Glencore CEO: China Weaker than Expected – A.L.
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Wal-Mart finding it more difficult to squeeze suppliers – RBS
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Expatriates choosing to leave the U.S. rather than pay taxes – G.G.
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BIS fears emerging market maelstrom as Fed tightens – G.P.
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Two Clear Signs That the Political/ Financial Elite Know Another Crisis is Coming – B.B.
AMAZING PHOTOS- “Time Capsule” C-47 Crash – Don’t miss this one – T.P.
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David Cameron under fire over EU army stance – G.P.
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Some light reading…or not: United Nations Infantry Battalion Manual for Peacekeepers – Part 1 – T.P.
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‘Production Versus Plunder’ Part 24 – The Centuries of Reset
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Wow, I’m really caught off guard that this would happen. I’m sure Iran will only use this for creating electricity. You know the “electric” feeling you get when you realize you screwed up big time and you’re about to pay for it. Iran finds ‘unexpectedly high’ uranium reserve after Dems seal nuke deal for Obama – M.B.
“No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.” – Frederick Douglass
13 September 1951 was the birthday of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.
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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:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
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.
If you are ever find yourself in an urban or suburban setting and need water badly, there is a source of water you probably never thought of as accessible: groundwater. In my day job as an environmental technician, I frequently have to supervise contractors who are drilling observation wells in all sorts of urban and suburban settings. Sometime after drilling, I take samples from the wells and submit them to labs to test if they are contaminated. Basically, almost every transaction of a commercial or industrial property, and many residential properties also, will have several surface groundwater wells; so, you can imagine the number. I’ve taken samples from every sort of property, including gas stations, dry cleaners, factories, malls, strip malls, warehouses, apartment blocks, and more. The wells are frequently left in the ground for years at a time and often forgotten about, instead of decommissioned. There will be countless wells all over the urban and suburban landscape when the SHTF.
The observation wells I am speaking about are 1-2″ (2.5 – 5.0 cm) diameter PVC pipes sunk into the ground around a sand filter, which have slots at the bottom to allow the passage of groundwater. The top of the well is a 6″ (15 cm) diameter metal casing of steel or aluminum that can either be flush with the ground, or raised by about 3 ft (1 m) in a rectangular steel case. The flush wells are usually secured with two 1/2″ or 9/16″ bolts, but there are other variations. The wells can be anywhere from 7 to 60 ft deep (2 to 20 m), although usually around 15-20 ft (3 – 4 m) in the areas I have worked (southern Ontario and around Vancouver, Canada). The wells will be whatever the depth of the surface aquifer is in your area.
The purpose of the wells is to obtain samples for laboratory analysis to find out if the groundwater is contaminated around the well. When the industry picks a spot to drill, they usually don’t know if we are going to find contamination. They usually only know if there could be. So, the industry inadvertently drills a lot of clean observation wells along with the contaminated ones.
How can you know which are contaminated? Even after six years of testing groundwater on all sorts of sites, I cannot always tell if well water is contaminated simply by looking at it. However, there are many warning signs that indicate that it is unsafe to drink. In a bad situation, you may not have any other choice. Ultimately, the purpose of this article is to give you a sense of when it may be worth the risk to drink, and when it is absolutely not.
First of all, the industry drills wells in clusters around areas that have contaminated groundwater, so you shouldn’t bother opening the wells in the center of clusters. The wells at the periphery are best. Once the industry finds the edge of the contamination, we don’t usually keep drilling more wells, since the “edge” of the contamination is inferred to be somewhere between the center and the periphery. However, just because a well is at the periphery is no guarantee that it will be clean. Contaminants continue to migrate slowly with the flow of groundwater.
Secondly, I wouldn’t drink any wells that had dissolved metals as the potential source of contamination, because your senses may be unable to detect dissolved metals (lead, chromium, et cetera) that are very poisonous. So, I would stay away from wells that were around metalworks, foundries, and especially metal electroplating facilities.
Thirdly, the most likely case where you are going to find these wells is at gas stations. At a gas station, you know that the primary source of contamination is hydrocarbons (gas, diesel), so if your well doesn’t smell like gas or diesel, you’re probably going to be okay. The human sense of smell for these products is very sensitive, so you’re normally going to be able to tell almost immediately if it is bad to drink. That being said, the more protection you have the better. If you have a filter, be it sand, activated carbon, or ceramic, use it. If you have chlorination or UV treatment, use it. Hydrocarbons are immiscible and barely dissolvable in water, so if you pass them through an activated carbon filter it will remove almost all of them. However, you don’t want to try and filter very heavily contaminated water. Not only will you wreck your filter, the water may also contain poisonous dissolved metals that will not filter out. The metals come from soils exposed to reducing conditions (low oxygen environments). These conditions are caused by underground bacteria that consume the hydrocarbons and generate acidic wastes.
To access the groundwater wells, follow these steps:
I usually leave the tubing/inertial pump in the wells, because I don’t want to waste time cutting up the tubing and throwing it away. In my experience opening up wells drilled by other companies, there is often tubing left behind. Once you have some clean tubing, you can coil it up and use it later in another well.
The amount of water extractable from the well will heavily depend on the soils and the amount of penetration of the well into the water table. Sandy soils will allow water to pass easily, and therefore you will get water as fast as you can pump it, while wells sunk into clay soils may offer you just a few litres and then take hours or days to recharge. There may also be wells that have no water, which means the technician made a mistake and/or the groundwater table has fallen below the depth of the well.
Hopefully, you will never have to drink suspect water from an urban/suburban observation well, but maybe a forgotten observation well could save your life, if surface water sources are unavailable or are contaminated with disease vectors (groundwater tends not to have any microbial contamination).
Do not drink groundwater if:
Groundwater is less risky to drink if:
Hugh,
One advantage of freeze drying is you pay for the electricity once, and have something light which you can store on a shelf. But while reading the reply about EMPs and freezers at a local restaurant, I happened to notice an old Zenith (yes, Zenith) freezer. It might be older than me. My immediate thought was that I could probably offer to buy them a new freezer and take this antique (it might be older than I am) off their hands.
One other caution, the older freezers use Freon – R12 – which is more expensive and harder to obtain (ChloroFlouroCarbons – CFCs). R134 is the typical refrigerant used currently. One leak and you might have big problems.
If it is a cache, remember that high altitudes in the shade (maybe some of the nearby mountains with accessible roads) have snow through at least June, and that is merely shade, not insulated. Also my rather old house has a “basement” which was originally a root cellar. I’m not sure if it could be converted to an ice house – but I do remember they had ways of keeping ice for the summer. Water has a high “latent heat of fusion”, so it requires the same heat to melt ice that it does to raise water a few degrees in temperature. – R.T.
Disaster Psychology – A.L.
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Obama Has An Answer To The American Redoubt: make it no longer American – GJM
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Girl survives 6 days without food This girl broke all the so called “survival rules” and still survived! By all rights she should have died…shows it’s your attitude and will to live that counts and not the fancy gear! – A.S.
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Poll finds almost a third of Americans would support a military coup – T.P.
“And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.” – Luke 24:4-9 (KJV)
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:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
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.
If you are reading this article, then you are aging. Obviously, the only way to escape aging is to pass on to the “other world”. So assuming that you are not reading this while comfortably seated in a recliner in the Happy Hunting Ground, let us have a discussion of aging and how it relates to the activity of prepping.
First, aging usually brings forth some diminished mental and physical abilities. Those past the age of say forty have probably noticed changes in eyesight and perhaps lessened strength and endurance. Balance and reflexes are probably not as keen as they were when we were teens or twenty-something.
Let’s face it; our memory is not as good as it was either. In the short-term, we may joke about it, but down deep we worry about the long-term effects of age-related dementia. This particular topic came to mind (pun intended) the other day when in one absent-minded episode I left the garden gate open and forgot to shut off the drip irrigation tube from a rain barrel. That day, my forgetfulness was a minor inconvenience, something to shake my head at and make me mutter to myself. After TSHTF, this lapse could be disastrous. The garden could be wiped out overnight by deer or other critters, and the waste of water from a rain barrel could very likely impact my survival.
In answer to my one-day lapse of judgement, I implemented a system of reminders to hopefully eliminate future “brain cramps”. Sure, I’m a note-writer, listing chores to do and assigning them priorities, but now I also use bright colored ribbons so I know at a glance if a task has been completed or not. Similar to lock out devices for safety in the industrial world, I tie a survey marker ribbon on the garden gate or the rain barrel spigot to remind me that the job is completed. I seem to remember that step in the process, and I don’t have to think “Did I remember to . . . ?”
After nearly driving out of my garage with a chain saw on my truck’s tailgate, I’ve employed a “tailgate in use” ribbon that I place over the steering wheel. I place the ribbon on the truck’s steering wheel when I’m working off the tailgate, and I remove it when I’m done. It’s easy peasy, and it prevents me from doing something stupid that might be costly.
All of this started me thinking of other things I should prepare for as I age. I began by assembling a notebook with suggestions I took from SurvivalBlog entries. My notebook has lots of information, including water purification techniques, copies of important paperwork, and contact lists, and it tells me at a glance what I have for food stores, precious metals, ammunition, and medical supplies. I don’t have to trust anything to my failing memory! The information in the notebook is backed up on a flash drive in my bug out bag.
Anyone over fifty can tell you about aches, pains, symptoms, and so forth that can sneak up on you without notice. Maybe stocking some over-the-counter medications would be prudent. Start with age-appropriate multi-vitamins. Since you will be outside more and not in an air-conditioned house, maybe some antihistamines for worsening allergies. Chopping and splitting wood may be the rule of the day, so aspirin and NSAIDs will help with muscle aches.
Even if you currently eat what you store, there will still be a change in diet, so stockpiling some laxatives and other supplements could help. Something to control diarrhea is a must have. Think of the Civil War casualties that were caused by dysentery alone!
You will be working hard just to survive. Some of these situations may be risky or downright dangerous, so it is prudent to prepare for injuries. As a prepper, you should have already stocked first aid supplies, but have you considered recovery from a sprained ankle, a twisted knee, or even a broken femur? Maybe you should check the neighborhood garage sales and thrift shops for a pair of adjustable crutches that can be utilized while you or family members heal. The same thing goes for splints, support braces, and maybe even a wheelchair. I recently suffered from plantar fasciitis, and believe me it dramatically reduces one’s mobility. I was prescribed an adjustable boot splint that helped me heal and enabled me to walk. After my recovery, I kept the boot in case of future problems.
Your overall strength will most certainly diminish with age, and you won’t be able to rely on gasoline-powered implements and vehicles. Stock things like buckets, carts, and wheelbarrows to make life a bit easier for yourself. Also, consider pulleys, jacks, “come-alongs,” wire, wire cable, and rope for the very same reasons.
Whetstonesand files will keep your cutting instruments sharp. If they are sharp, they will be safer, and you won’t have to work as hard. You should already have crosscut saws, axes, splitting mauls, and wedges ready to go to work when the gasoline dries up.
With an eye toward fire safety, you will want to keep grass, weeds, and brush back away from your house, woodpile, barn, and other structures. There won’t be an organized fire response post-TEOTWAWKI, so perhaps sickles and scythes (with a sharp scythe blade) would help keep dry weeds and other vegetation at bay. Stock and mount fire extinguishers in likely places. You may not have pressurized water available, so the extinguishers become very important and enable you to fight a small fire before it gains in strength and size. You may not be physically able or have the endurance or equipment to fight a large fire.
Water will be of utmost importance, and it is heavy. As you get older, you will not want to carry water a long distance, if you can help it. I highly recommend installing rain barrels now, while materials are available. You can get the system working for watering vegetables in the garden now, and later you will be able to also utilize your catchment system for your consumption, bathing, and clothes washing needs. If rain water catchment is prohibited in your area, at least get the components now for a complete system to assemble after TSHTF.
Also consider saving thicker, quality, food-grade gallon jugs with handles. It is much easier to carry a gallon in each hand and make a couple of trips than to wrestle a 5-gallon container of water. Don’t forget a couple of steel water bottles and cooking pots for heating water for purification and cooking.
Speaking of hauling water, how about dish washing after TSHTF? At my age, I only want to haul the minimum amount of water, so dish washing becomes a very low priority. I have stockpiled paper plates, the good ones, for a time when I will only haul water for consumption purposes. While not considered “green alternative” right now, I can get lots of them inexpensively and store them forever. After I use them, they can be burned or dried and used to start the next cook fire, leaving no trace but smoke and ash.
Gardening will mean food. If you haven’t started at least a small patio garden yet, you should consider doing it very soon. You have probably read that there is a leaning curve associated with gardening, and that is very true. Even if you can garden successfully in South Carolina, there will be a learning period if you move to Idaho. Weather patterns, insect pests, soil types, and diseases constantly test your skill and knowledge. A vegetable can be doing well, and then overnight something can almost wipe it out of your garden!
Try to construct your garden to suit an older you so that you can keep gardening as you age. Consider raised beds and vertical gardening in order to ease back strain. Plan your rain catchment system to be close or connected to your garden to lessen watering trips. Small vegetable gardens close to your house may serve you better as you age rather than large gardens a tractor ride away. If you can, stock fertilizer and maybe insect control products.
A rolling compost bin may be a bit easier for you to handle than forking and turning over large conventional compost heaps. Some bins are even mounted on legs to eliminate all that bending over.
Your failing eyesight might require good quality optics, like waterproof binoculars to identify threats at a distance. Long distance rifles should be fitted with scopes that can work in low light situations. While we are on the “optic topic”, get lots of reading glasses, and get them now! I have a pair in virtually every room in my house, my vehicles, my shop, my tackle box, and even in my bug out bag! Even if you don’t need them yet, buy bunches of inexpesive reading glasses in varying strengths. You will be glad you did when you can’t read, thread a fish hook or a sewing needle, or even tighten a screw without them. Extras will be great barter material, and the people who didn’t plan ahead will clamor for them.
Your eyes, teeth, and overall health should be checked soon. Fix any problems while you still have access to health care providers. I can’t imagine enduring a toothache without a dentist handy!
The rules will change dramatically after TSHTF. As a prepper you have probably at least started a modest armory of weapons and ammunition. As I’ve gotten older, I have sold or traded beautiful, expensive, or unique “wall hanger” firearms for a narrow but deep armory that includes identical patrol rifles, identical home defense shotguns, and identical sidearms. These firearms span only four ammunition sizes, so I only have to stock those calibers. Having identical models helps with training and provides interchangeable parts. As a side note, don’t forget spare parts and cleaning supplies for your guns. These will quickly become scarce.
To summarize, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and plan for the future. In a survival situation, nature forces us older preppers to work smarter, not harder.
Dear JWR:
I would add a thought to the advice from the writer of “Killer Survivalism“: Don’t neglect your current responsibilities in favor of your preparations for TEOTWAWKI.
A relative of mine had a “prepper” mindset but was not very stable financially. He had chronic problems with credit card debt, could have used a better automobile, and constantly put off repairs to his house. Upon his sudden death from a heart attack, I helped dispose of his estate and found that although he was chronically short of funds, he had spent a large amount of money on stored food and other preps, which he kept in his home and in rented storage units. He also had a sizable quantity of “junk silver” coins squirreled away. I pointed the supplies out to his heirs and made sure they didn’t just roll up the coins and sell them at face value. I think they will make good use of all his “goods”, so his efforts won’t go to waste, but the stress of his preparations and the related debt may well have contributed to his death.
I sometimes counsel friends on preparedness but always advise them not to go overboard. A well-thought-out plan executed in a methodical way will get you prepared without undue financial hardship. Of course, world events may take a sudden turn and justify an accelerated plan. You can be the judge of what’s appropriate in your situation.
Incidentally, whenever somebody laughs off my own warnings of potential hard times ahead, I share with them a motto: “Paranoids are rarely taken by surprise. On the other hand, people who live with their head in the sand are often surprised by everything.” – R. in TN
Zombie Home Foreclosures – A.L.
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Glencore and the World of Global Commodities – A.L.
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This Is EXACTLY What The Early Phases Of A Market Meltdown Look Like
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Items from Mr. Econocobas:
Welcome To The Recovery – Two Out Of Five American Children Experience Poverty
Military misplaces black plague samples – J.C.
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Taking the President’s lunch money: In Major Humiliation For Obama, Iran Sends Soldiers To Support Russian Troops In Syria – GJM
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Interesting, the kinds of articles that are starting to show up on such relatively nerdy sites as “Zerohedge”, these days… Guide for Learning to Use a Sidearm to Defend Yourself, Your Loved Ones, and Your Property, Should a Race War Break Out – GJM
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Hackers had full access to your GM car for five years – D.S.
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Microsoft is downloading Windows 10 to your machine ‘just in case’ – P.S.
“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. – Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (KJV)