to mention a new petition demanding that the United States Senate reject any judicial activist nominated by President Obama to fill the now-vacant seat of Justice Antonin Scalia. He wrote: “The President’s two prior successful nominees have proven to be judicial activists who have swayed the High Court’s rulings radically leftward on matters of extreme importance, with long-lasting effects. We cannot allow the Senate to confirm a third Supreme Court nomination of President Obama.”  If you agree, then here is a link to the petition.

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J.L. suggested these two essays at From The Trenches World Report:  IfYou Don’t Think Americans Have Lost Our Freedoms, READ THIS, and Demanding Constitutional Compliance.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Is there really someone who, searching for a group of wise and sensitive persons to regulate him for his own good, would choose that group of people that constitute the membership of both houses of Congress?” – Robert Nozick

Notes for Sunday – February 28, 2016

February 28th is the birthday of famed Swiss investor and economic pundit Marc Faber
(born 1946).

This is also the anniversary of the BATF’s ill-conceived, unconstitutional, and horribly botched raid on the Waco, Texas Branch Davidian church in 1993. The FBI’s siege that began soon after that fateful day did not end until April 19th. Then, on orders from newly-appointed Attorney General Janet Reno–despite repeated warnings about high winds–the end result was the fiery deaths of 76 people. This included about 20 innocent children. (The exact number is still not known, because in parts of the attached buildings the fire was reportedly so intense that it resulted in complete cremation.)

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Today, we present another entry for Round 63 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, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have 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 both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304, 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 knifemaker 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 63 ends on March 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.

Plyometrics Training Equals Survivability, by Molon Labe

This is a commonly accepted fact in the world of preparedness: The better you are able to traverse difficult terrain or navigate dangerous scenarios, the more options you’ll have and the better overall odds you’ll have of coming out on top. However, mobility means more than being in good shape and having a bug out bag. It is the ability to make a split-second decision and stick to it, to think on your feet. All the fitness in the world won’t help you if you don’t decide to escape before being surrounded and cut off. It means taking advantage of the possibilities before they disappear. It’s not going to do you a lick of good to be able to run 10 miles with your combat/survival load if you don’t have the ability to see a trap ahead and have the guts to act on it. Those who live in the cities will have the dangerous guessing game of determining when it’s not too early or too late to move to a more advantageous position. The most “mobile” person in the world won’t have a great chance of escaping Detroit if surrounded by hundreds of rampaging hordes.

Knowledge and skills lend to mobility and, in turn, survivability. Take lock picking, kicking down a door, or rappelling out a fourth story window with nothing but a rappelling rope. There are things that lend to these activities, like anything, that we won’t know unless we’ve done it ourselves or have had solid instruction from someone who has. These are trade craft skills that could very well keep us mobile and help us to escape a desperate situation someday.

Let’s never discount these kinds of activities as less important than shooting well.  Indeed, the man who puts thinking before shooting in desperate situations often winds up on top, because problems are much greater and numerous than simply having to hit a target. Perhaps we think of these things as unique to cool SFOD-Delta operators or only attainable for the accomplished Special Forces veteran, but nothing could be further from the truth. Almost every skill that is taught to our troops in military schools can be attained to some degree as a civilian. There are classes on rappelling, diving, sniping, surveillance, and more, and there are countless books on every subject that you could imagine that can aid in your ability to navigate in a difficult scenario. Knowledge is power, and the person who would wield this power is the man who stops at nothing to discover, test, try, and try again until his desired skillset is securely in his toolbox and ready to be deployed at will.

But more than these things, there is an aspect to mobility that I’d like to touch on as well, and that is the skill of Parkour, or being able to quickly and efficiently navigate obstacles of all sorts with ease. Nowadays, with basic fitness, grit, and determination and the help of YouTube, anyone can learn how to vault-climb-jump and do an endless number of incredible moves that are very helpful to increase mobility. My goal is to be able to do as many agility moves while also performing some form of shooting. If I can jump from a ledge 10 feet up, can I also shoot while I fall? I’m working on it. Can I cut a roll and shoot while going into and coming out of it? It’s easy and fun, although sometimes accuracy is somewhat lacking.

Plyometrics

In an effort to increase my mobility, this author has long since been working plyometric and agility exercises into my regular routine or just whenever I can. Plyometrics is explosive-high stress exercises which promote both power and agility. As with any extreme action there is a progression, and those who are not used to actions that put a lot of shock into particular joints and muscle groups should start out slowly.

Two brief examples of plyometric progressions would be these:

  1. For the Pectoral Majors, Minors, and Triceps, a low stress plyometric would be clapper pushups, where by using momentum and lifting your hips, you would be able to clap your hands in the air and then return to the bottom of the pushup. After this action is conquered and doesn’t overly stress your shoulders, elbows, and wrists, then you would be able to move on to Superman pushups, where again, by using momentum and upward hip movement, you thrust your arms in front of you and kick your legs off the ground such that for a moment in time you appear to
  2. Another is jumping squats and jumping lunges to strengthen muscle tissue and create greater strength in leg joints. After these are easily done, try jumping from ledges a few feet high.
    Remember: Never land with straight legs but rather keep your knees bent and compress them as you make contact. Get comfortable at jumping from a particular height before moving higher. After a certain point, you’ll want to do more than just compress your legs. I have found that eight feet is about as far as I wanted to take it before my back and legs told me they weren’t going to be happy with anything higher, even on nice soft grass. Also, never forget that your hands can also aid in your landing, as your torso gets closer to the ground. Only after so much height it is advisable (if not mandatory) that you tuck and roll out of the fall. When this is done correctly, it is surprising how much more height you will be able to jump without feeling any great impact to your legs. It has been said that this takes so much strain from your legs that it will feel just like a jumping jack. I consider myself very much a beginner in this activity, but already I am able to confidently jump from 12-14 feet without issue.

Avoiding Injury

One important note on plyometrics is that unlike simple calisthenics, where if you overdo it you will simply be sore due to all the lactic acid stored in your muscles, you can actually overstrain, sprain, or otherwise injure your joints if done too much or too soon. However, the good news is that if you ease into each exercise, your joints will strengthen and become able to endure more and more as time goes on. Along with this, you will also be more adept at knowing how to land and control your body in order to cushion your impacts. Obviously, just like when you are lifting close to the maximum weight that you are capable of, you should only do a few reps at the max height or strain that you are able to perform before giving it a break for a couple days to recoup. The more you weigh or are wearing, the more severe your impacts are going to be, so be sure to keep this in mind when jumping with your 40-pound pack. Warming up and stretching is also critically important to plyometrics, even more so than any other calisthenics because the possibility of injury is so much greater.

When first learning plyometrics or trying a new action, I strongly recommend that you use common sense and take every precaution. Go slow at first, use padding until you’re comfortable, and then try it on carpet or grass and then on a wood floor. You’ll eventually be able to do many actions on concrete. When doing a complicated move, break it down into its individual aspects before trying the whole enchilada. This is the secret to progression and with it, time, and dedication, there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

Commitment

No acrobat, dirt bike trick master, or bar gymnast ever woke up one morning and found they were incredibly skilled. The better you want to be at anything, the more time, commitment, and dedication it’s going to take to achieve that goal. However, with these things and the determination in your mind that you can do what you want, it is always possible. One fact to keep in mind is that you must decide that you not only want to do a given task but that with enough work, you can do it. Our mind will always hold us back and keep us from achieving greatness in any endeavor if we believe that it is not at all within our ability to make it to the finish line.

Now for those who can’t see this skill as more valuable than punching holes in the x ring on sunny days at the range, imagine for a moment if you can: Your closest friend or loved one is threatened by a young Muslim “refugee” downtown in the city closest to you. Perhaps the dirtbag is about to kill a number of innocents with his AK-47 as he shouts “I-Uh-Like-Ka-Bars!” He’s a hundred yards away and you know that your effective range with your pocket pistol is closer to 25 yards. You can run to get within range, but there’s a catch: A fence/wall/shoulder-high shrubbery stands defiantly in your path, and the only way around will take half a minute running. So if you take the long route, how many may die while it takes you an extra 30 seconds to get into position? How much greater are the odds that you will be holding your dying loved one in your blood-soaked hands?

The hard fact is that accuracy is worth nothing if it isn’t backed up by the ability to put it into effect. Mobility equals survivability, not only for yourself but also for those you may be leading out of harm’s way or are trying to get to in order to protect.

Another possible scenario is that you are forced to flee a building fire from the second story or are backed into a corner before being able to reach the bottom floor. Could you break the glass and jump from that second story window and walk away? I hope that I could, but I won’t stop trying until I know I can do it with ease.

The leading founder of Parkour is now 42 years old and he is still jumping off of roof buildings onto concrete 30+ feet below and running off with vigor. These things, if done correctly, do not lend toward debilitating pain and injuries early in life, or even later in life. Again, if done correctly they do nothing but improve your health and muscle and joint strength.

So how much do you value your ability to make a difference when evil men come to visit violence on those you love? How much of your training time is spent in increasing your knowledge and ability to make movement? It’s time to reevaluate your training and make sure you increase your mobility to ensure the survivability of those you fight for.

Editor’s Important Closing Proviso:  Readers are advised that while Plyometrics and Parkour teach some amazing evasion skills, if they are not done with great caution and under expert instruction, they can lead to injuries with long-lasting consequences–particularly among over-exuberant and under-cautious youths. (Just ask any physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or dentist in an urban region.) Train with a pro, and be careful out there! – JWR

Letter Re: Winter Survival

HJL,
One point to consider regarding use of water filters in cold weather: Both Sawyer and Lifestraw warn that once their filter have been used, they should not be exposed to freezing temperatures. Ceramic filters are not as susceptible.

From the Lifestraw web site: “If your LifeStraw has been used, and is then exposed to freezing temperatures, water inside can freeze and crack the filter. You may not see these cracks, so we recommend never letting it freeze once it’s been used. When camping at high elevations or freezing temperatures, be extra careful not to let it freeze.”

From Sawyer web site: “Before initial wetting Filter is safe from freezing temperatures if it has never been wetted. After initial wetting While there is no definitive way to tell if a filter has been damaged due to freezing, Sawyer recommends replacing your filter if you suspect that it has been frozen. During trips If you are in freezing temperatures, we recommend that you store your filter in your pocket or close to your person so that your body heat can prevent freezing. There is no warranty for a frozen filter.” [Emphasis added.]

I contacted Katadyn and asked if the use of the Pocket or Ceradyn in freezing temperatures would damage the filters. I received the following response:

“Only if you try to run water through the ceramic elements before they have thawed out. And in the case of the Ceradyn, if you have water in the upper chamber and it freezes and cracks the ceramic elements. When not in use, both units should have excess water either pumped out (Pocket) or poured out (Ceradyn) if you are in freezing conditions.”

Sincerely, – A Reader

Two Letters Re: EMP Effect and Pacemakers

James:
While case-by-case circumstances can effect the practicality of many alternatives, there are external pacing and monitoring options. The Zoll Company for example has just released a type of vest, worn similar to a brassiere with a fanny pack (battery pack). This device consistently performs cardiac monitoring and when a shockable rhythm presents itself the device does just that. More archaic methods would involve adhesive defibrillation or subcutaneous pacing patches and a cardiac monitor, while the monitors can be significantly expensive, older models are available at online auction sites. Both the aforementioned devices can be recharged, and more importantly, stored in a Faraday cage to protect them from an EMP. Neither would be as convenient as implanted devices but in a pinch could be just the thing to keep that ticker going.  – John, EMT-P.

Dear Editor:
You aren’t safe even when it is not an EMP. See this Vice article.
Furthermore, no wireless devices are likely to be safe, including Simplisafe.
Don’t trust anything wireless for anything important.
Regards, – T.Z.

Economics and Investing:

Over at the TaxProf blog: IRS Says 114,000,334,000,724,000 Taxpayer Accounts Were Hacked

Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Puerto
Ricans Don’t Want a Bailout. They Want This… (CNN MONEY) Excerpt: “Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla claims the island is in a “death spiral” and there’s no way it will ever have enough money to pay all the debt back.”

Household Debt Increases to $12T (Washington Free Beacon) Excerpt:
“Household debt increased by $51 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, and now totals $12.12 trillion, or more than $40,000 per household, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.”

International News

Opinion: Government Debt is the New Subprime (Market Watch)
Excerpt: “In the 2008-2014 period, the largest growth has been in sovereign debt, up by 9.3% a year. This rate of growth far exceeds global GDP growth. Most forecasts have global GDP growth slowing this year and inflation levels for much of the world near zero. Together these factors mean that governments will have minimal tailwinds to help them service the increasing level of government debt.”

Greek President Pavlopoulos on the Economic Crisis and Monetary Suffocation (Greek Reporter) Excerpt: “He also stated that this syndrome of the deteriorating economic suffocation of the euro zone is, in large part, a result of the overexposure to the inherent risks of an austerity policy….”

Germany’s Demographic Cliff (Visual Capitalist) Excerpt: “For all of its economic power, Germany has a key weakness that could potentially be its Achilles heel: it’s projected that Germany’s population will decline significantly over the coming decades, and the
ratio of workers to dependents will become one of the worst in the world.”

Debt, Demographics and Disinflation: Japan’s 3-D Lessons for Asia (Bloomberg)
Excerpt: “The so called 3-D challenge — debt, demographics and disinflation — is most pronounced in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, according to Morgan Stanley analysts….”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

4 Sad Facts about Americans’ Savings and What You Can Do About It (Clark Howard) Excerpt: “A lot of people may understand the general idea that in order to save, you have to spend less than you make, but they’re still struggling to make it happen. In fact, a large portion of Americans aren’t saving anywhere near what they need to be saving for emergencies, retirement and major life events.

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SurvivalBlog and it’s Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

I saw this documentary film recommended over at the WRSA web site: Cartel Land. This film underscores the peril of living within 50 miles of the Mexican border, or along any of the major highways within perhaps 100 miles of the border.  It also illustrates how helpless the largely unarmed campesinos are, in Mexico. (In essence, there are only two types of citizens in any nation: Armed citizens, and unarmed victims of their environment.) – JWR

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Reader Peter S. sent us this:  Apple plans to make devices even more secure

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‘Cecil Effect’ dangerous for lions, guides

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Volokh: The opinions Justice Scalia joined will start being treated worse, even if he is replaced by a like-minded Justice