Letter Re: Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed.

Hello, Gentlemen:

First thank you for all the time and effort you put into SurvivalBlog. I am
a daily reader and have found it very helpful in my prepping journey.

As part of that journey, I have learned that I cannot take a lot of
“insider” information at face value. I work to find sources to verify it or
at least review the original source of information. We should all do that.

In response to the 19 September article, Letter:Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed., I reviewed the link the writer posted to the FAFSA announcement. The original FAFSA announcement provides critical information that the writer of the article apparently failed to notice. That is that beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA form the date of availability for the form changes from January 1, for example;January 1, 2017, to October 1st of the year before. So, using the 2017-2018form as an example, it will be available on October 1, 2016. Here is the exact statement from the Dept. of Education site: Beginning with the 2017–18application, the FAFSA will be available to students and families October 1 of the previous year.

While one could certainly read all types of theories into this the most evident one is this; with the form now being available for completion and submission on October 1, there is no way that the submitter would have tax returns available for, in this example 2016, as W-2 forms cannot go out before the end of the tax year and must go out by January 31 of the next year. So,2016 tax forms cannot go out before 2016 is over, thus the FAFSA submitter has no choice but to use 2015 tax returns. Unless of course they want to wait four months until they have their 2016 W2 and have completed their tax return. I suspect the Dept. of Education moved up the form release date from 01 January to 01 October to help facilitate the timely processing of FAFSA forms. Yes, I know, hard to believe our government could do anything to improve efficiency!!

I find this to be the most sensible explanation for this change in tax form requirements for the FAFSA form beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA form.

Hopefully, this response to that article will encourage my fellow readers to“trust but verify”. Many pieces of poor or just plain wrong bits of information or insights have been given out with good intentions. – JSD

Odds ‘n Sods:

For more than a decade titanium nitride has been a popular protective hard coating for internal gun parts such as gas pistons, firing, pins and AR bolt carriers that requires only minimal lubrication. But now a company near San Diego is offering a full gun coating service. (Thanks to Terry H. for the tip.)

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Reader J.B.G. flagged this: The RV for the end of the world: 18-tonne, $890,000 vehicle that looks ideal for people who like holidaying outdoors – in a warzone

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Reader M.T.H. suggested this Fox News article: Surrender: San Fran’s iconic, last gun shop to close over new regulations.

JWR’s Comment: I wistfully remember shopping at the San Francisco Gun Exchange right in the city’s financial district, back in the early 1980s. The store was always crowded with well-dressed business executives during the lunch hour. The store had very politically incorrect door handles fashioned from elephant tusks. The store’s inventory was varied, the prices were fairly competitive, and there were a few jaw-dropping “display only” pieces. The Gun Exchange was owned by a very friendly Jewish couple named Posner. It had started out as modest pawn shop in the early 1960s, but by the 1980s it catered to high end gun collectors. It was sad to see how the hoplophobes made one whole sector of righteous commerce impossible for an entire city. Don’t let the gun grabbers run amok in your town, folks!

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I liked this primer over at The SHTF Blog: Situational Awareness: A Skill You Need

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with
them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said,
Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold
my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not
faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my
God.” – John 20:26-28 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – September 26, 2015

One this day in 1789, Thomas Jefferson was appointed America’s first Secretary of State. The 26th of September is also the birthday of the late Jack LaLanne. (Born 1914, died January 23, 2011.)

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Great news! I just heard that Wranglerstar’s book: Homesteading: Rediscovering the American Dream is now available for pre-order. Wranglerstar is my favorite “hands”on” videoblogger, who really lives the life and is someone who has developed a wealth of traditional skills, so this promises to be a great book. His video announcement mentioned that the book features more than 200 photos.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.
    Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. 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 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),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd 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.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. 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,
  9. TexasGIBrass.com is
    providing a $300 gift certificate, 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 FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, 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,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270
    value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is
    providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. 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 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower
    Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts
    is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  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 60 ends on September 30th, 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.

Trail Shelters and the Hantavirus Threat, by Zac T.

1

There are a number of fantastic hiking trail systems within the U.S. The
Appalachian Trail alongside the East Coast, the Continental Divide through the
Rockies, and the Pacific Crest along the West Coast immediately come to mind,
just to name a few. And if you’ve ever spent a considerable amount of time
backpacking through one of these trail systems, you’ve probably passed a
prepared shelter or two.

Your typical trail shelter is essentially three walls and a roof, meant to
really just get you out of the wind and rain. Should you be placed in a
survival situation and opt to go bug out in the woods, wouldn’t a trail
shelter make the perfect home base? It’s already built, they’re typically
built near a running water source, they’re certainly secluded, and many of
them even come with an outhouse!

Who wouldn’t want to grab one of these great shelters as quickly as they
could?

Unfortunately, there’s also a downside to trail shelters. As I mentioned,
they’re really nothing more than three walls and a roof, and though that may
do a good job of protecting you from the elements, they do a very poor job of
protecting you from critters and creepy crawlies. In reality, shelters tend to
be notorious places for woodland animals to congregate thanks to the ready
supply of food and trash that irresponsible backpackers leave behind.

From my own anecdotal experience, I can personally attest to this fact.
I’ve spent many a a night sleeping in the woods, and have yet to have a
favorable experience with sleeping in a trail shelter. When sleeping in a tent,
I have privacy, I am ensured that I’m not sharing my living space, and I know
that I’m not laying down in filth. When sleeping in shelters, I’ve been
attacked by an army of baby skunks, have felt mice repeatedly run across my
legs, watched bats fly two feet from my face, been woken to black bears looking
for free grub a few feet away, have had to deal with other people’s trash,
and have listened to the sweet melody of mosquitoes nibbling on my ears all
night long.

It’s honestly not a pleasant experience.

However, the most dangerous part of the journey is not the animals or bugs,
it’s the viruses that they can leave behind. In particular, hantavirus.

Hantavirus is an especially nasty little virus that is carried by some
genera of rodents, with mice and rats being the main culprits. Early symptoms
include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, and dizziness. As the infection
progresses, eventually the lungs begin to fill with fluid and the patient will
have difficulty breathing. If not treated quickly enough, death can occur as
the patient slowly suffocates to death.[1]

With readily available medical treatment, the risk of serious complications
or death is greatly diminished. However, we are discussing a survival
situation! Superior medical treatment isn’t going to be available during this
type of situation, so you need to ensure that you know about hantavirus.

Within the U.S., deer mice, white-footed mice, rice rats, and cotton rats
are the predominant carriers of the virus, depositing infectious material every
time that they pee or poop. Humans become infected by breathing in aerosolized
particles of hantavirus, by being bitten by an infected rodent, or by touching
droppings, urine, or nesting materials and then touching their eyes, nose, or
mouth.

Unfortunately, mice and rat droppings, urine, and nesting materials are very
often part of the home décor at most trail shelters. Should you decide to
claim one of these shelters during a survival situation, odds are that you’re
going to do what you can to clean the place up a bit to make it more like home.
However, sweeping can readily spread hantavirus particles throughout the air
that you’re breathing. Even if you decide not to clean out the cabin, I can
virtually guarantee you that there are going to be mice that have made
residence there, and considering the fact that all it takes is one mess up to
become infected, staying in a shelter overnight quickly become unappealing.

“But don’t people sleep in shelters all the time?” you ask.

Yes, they do. I’ve done it too. But this doesn’t mean that this is the
best idea. Currently, hantavirus within the US has a case fatality rate of
approximately 38%, and backpackers are at an increased risk of catching the
disease.[1] Why? Because they have a
greater risk of being in contact with mice and rats, and typically that happens
from time spent in infested trail shelters.

Let me give you an example:

My buddy and I had hiked 17+ miles one day, and were absolutely exhausted.
We didn’t make camp until twilight, and by that point, all we wanted to do
was just lay down and rest. Setting up our tents was too much work, so we opted
to just sleep in the shelter instead. We didn’t know that the place was
infested with mice.

It was terrible.

There were mice nibbling on clothing behind my head, running across the
rafters, tramping across our chests, and pitter-pattering their way across the
floor all night. One particularly mischievous little fellow somehow managed to
find his way down the rope where we had hung their bag, and then proceeded to
play with a noisy candy wrapper all night long.

Yes, we made it through without getting hantavirus, but we most certainly
played the odds that night. I don’t want to do that again. Had we retired in
the wrong spot, had we swatted at the wrong mouse, had we placed our hand on
the wrong spot on the floor and then rubbed our eyes, then we could easily have
been infected. That’s all it would have taken. Fortunately, we made it out
fine. Still very sleepy, but fine.

Unfortunately, others have not had the same outcome.

Back in 2012, a group of hikers were trekking through Yosemite National
Park. 10 visitors were infected, and 3 of those 10 actually died from
hantavirus. The majority of those infected are believed to have contracted the
virus while staying at the Signature Tent Cabins. One other patient probably
was exposed to the virus while staying at the High Sierra Camps.[2]

Hantavirus infection does happen, and you have no way of knowing which
shelter is infested with it, and which is not until after the fact. You have to
take preventative steps with this virus.

So, what can you do to prevent hantavirus infection while bugging out?

Well, the first and easiest thing that you can do is to prevent your
exposure to the virus. You can do this by avoiding rodent-infested
areas, and in this case, that’s trail shelters.

Personally, I just don’t believe that they’re worth the risk. Sure,
they’re already there and readily available, but that convenience comes at a
cost. You’d be much better off just packing a tent out with you and staying
in that. Should it absolutely come down to the wire, and I had no other source
of shelter and was about to freeze to death I’d have no problem with staying
in a shelter, but there’s a risk-versus-rewards analysis that you need to
perform in your head here.

Secondly, protect your food supply from rodents. On the trail, I do this by
hanging every bit of food that I’ve got in a bear bag at least 20 feet off
the ground. Anything else that potentially smells like food goes up there too,
such as toothpaste, soap, and the like. Mice are incredibly smart, and will
find a way to gain access to your food supply if you are not careful, and when
they do, they’ll be depositing all kinds of nasty little germs all over your
food.

Third, if you absolutely must clean out a rodent-infested area, there are a
few precautions that you should take. NEVER use a broom. Brooms aerosolize
infectious material. The same thing applies to vacuums. If you need to clean
out an area where rodents are present use a wet mop or towels moistened with
disinfectant.[3, 4] Next, make sure that you’re wearing some form of latex gloves when cleaning out areas contaminated with urine, nesting, or fecal material. I’d wear some form of respiratory protection as well, such as a N95 mask, just to be on the safe side.

If you don’t have these items, then I honestly would look into considering
other shelter options. Do you have a tent or tarp with you? Can you build some
form of shelter for yourself out in the woods somewhere that hasn’t been
infested with rodents? Be creative with your shelter options in this scenario.
Where there is a will, there is a way, and there’s nothing like a survival
situation to bring out one’s creative side.

In Conclusion

With hantavirus being a very elusive and mysterious visitor, you need to
think twice about where you are finding your shelter overnight. Though you may
live close to a great trail system, you have no way of knowing which trail
shelter is a tomb, and which is not. Be responsible with your prepping. Don’t
willfully lead your family into a place where their lives are at stake. Even if
it’s just yourself, there are still people out there who love you, and would
miss you terribly should something happen. I understand that sometimes risks
have to be made, but make sure that they are at least reasonable risks.

Odds are that you already have some form of bug-out bag. Why not include
some form of shelter in it, even if it’s just a tarp and rope. The extra
weight is well worth the benefit, and just might save your life.

References

[1]
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/symptoms.html

[2]
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbreaks/yosemite-national-park-2012.html

[3]
http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html

[4] Heymann D. Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (20th ed.). p. 248.

Letter Re: Sources for MRE Rations

Hello Hugh,

I’ve been reading SurvivalBlog for many years and have had a few of my
articles posted in the past. This is the first time I’ve written since you took
over as editor. You’re doing well, Hugh.

I am in the market to buy Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs) as a source of Bug Out
Bag (BOB) food storage, along with pre-positioning some at my intended retreat
locations.

There are so many options and it is difficult to determine what is best, or
even which are the best value for the money. Amazon is flooded with all manner
of brands and packaging. I am looking for the best choice that is quality and
has the full contingency of “Extras” like heater, spoon, matches, coffee, etc.
The “WarFighter” ones from Sopacko seem to fit the bill nicely.

Could I please ask your help in guiding me on this? Feel free to share this letter on the blog to get input from my fellow readers as well if you like.

Thank you for the work you do. – DS in Arizona

JWR Replies: The shelf life of MREs is excellent, as long you keep their temperature low. (But don’t let them freeze!) Several of our advertisers sell commercial MREs that aside from their outer packaging are virtually identical to the military MREs, including matches and chemical heaters. Sopacko is indeed a good maker. (The MRE makers that are also current or recent military MRE contractors are almost always a safe bet.) Once you’ve identified a good maker, then it is simply a matter of comparing prices–including shipping, which can be considerable.

Economics and Investing:

Oil Prices – What Does “Lower For Longer” Actually Mean?

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Over at the SHTFPlan blog, Mac Slavo reports: Soros, Icahn and Major New Players Rushing Into the Gold Sector: “Things Are In The Works As We Speak”

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B.B. sent this: Food Stamps In Crosshairs of Shutdown. [JWR’s Comment: State-level disruptions of EBT card payments in the past two years have caused chaos. We can only imagine if this were to happen nationwide.]

Items from The Economics Team:

The Extinction of Retirement

At Zero Hedge: Confessions of an Economics Professor

Track Your Banks’ Texas Ratio. Hint: Many banks sit on the edge of failure even in “the recovery”

Household Economics – 11 Foods to Can or Freeze Now

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Fight for Light: Assault on Silicon Valley (Part 1 of 3.) Along with Chuck Woolsey, this segment for NRA News hosted by Ollie North features Chuck Holton, who you may remember as the creator of the great American Redoubt piece for CBN.

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In Malaysia, RFID road tax stickers will track all vehicles. (Thanks to H.A for the link.)

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I just noticed that Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty has added a North Idaho MLS search tool to his web site. It is a very handy tool, for anyone considering moving up there. I highly recommend Chris’s services. He is an agent who really knows the American Redoubt region.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak;
and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain,
my speech shall distil as the dew,
as the small rain upon the tender herb,
and as the showers upon the grass:
because I will publish the name of the Lord:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect:
for all his ways are judgment:
a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. – Deuteronomy 32:1-4
(KJV)

Notes for Friday – September 25, 2015

On September 25th 1789, the fledgling Congress of these united States adopted the first 12 amendments to the Constitution and forwarded them to the States for ratification. The first ten of these amendments would become the Bill of Rights.

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A reminder: The big sale on Mountain House long term storage foods at Ready Made Resources will be ending next week. the discounts range from 35% to 50%. Stock up!

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Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction
writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. 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 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),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd 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.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340
    value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. 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,
  9. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, 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 FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, 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,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. 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 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  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 60 ends on September 30th, 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.

Announcing JWR’s Latest Novel: Land of Promise

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve completed writing and editing my latest novel, titled Land of Promise. It will be released on December 1st, 2015 as an e-book, in trade paperback, and as an audiobook. This is the first volume of a planned five novel series, called the Counter-Caliphate Chronicles. The series begins 35 years in the future, and describes a timeline different from that in my Patriots novel series. These novels will have some science fiction elements, but you will find them as grounded in reality as my previous books. (There will be plenty of practical and tactical tips!) Land of Promise is an exciting story that describes the establishment of a Christian libertarian republic in East Africa, in response to a wave of persecution by a Global Islamic Caliphate.

Here is a brief description of the novel:

Launched by a pair of free-thinking venture capitalists and an Israeli art dealer, the fictional Ilemi Republic is carved out of a disputed border region between Kenya and South Sudan, with the consent of the governments of these two neighboring nations.

The fledgling Ilemi Republic is a nation of firsts in modern history: The first nation as a dedicated place of refuge for Christians and Messianic Jews; The first nation with absolutely no taxes or levies of any kind; The first nation with no licenses or permits; The first nation with minimalist government; The first nation to reject fiat currency and establish a tri-metallic currency (gold, silver, and platinum); The first nation to have a self-policing citizenry with a citizen’s militia–and hence no standing army and no police force; The first nation with a near absolute right to keep and bear arms, where only weapons of mass destruction are restricted from private ownership; and the first nation without a parliament or congress, where all decisions are made by public referendum.

Although the e-book edition of the novel can already be pre-ordered from Amazon.com, I would prefer that SurvivalBlog readers wait until the release day. (December 1st.)
That should give the book a good jump in the sales rankings. Please mark your calendars!

The prices for the trade paperback edition and the audiobook have not yet been set, but the e-book is very reasonably priced at $2.99 for pre-orders and for the release day, and then $3.99 starting December 2nd.

I’ve already begun writing the second novel in the series, which is tentatively titled Piece of Resistance.  Thanks for your interest and support! – JWR

A Beginners Guide to Practical Prepping: Lessons From a True Story of Disaster, by R.L.

It was September 1989, a time in history that is forever burned into my
memory. I was working as a firefighter in a small town outside Columbia, South
Carolina. Hurricane Hugo had developed in the Atlantic, it was ripping apart
the Carribean islands and it was headed our way. All the news on television and
radio were inundated with updates on this killer storm; we were tuned into the
Weather Channel at the firehouse carefully watching and waiting. The original
forecast was that the Category 4 hurricane would turn north and only threaten
the North Carolina coast. It was assumed that as with most previous hurricanes
the forecasters were usually correct and there was little concern, only that we
would see high winds and maybe some bad weather.

As my shift continued throughout the day I was asked to work an additional
shift the following day in anticipation of the “storm” so I agreed to work
an extra shift. There was a quiet sense of anxiety and being nearly glued to
the television all day we quickly realized that the storm of the century was in
fact more of a threat to us than we had first thought. A nearly sleepless night
ended with early morning emergency meetings and additional crew arriving in
preparation for a major disaster. The hurricane had increased in intensity, it was now a Category 5 and as it turned out, it was not going to turn north. Hugo was going to hit the South Carolina coast somewhere. I was told that my shift would end at 7 a.m. the following morning, wait… what? That would be right after the storm, when all the work begins! Due to policy at the time, working more than two shifts back to back was not allowed, even in an emergency.

I received several desperate phone calls from my in-laws living in the Charleston area requesting a generator, fuel, and ice. They were already without power and I knew that I had to help. Knowing that I would be off duty for at least two days in the aftermath of this disaster I began to prepare.Better late than never, right? I only had hours and I knew that it was essential to do everything within my means to help my friends and family living near Charleston.

Evacuations of coastal areas were ordered and all of the stores in Columbia were completely wiped out. There was no generators, supplies or even groceries available anywhere. All the shelves were empty. Fortunately I had the resources of the fire department and my fellow firefighters. In the basement of the firehouse there was a pile of old equipment, no longer used or fit for service but perfect for my needs and I was given permission to use whatever I needed. I managed to borrow an old generator, a chainsaw, axes, old fire hose, water coolers, tarps, rope, fuel cans and a few bags of ice. So I loaded everything that my little Toyota truck would hold.

During the night of September 22nd, Hurricane Hugo slammed into Charleston.The devastation was unimaginable, simply beyond belief. Houses were completely destroyed, whole forests of trees were snapped in half and power lines were down everywhere. As the rescue and recovery began, clearing roadways, cutting trees and dealing with the devastation in Columbia, I was ordered off duty after working 48 hours. So I headed out for Charleston and what was at the time Ground Zero. I immediately realized that the devastation was worse than anything that I had ever seen and what should have been a two hour drive turned out to take nearly five hours due to broken down vehicles in the roadway,downed trees blocking roads and downed power lines. When I arrived at my mother and father in-law’s house I realized that my small truck load of supplies was worth it’s weight in gold. What do we need to do? I asked. Their replies:

“We need water, the power was cut in anticipation of the storm and we can’t flush the toilets.” (They were on well water powered by an AC electric pump.) They also said: “We need to wash and all our food is spoiling.” I had the generator. It was small but enough run the water pump,the freezer and a few lights. I had tarps that were loaned to neighbors with roof damage, a chainsaw to clear roads and driveways. I had gasoline for the generator that was essential, since gas stations were closed for miles around,due to power outages. The power wasn’t restored for several weeks. There was looting in the streets of Charleston. The National Guard was called in and a state of emergency was declared. The storm took 23 lives, destroyed thousands of homes and caused massive destruction and countless injuries.

Had it not been for the valuable resources available to me at the time from the old storage room junk and a few friends, then I would have been of little help. My family would have certainly had a greater loss and suffered without the essentials that were delivered by my little Toyota truck. It seems that ina time of disaster when everything that we depend on is taken away, it’s thebasics that come first; Water, electricity, fuel, shelter and food.The resources that are available to you and how you prepare prior to any disaster situation will make a huge difference, and perhaps even save your life. At that time I was not a prepper, just a very underpaid firefighter who was willing to lend a helping hand.

What will you do when you can’t just “Go to the store”?

It has been 26 years since that event and that question is always on my mind. We now live in a society in which we all greatly depend on our local stores such as the supermarket, pharmacy, hardware store, home center, and gas station. What will you do when you simply can’t go to the store? Either they won’t be open due to lack of electricity or property damage and looting or you simply won’t be able to get out of your driveway.

Preppers around the world have their own ideas about what will, or could happen, be it EMP, financial collapse, natural disaster, nuclear attack,pandemic, or any number of SHTF scenarios. Personally, I am not convinced that the world as we know it will come to an end. However, I am absolutely certain that another natural disaster will occur. I still live in Hurricane Alley and very near a fault line that is overdue for a major earthquake.Whether it’s a hurricane or earthquake, I don’t know, but what is certain is that it’s not a matter of if it’s going to happen, butwhen. I am now prepared and if you are not, then you should be.

Prepping is largely based on your budget. Let’s face it, if there was an unlimited budget our bugout vehicles would be a fleet helicopters and our destination would be an abandoned missile silo in the Midwest completely outfitted for survival for at least 50 years. Right? For most of us that’s just financially out of the question. Any prep is better than no prep. We all have budgets to live within our means and if you have the ability to stock upon a few crucial items that will make life easier during a survival situation,that’s certainly better than doing nothing at all.

Number one for me is electricity, period. We just simply can’t survive very long without it. Don’t believe me? Go flip the main breaker to your house and see how long you can do without. Test your ability to survive without one basic need. Go turn your water main off, how long can you go without a bath, the ability to flush a toilet, or have a drink of water? I guarantee that you won’t last 24 hours. So if you don’t have an alternate means ofproviding power or water outside of the grid, then go buy a generator, store some water. and buy a water filter. You don’t necessarily need a big expensive whole-house generator. Simply having the ability to keep your refrigerator, freezer, lights and a microwave running is good enough for temporary survival in most cases. Generators are useless without fuel and even more useless without extension cords. [JWR Adds: And it is notsafe to use without a transfer switch at your breaker box to isolate your house from grid power. It would be a very bad thing to electrocute one of your local power utility’s linemen!)]

Since gasoline has a very limited shelf life you will need to get into aroutine of rotating it by storing it, then using it in a vehicle and replacing it with a fresh supply, the amount you store is up to you but I would recommend having at least enough to run your generator for a month non–stop.[JWR Adds: Better yet, buy a propane-fueled generator, and install the largest propane tank that you local fire code allows. Propane stores indefinitely.]

Good heavy duty extension cords and power strips are not expensive, easily stored and absolutely necessary. Fitting your home’s electrical system with a transfer switch so that your emergency power is fed into your home’s electrical system but much more expensive. But it is money well spent if you can afford it, for the sake of safety.

Water is a different story, you can store water almost indefinitely and it’s easy to treat unfit water with filters or by boiling or with bleach.Water, water storage and water treatment is cheap. Determine the amount of survival water needed by your family per day, then use whatever means necessary to either store enough water or find a source of water that is independent of the power grid. Water storage options include anything from cases of bottled water to elaborate rainwater collection and water well options. These are all of course are budget and location dependent.

The Bug-Out

There is a lot of hype about bugging out, especially on those television reality prepper shows. The fact is, those shows are produced for entertainment purposes, not to say that some of the information isn’t valuable–it can be.Keep in mind that it’s television. I personally don’t have a bugout location to go to, and I realize from experience that during almost any bad situation no matter what it is, the roadways are nearly impassable. I plan to bug-in. I have a small bug-out bag, for what reason? I don’t know. I guess to some extent I could use my bug-out bag to survive for a day or two away from my house but my focus is on staying put, surviving at least the best I can in my own home. I know that there is a possibility that my home along with all of my preps could be destroyed and all my efforts would be in vain, and that’s the calculated risk that I have chosen to take. As a new prepper, you must evaluate your budget, your needs and your resources. Then take action.

The Dollar Store Prepper

For many years I wouldn’t have been caught dead in a discount dollar store. As it turns out your local dollar discount store, those Family Dollar and Dollar General discount stores are a viable resource for the budget prepper. I found that most of their medical and first aid supplies are far less expensive than some of the well known pharmacy chains and often are of better quality. I have even found great survival items at those ”everything’s a dollar” stores as well. These type stores have some of the best deals on staple foods and basic necessities that any prepper could want. You can’t get everything you need but it’s a great start for very little money.

As a beginner Prepper you may feel overwhelmed with information on the Internet. Keep in mind that this article is meant to address the needs of the beginner prepper for a temporary period, in a practical way. I have chosen to prepare for a natural disaster emergency lasting a short period of time of upto a few months. There are obviously much more elaborate and expensive ways to prepare for long term survival. The following is a short list of some of the items that you should consider as part of your basic survival needs preps. Most of these items are available at a reasonable cost locally and will certainly help you get started with your survival preparations.

  • A good quality generator. (Those rated to deliver 4,000 to 8,000 watts are adequate and reasonably priced.)
  • Gas cans, spouts, gasoline, extension cords and power strips.
  • Bottled water, 5 gallon water containers or clean 5 gallon buckets with pour spout lids
  • Plain liquid bleach or pool chlorination tablets, soap, hand sanitizer
  • An advanced first aid kit that is well stocked with extra bandages and dressings
  • Supply of rope, duck tape, paracord, and tie straps
  • Candles, Sterno fuel, oil lamps, flashlights, extra batteries
  • Tools, pliers, hammer, screwdriver, nails, screws etc.
  • Dry foods; pastas, dried beans, rice etc.
  • Canned foods; especially canned meats and beef jerky
  • Powdered foods; powdered milk and dehydrated potato flakes
  • Dehydrated fruits and vegetables, canned nuts, etc.
  • Peanut butter, honey, spices, salt, sugar
  • Knives, firearms, ammunition, chainsaw, handsaws, axe, and hatchet
  • Extra clothes, tarps, work gloves, extra boots or shoes
  • Lighters, matches, firestarters, propane fuel, charcoal, quick start fire logs
  • Important documents including prescriptions in a sealed plastic bag.

Remember to rotate your stock. Even bleach has a shelf life. If you don’t know how to use the tools and equipment you have, then now is the time to learn, not when you need them.

There is no right or wrong way to prepare, what you choose to do and how much time you spend is largely based on your budget, your location, your spare time, your reasons for preparing, the risks you are willing to take and your resources. The bottom line is that anything you do to get ready for a disaster situation is much better than just doing nothing.

Networking with others is a great way to discover survival sources and to get ideas. You don’t necessarily need to belong to a “group” but think of your fellow preppers as resource for information. Finally, practice using your preps. Just purchasing the items I have described is not enough. Use your generator from time to time, practice by simulating a scenario and learning what works and what doesn’t. You will gain the peace of mind in knowing that your plan works. And therefore you and your family will surely benefit during the difficult times of survival.

Letter Re: Occupying Your Community- Part 2, by B.S.C.

Hugh,

As a comment to the article titled Occupying Your Community, I don’t have a bug-out bag, because I don’t have anywhere better to go than my own castle. – Mr. X

HJL Replies: Like you, I do not have anywhere better to go than my own home/retreat. (I live at my rural retreat year-round.) However, not having a bug-out bag (BOB) and quick get-away kit (see Tina Lewis Rowe’s suggestions) is terribly shortsighted. There could be many
reasons that you might be forced to leave your castle beyond those addressed in B.S.C’s article. (In my area, the substantial threats are forest fires and
floods.)

Please folks, do not just prepare for one type of emergency, with just one response plan. Always have a Plan B. Keep BOBs packed for every member of your family, as well as a vehicular everyday carry kit. Inspect those kits annually, and replace perishable items. And of course: pray hard.

Economics and Investing:

Reader D.S. suggested this: Is Capitalism Un-Christian?

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The recent huge layoffs at Deutsche Bank (23,000 employees–about 1/4th of their
workforce) got scarcely a ten second mention in the major American mainstream media news outlets. But be advised: This could be an early signal of a global
credit crisis in the near future. They would not be laying off this heavily if they expected stability in the world credit markets. – JWR

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Items from The Economics Team:

How Our Family Saves $10,000 a Year

The Four Horsemen of Middle Class Destruction