Watching Out For Scammers on the Ham Boards, by R.B.

I’m a Ham operator and recently got scammed. I want to share my story and to give some pointers to those less educated, concerning what to look for when buying Ham equipment from ads posted online on any of the various Ham forums. I’m not talking about buying in person; I’m talking about buying sight unseen, like non-Ebay or non-Amazon purchases.

My Story

I was looking for an ICOM radio amp and found one. The price was reasonable for a used amp, so I contacted the person. He said, in broken English, that it was still for sale and he was selling it because he had just hurt himself working on his roof antenna, so he needed to sell the rig to pay his bills. I asked about payment options, and he instructed I send a bank wire. He kept asking me if the money had been sent. It was mildly annoying me, but given his situation it made sense to me. I provided my information for shipping. We agreed on DHL because this was going from the U.S. to Germany. At the top of all of his emails, I then started to see some DHL banner, which even took me to the DHL web page. I then wired the money to his wife’s bank account. The money did not go through. I found out the account had been closed. I asked about using PayPal, and he said he could not use Paypal because his account had been hacked. I get the new bank account information from him and wire the money. It goes through. He acknowledges receipt. He asks me if I knew anyone else who might be interested in his remaining gear. I said yes and sent out the information to those people, who I later told to disregard as I got frustrated with him. At this point it begins to get interesting.

He used some shipping company other than DHL. I had never heard of them, but this company said it was affiliated through DHL on its website. I noted that its name was very similar to another company. Its website was non-user friendly and not that professionally done, as far as I was concerned. However, I had a tracking number, so I was content. Then I got an email from the seller saying that the package was held up in customs. He said that the shipping company needed money for insurance, customs fees, and some tariff. This was a $5,000 amp, so I thought maybe this was legit. However, the additional amount was $1,540! My internal alarm FINALLY went off. I’ve ordered items to be delivered overseas, and this was new to me. I knew that these fees were paid upon delivery, not shipping. I told the seller I was not paying those fees. He sounded all sorry about it, and said he would help. I contacted the shipping company and was told that I had to pay the fees or else customs would not release the item. This sounded fishy. This went back and forth for about a week. I asked the seller and the shipping company to ship it to a stateside address. The company said it could not because the fees had to be paid first and that customs would not release it until I paid those fees. So, I demanded to know where the item was being held. They told me El Campo, Texas. So I called DHL (since the web page said they worked with DHL) for help, and the gentleman there was very helpful. He could not verify the other shipping company, but he added that it may be possible DHL works with them. In the end I asked him if there was a customs facility in El Campo, Texas. He replied that he did not of one there.

I searched the customs web page for such a facility and could not find one located there. I then called the El Campo Police Department and asked if such a facility existed; the Desk Sergeant said, “No.” I then contacted the seller, who said he had contributed over $420 toward one of the fees and that he was trying to help me. He also said that if I would just pay the remainder, to include the refundable insurance fee, then everything would be okay. I thought that was rather nice of him, possibly too nice of him. (I thought that perhaps he was trying to salvage his reputation.) I then contacted the shipping company and told them that I knew there was no customs facility in El Campo, Texas. They then asked me to call them. I refused to do so because that little voice inside told me not to. I believe they were privy to me knowing that they were full of hot air and I feared they might try something funny, if I called them. I then shot the seller one final email calling him to task and never heard back from him.

Realizing that I had probably been had, I didn’t want anyone else to be a victim, so I began to look for other postings by this person and notified the web owners what had happened to me. I provided them screen shots of my emails and gave my handle, which would allow them to somewhat verify my name against my email address. The ads were in about five to seven places, including England. Why were they still up even after he had “sold” it? Meanwhile, I also began to fervently report what had happened to me to the USPS, DHS-CBP, BBB in Indiana and Pennsylvania, AOL (since it was an AOL email account), the shipping company’s ISP, and some FBI Internet fraud unit. (This contact with the FBI was to go after the shipping company because that company was probably a front used by scammers, after all even the CBP said the fees were fraudulent.)

As the ads came down, I noticed that someone else had been scammed. It was a guy in Argentina. He said beware of this one female, because she had just scammed him. I recognized the name as the seller’s wife (from the bank account information) and noted the date of his post was barely 1.5 weeks old and concerned the same item. I wondered how it was possible that he only had the name of the seller’s wife? He also posted the bank account details she used. A few seconds later, it hit me full circle. I was at first unsure of a scam, but now I was 100% sure that it was a scam, as what was posted was the second set of bank details that I had– the new account– that I had inadvertently alerted the “seller” to establish. Also, something else had still not clicked yet. Was this a couple operating together or a solo operation? And what about that shipping company?

I thought I was making good progress until I kept seeing a common theme in many a web page about Hams getting scammed involving stolen call signs. I learned that many people had gone full throttle to report someone, only to find out that someone else was using that person’s call sign! After all, you can easily go to the FCC and look up a call sign and get enough information about a person to pretend to be them, set up an email address, and head out to bring in the first victim. Learning this bit of information, I had to backtrack to the various agencies and state that someone could be acting as “Mr. X” and using his credentials, but that the facts of the case were still the same.

Next, I contacted my bank and the host bank and told them what had happened. Did I get my money back? No. My last attempt was to call my bank to contact the receiving bank and see if they could contact the account holder to see if she would return my money. I was given no guarantees. I knew it was hopeless, but I had to give it a try. I considered it extending God’s grace to this person before the hammer falls…spiritually. About a week later, I received a call from the bank telling me that Mrs. X declined to return the money. Okay. She should read Psalm 73– no one gets away with anything. Mr. X, I determined, probably never existed. Anyway, that’s my story. However, I did not feel I had closure concerning this whole episode. I needed to get the word out in some fashion so that others in the Ham community would not make my mistake. So let me share what I learned from this ordeal and from visiting other Ham sites dealing with this issue.

The BLUF (bottom line up front)

  1. Is to be very cautious if the seller:
    1. has a sob story,
    2. is located overseas,
    3. demands a wire payment,
    4. is elusive in providing information,
    5. cannot provide you with a recent photo of the item, and
    6. is constantly pressuring you to send the money because “they need it in a hurry”.
  2. Keep all of your emails from the seller. Keep all documents. You may need them later on to provide to either Ham forum moderators or the appropriate authorities.
  3. Wiring money, whether from your bank to another bank or through Western Union, does not protect you. You have no recourse. Don’t ever do it unless you really know the person or have some other form of bona fides that is equivalent to Jesus vouching for the person.
  4. If the person is overseas, outright refuse to transact. International deals appear to be among the most fraudulent. The reasons are obvious. Legally pursuing a scammer from another country is nearly impossible because it’s very impractical. To avoid being scammed, it is best to stay within your own country.
  5. Lastly, if you do use a wire, what is the person’s address given in the wire as compared with the location of the item and the given seller’s location? This is in no way definitive, but you should ask if your gut instinct kicks in.
  6. Even money orders still have inherent risks. If this is your option, at least get confirmation and a return receipt. I bought my first two radios by this means. It works, but the risk is still present.
  7. If you can, arrange to meet the person. I’d say use this as a test: “Hey! I live near you/have a friend who lives near you, can I/he come over and see the equipment?” You’ve got to look out for yourself. I’d use this tactic only once you start to suspect fraud. A legitimate seller will say, “Sure, come on over!”, whereas a fraudulent one will balk.
  8. Verify the ID. It is easy to assume the ID/call sign of another. Scammers will use information from old ads, or they may just find a call sign and use it. You can go to the FCC website and at least verify some information on the person. You can also Google the call sign and see if there are any complaints.
  9. Regarding shipping, absent you trying to buy a regulated item, there are no fees to be paid upon shipping an item. Fees are paid to the customs officials in the receiving country. Only use reputable shipping companies. Insist on this, and get invoices.
  10. If the seller uses a P.O. Box or the like, beware. Of course, this is not true of all sellers, but it is an indicator. If the return address (seller location) and shipping from (item location) address are different, beware.
  11. Get the phone number and call the person. You’ll learn more by talking to the person than through an email. Does the area code match the zip code of the item location? With cell phones, it is harder to verify the seller’s location, since most people hang on to their old phone numbers and calling plans, but it’s another way to check.
  12. Demand a picture with something current (preferably local) placed next to it (and readable). Scammers will scour the Internet looking for images of an item like the one you are buying, and they will even modify it to make it look like theirs. This is what the scammer I dealt with had done on other web pages. Only a close inspection revealed that that piece of cardboard with pen scratchings on it, which was leaning on the amplifier, was indeed a clever use of photoshop. A Google image search of the item you are buying may yield an image from years ago that is the spitting image of the item you are purchasing.
  13. Third-party (PayPal) financial sources are best. If at all possible, use a service like PayPal (though I’m not endorsing them). These kind of third-party financial services force legitimacy into a transaction. They also provide fraud protection in most cases.
  14. If you ask for any of the above forms of verification and the person balks, beware of a scam. A genuine seller will bend over backwards to sell his wares.
  15. Don’t be pressured to rush the deal. This is a tactic to lower your guard. Since most people in the Ham community are honorable, you may feel that you have to uphold your reputation and show the best faith imaginable. Fast is smooth, and smooth is fast. If you are being pressured, take a step back and examine what you are doing. Ask a friend his opinion.
  16. If communicating through email, verify the IP. Does it match? You can verify the origin of your emails with the seller. Does the IP match the location of the product? Here’s what you do:
    1. Go to your email listings. Right click on the email subject header, and select “View Message Source”.
    2. A new screen should open. You need to copy the header. This will be the portion from the top until you see a break where the text of the email starts. Copy that portion.
    3. Next, go to a web page that supports this function and drop the header into the box. It will show you the IP address.
    4. Then, look up the IP and see where it originates from. This is not foolproof, as good scammers know how to mask themselves behind a proxy.
  17. If the seller asks you if you know of any others who want to buy their other gear, refrain from doing so until your transaction is complete.
  18. If you do get scammed, don’t stop there and accept defeat!! Report what has happened. Here are some steps to take:
    1. You need to notify all of the applicable forum owners about what just happened. This person made $6,000 within two weeks off of me and another guy in Argentina! If you don’t go after the fraudulent ads, someone else will fall victim. Do screen shots of your emails and include them when you shoot off your emails to report the fraud.
    2. Search for wherever that person is advertising that piece of equipment. Again, I was able to find about five to seven postings and notified all of the owners. Since I had proof and provided some bona fides, all of the ads came down. One person replied that in the nearly ten years of his running his forum, this was the first time he’d ever had to deal with a scam.
    3. Notify the local, state, or national authorities who have jurisdiction over these kind of matters.
    4. Notify the bank and tell them that one of their accounts was used for fraud, and be sure to provide them all proof (use those screen shots) or else you could be coming across like an angry ex-spouse trying to soil one’s reputation. You might even consider getting a lawyer, but I think these scammers know that the cost of a lawyer versus what you lost and the subsequent court fees, will discourage you from going that route, since in most cases it’s literally not worth it.

In closing, Ham forums are generally safe. I bought both of my radios using the forums and even used money orders. Those days are not over, but be vigilant in your purchases. There are some crafty folks out there. I look back and slap my forehead and wonder how did I miss all of those warnings? Well, it was my past positive experiences with these forums that led me to believe that I had nothing to fear. Be sure that you don’t want an item so much that you ignore that little voice inside screaming at you to beware. Again, if you do get scammed, get those ads pulled down!

Letter Re: Emergency Car Kit

The article by Z.M. was a good start for a car kit. I would recommend a few additional items.

  1. A set of road flares. These are multipurpose. Clearly they can be used for signaling. (I personally prefer them as a driver because they are more visible in my opinion than reflective triangles.) Additionally, they can be used to help start a fire in an emergency as well.
  2. Regarding food, two types of food may be helpful as very few foods are shelf stable in the high temperatures that the inside of a car can reach. I highly recommend Datrex Emergency Food bars, which are designed to be stored in life rafts and can be stored in high heat while having a 5-year shelf life. They also taste okay– similar to a shortbread cookie, though slightly chalkier. Granola and apples can last for a short while but should be rotated out to ensure their safety. The same is true for bottled water as it is possible for chemicals to leech into the water as it is stored in a hot environment. On the other hand in the cold winter weather be aware of expansion in the water bottles, and be sure they are at a level that will not explode if they freeze.
  3. Regarding the snow shovel, I have used aluminum shovels in the past but have had them bend on me when attempting to shovel heavy, icy snow. I would recommend a short steel transfer shovel such as these offered at the Home Depot or most other garden centers or hardware stores. I also highly recommend the D handle as it provides a much better grip during snowy weather.
  4. For a travel pillow I highly recommend the Indulgence Synthetic Alternative Travel Pillow from Bed Bath and Beyond for $10 or something similar. I combine this with the Travelon Cool Mesh Back Support System where the pillow will fit perfectly behind the support.
  5. Finally a 12v air compressor can be worth its weight in gold. If you have a tire with a slow leak, instead of needing to change it you can add air as needed. One of good value is from Harbor Freight. I would recommend the 12V 100 PSI High Volume Air compressor. I have used this frequently in the city, as there always seem to be nails in the road. This also goes on sale regularly, and you can then also use their 20% off coupon to bring down the price even further. Also, for tire care, you can get a patch kit. They are relatively inexpensive and are what the repair centers will generally use. Additionally, a set of vice grips to pull out the obstruction can be helpful as well.
  6. Spare fuses can be helpful and one of the best values is this 120 piece assortment from Amazon.
  7. Finally, I would also add a spare set of inexpensive windshield wipers. If yours deteriorate badly during a storm, having an additional set to be able to quickly put on may be the difference between being stranded and getting to safety.

Economics and Investing:

U.S. to Shutter 15 European Bases Under Cost Cutting Plan. – G.P.

o o o

The Part-Time Economy Consuming America. – H.L.

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Credit Card Debt Tumbles Most In 1 Year As US Households Resume Deleveraging – Understand the author’s point about how it shows people are not optimistic, but deleveraging is actually what is needed and what happens in a depression. However, also understand in our debt based monetary system, deleveraging will collapse the system, and that is why central banks around the global are trying to print their way out of deflation from the global depression.

Consumer Credit in U.S. Increased by $14.1 Billion in November – Here you can see the spin placed by major media, just reporting the headline number of increased consumer spending. Nowhere here do they attempt to explain like ZeroHedge what the numbers actually means and that it missed expectation.

Here is the raw data for to see

FHA to Lower Cost of Mortgage Insurance

Odds ‘n Sods:

‘Catastrophic’ earthquake and tsunami brewing off B.C. coast. – CDV

o o o

I just read this online about a former Miami Dolphins NFL football player who accidentally fell off his boat while it was on autopilot and he was alone. He ended up swimming nine miles back to shore, which took him somewhere around 15 hours of swimming. That’s quite a tremendous feat, but it’s more of a great reason to always make sure you stay in shape because you never know what can happen. It’s amazing how quickly you can get into a life-threatening situation. – EJS

o o o

Police in the US Kill Citizens at over 70 Times the Rate of Other First-World Nations. It is becoming quite clear that police in the U.S. can and will kill people, even unarmed people and even on video, and do so with impunity. – H.L.

o o o

Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on their X-ray Vans. – T.P.

o o o

Charges: Smiling for camera, Princeton man records torture, killing of pet dog There is a very close link between a person’s willingness to harm and torture animals and their willingness to harm and torture people. – T.P.

Notes for Friday – January 09, 2015

Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three 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, 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 then 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 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) 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 $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. 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,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. 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. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis 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,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

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,
  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 Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 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.

Food Security in Beans and Peas, by CJ

In recent years, I have thought a lot about food security. Food security means not relying on a “just in time” (JIT) delivery system that would, not could, fail in the event of a major national disaster. Just in time delivery is part of an automated inventory control system used by major grocery store chains. It allows a store to only order and stock in the warehouse what has been predicted to sell within a given time period. The advantage of this system for the local store is less waste and spoilage, and a smaller warehouse footprint provides an overall cost savings. It’s a brilliant system, as long as the store can get their deliveries in time. In the event of a major disaster, transportation would be disrupted and the entire JIT system would break down overnight.

The global economy has introduced threats to food security that we never worried about when I was growing up. We now have bananas from Ecuador and avocados and oranges from Costa Rica!?! As our society became more industrialized, people moved into the metropolitan cities and away from agriculture. Over the years, we have relied on importing many foods, often at a lower cost than growing it ourselves. Many people think you get food from a grocery store with no idea where the food comes from. What happens when imports stop for one reason or another, such as a world war? What happens when the grocery store shelves are empty? Many people don’t even know how to grow a garden, raise chickens for eggs and meat, or make and bake a loaf of bread! Fortunately, there is an enormous movement in the United States that can be described as “back to the earth”, “back to basics”, “organics”, “survivalist”, and “prepping”. The Internet has allowed for a phenomenal knowledge acquisition via YouTube videos, blogs, and websites. It’s the kind of information that Grandma and Grandpa learned from their parents and that was passed down from generation to generation, in person. It’s now available to anyone with an Internet connection. (However, my daughters still call me for tips and tricks to cooking certain recipes that I only know because my mother or grandmother taught me.) Even though the threats to our food security feels insurmountable, thanks to technological innovation most people can learn self-sufficiency and combat the threats to food security on a small scale. Everyone can begin to develop a plan. With that in mind, I decided to spend some time analyzing the food value, cost, and recipes associated with beans and peas, because you can purchase them in bulk at a relatively low cost. Dried beans and peas have a shelf life of at least a year and can store indefinitely in a cool, dry place.

Health Benefit

According to US Dry Bean Council, dried beans offer a number of advantages including:

  • Beans are one of nature’s nutrition powerhouses.
  • Beans are cost-competitive.
  • There are numerous varieties of U.S. beans to meet local preferences.
  • U.S. dry beans are all natural and non-GMO.
  • Beans have a long shelf life.
  • Beans are well suited for both emergency and development programs.
  • All beans provided meet USDA grading standards.

Beans are nutrient dense, low in sodium, and high in dietary fiber, protein, iron, and potassium. They’re also low in sodium with no trans fats and are a good source of carbohydrates. Across the family of beans, the micronutrients vary only slightly. Calories per serving vary between 60 and 120 calories, and one serving is amazingly filling. I analyzed the micronutrients of the following beans:

It was interesting to discover that small red beans were highest in fiber (18 G per serving) and lowest in calories (60). Lentils came in high in fiber as well (11 G) and low in calories (80). The beans with the highest potassium value are Great Northern, Baby Lima, Black, and light red Kidney with correspondingly high caloric value– 90, 117, 100, 100 calories per serving. I didn’t realize that people with certain health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, could greatly benefit from a diet rich in beans and peas. I always thought beans were “fattening”, and that’s about all I knew about them. Wow, did I learn a lot about these Super Foods!

Cost

I have started to shop at a local store named Cash & Carry Smart Food Service for bulk items. Many items I could get at Costco but not for the same low price. Walmart is another favorite store I use for stocking up, but Walmart does not always carry the bulk sizes I am interested in. C&C has locations in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. The name is a misnomer; you don’t have to purchase with cash, though I’m advised to do so for the purposes of OPSEC. They have Point of Sale systems where credit and debit cards can be used. As well, they don’t advertise and are a food wholesaler. I called their headquarters to find out if I could purchase as an individual rather than a small business or non-profit, and HQ said that I could. I own a small business and a small non-profit, so I could have produced the licenses, but I didn’t need to. They carry everything you can think of, if you are in the food service business,including a large fresh foods section, bulk meats, and high quality frozen chicken, along with all the cooking and service supplies you could imagine. Their website allows you to select your local store and shop online by creating a grocery list that you can print out before you go, and it is useful for cost comparison with other stores. The downside is that I didn’t see organic food items. For the purposes of stocking up, I focused on household supplies and cooking supplies, such as bleach, white vinegar, olive oil, paper products, dried beans, flour, sugar, coffee, spices, some canned goods. I purchased bulk supplies in the 25 lb quantity, because I don’t reasonably have room for 50 lb bags nor the energy to repackage anything larger than a 25 lb bag. I spent approximately $270, but I won’t have to purchase certain items again for at least six months. The staff was very helpful in loading my car, and my family unloaded when I got home. As a disabled person, it was difficult to walk through the store and push, drag, pull heavy items onto the large cart; it took me a couple of hours to accomplish this task, but I was determined to explore this store myself. Even though it resulted in a lot of pain, I felt great about being able to do it. I’m sure the store staff would have provided a helper for me if I had asked. Next time, I will take someone with me for the heavy lifting, now that I am familiar with the territory. Below is a quick cost comparison chart I created by using the C&C and Walmart websites. For approximately $275, you could stock up on 275 lbs of beans and peas at C&C.

Type

C&C 1 LB

C&C 25 LBS

Walmart 1LB

Navy

$0.96

$23.99

$1.72

Pinto

$0.59

$14.78

$1.00

Great Northern

$1.30

$32.57

$1.34

Baby Lima

$1.34

$33.38

$1.98

Black

$0.68

$17.09

$1.53

Kidney (light red)

$1.26

$31.49

$1.50

Red small beans

$1.02

$25.57

$1.42

Green Split Peas

$0.78

$19.58

$1.37

Garbanzos Chick Peas

$0.95

$23.77

$1.37

Lentils

$0.76

$19.09

$1.27

Blackeye Peas

$1.37

$34.17

$1.75

Total

$275.48

A handy conversion chart is available online at the Bean Institute to help figure out dried beans as compared to canned beans serving sizes. The following chart is copied from the Bean Institute website:

½ cup cooked beans, drained

equals

1 serving of beans

one 15-oz. can of beans

equals

1 ½ cups cooked beans, drained

one 15-oz. can of beans

equals

3 servings of beans

one pound of dry beans

equals

2 cups dry beans

one pound of dry beans

will yield

6 cups cooked beans, drained

one cup of dry beans

will yield

3 cups cooked beans, drained

As I mentioned, the downside for shopping at C&C was no organics, but remember beans are naturally organic and non-GMO. We have attempted to move towards locally grown, home grown, organic and non-GMO, non-processed, high nutritional value foods. I can’t even put “fast food” in my mouth any more. I bought a McDonald’s hamburger recently, because I was on a road trip and had not eaten a meal in 24 hours. I can’t tell you how revolting that hamburger tasted, and I was surprised at my reaction. Back in day, as a single working mom with four young children, fast food was a part of our diet at least once a week due to sheer logistics. Now, as an empty nester who is not yet retired, I have more time to think, plan, shop, and prepare meals. As well, I spend time stocking up and cooking from scratch. Recently I became aware of the nutritional value of bone broth and began to experiment with making various soups and stews, hence my interest in beans and peas. We purchase our beef and pork from a local rancher who is dedicated to organic, grass-fed ranching. The feed they purchase for the pigs is 100% organic, and they don’t even allow the feed to be pumped up with vitamins and additives. Ever year, we purchase a side of each– half a pig and half a cow. The meat is processed locally, packaged, and immediately put in a deep freezer. The cost is very competitive, especially with the cost of beef soaring. We have a commercial freezer in our garage, and the meats fill it. We share the meat with our large family and friends throughout the year. It makes us feel good that we can contribute in this way. We have yet to source fresh, local, organic chicken that is reasonably priced and can be purchased in bulk. I keep teasing my husband that I’m going to start a business raising meat chickens, and then we both laugh because we can’t physically do anything that challenging. We sincerely appreciate our local ranchers, and they even deliver!

Last, but not least, learning how to cook a variety of meals with beans and peas that your family will actually eat could be a challenge for some, so start slow. Soups come to mind first, but stews, salads, dips, and shakes (yes health shakes made with cooked beans, spices, and green tea blended together) are all ideas you could expand upon. My favorite lunch is black beans and garbanzo beans mixed with a little Vinaigrette. I had fun creating a soup using a pork shank, fresh garlic, sea salt, stewed tomatoes, and pinto beans. I just threw it all in a pot and let it simmer all day. It is DELICIOUS with homemade Rosemary and Cheese Bread slathered with organic butter. Get the kids involved and let them create a recipe. I love red beans and rice rolled up in a tortilla; it doesn’t have as many calories as you would think and is certainly a fraction of the calories in a hamburger and fries! The Bean Institute provides recipes and recommends checking out the Culinary Institute of America’s World Bean Kitchen. I never knew that beans were so interesting. Think about it; a one pound bag of nutrient-dense beans, about six cups cooked, with a small piece of meat and/or lots of vegetables (from the garden if possible) plus a loaf or two of homemade bread could provide a delicious and very low-cost meal for a family of six. Bon appetite!

Letter Re: Car Emergency Kit, by Z.M.

Hugh,

First, I’d like to compliment Z.M. on a well written post regarding a Car Emergency Kit. For most car related situations, this kit would be very useful if not down right critical for self preservation! These things need to be in each vehicle in every season of the year.

However, I need to point out that this is not a winter survival kit for a car. A winter survival kit needs everything mentioned plus a lot more!

I live in a region of the country where blizzards and heavy snow can strand hundreds of vehicles on Interstate highways overnight with wind chills to minus 40 degrees. The blizzards can be so intense that even National Guard vehicles and snowplows have to wait for the visibility to improve before they can start their rescue operations. I’m talking “you cannot see beyond your windshield” type of limited visibility. Then consider travel on the hundreds of miles of gravel roads with farms miles apart. Getting stranded in a vehicle is a common occurrence on these back roads. My vehicle survival kit is designed to keep myself and my passengers alive and in good condition if we are stranded in my car for three days in extreme weather before rescue.

I keep in my car a complete set of winter clothing including Army Surplus arctic boots and mittens, an old style Army helmet liner (love it), Air Force Surplus parka, Carhartt insulated coveralls, ski goggles, and a face mask. I’ve worked half a day at a time dressed with this gear in minus 30 to 40 below without undo discomfort. I also have the Army Surplus Intermediate and the Arctic feather filled sleeping bags. The intermediate bag fits inside the arctic bag. This is what I use for winter camping. If I had to shelter in a car for days during extreme weather, I shouldn’t lose valuable parts of my body to frostbite with this gear. I keep most of my gear in waterproof bags to keep dry if my car ever slides into a water-filled ditch. The news reports more people dying from getting wet in early spring weather than from the extreme cold of winter.

I also keep a sealed 3-gallon pail of calorie-dense food stored in the trunk. Most of this food is “snack” type food, such as chocolate chips, raisins, and apple chips, plus oatmeal, dehydrated potatoes with gravy packets, tea bags, and more. I have had no problem letting peanut butter freeze in my car as long as it is in a plastic jar and then using it in my kitchen in the spring. The peanut butter jar alone has 2500 calories or more. Overall, I pack at least 10,000 calories of food in this pail. Keeping the internal fires burning with food is critical for physical warmth and emotional well-being. The 3-gallon pail would be used as a commode if the weather is too extreme to go outside the car.

To top off my vehicle winter survival kit, I include a one-burner, propane camp stove and a half gallon kettle. The stove would be used to melt snow for water, to cook hot tea and meals, and for brief periods of heat after the fuel runs out from the vehicle; I pack a pocket-sized German “Esbit” stove with lots of fuel pellets and a bunch of tea candles. The candle light is for comfort as well as heat. Each tea candle will burn for close to four hours. The candle light provides emotional comfort during this stressful situation that has a value that cannot be measured!

Something that is rarely mentioned that I include in my winter survival kit is a carbon monoxide detector. Again the news reports more cases of people who are stranded in their vehicles dying from carbon monoxide poisoning than from exposure. Wind can blow the car exhaust under the car where it will seep into the passenger compartment and silently poison the occupants. Burning the propane camp stove, the Esbit stove, and the tea candles can also add life-threatening levels of carbon monoxide. Opening a window that is downwind a small amount is recommended, but I’ve experienced immovable frozen windows frequently in extreme weather.

This list is far from complete, but it should give you some idea how serious I am about my vehicle winter survival kit. Winters in the Great White North can and do kill people every year. Most of this gear stays in my car for every season of the year. I just rotate the food twice a year. Items from my winter survival kit also serve additional duty as part of my bug out bag and my get back home bag.

Thanks Survivalblog for all of your great information!! – Mountain Firekeeper

Economics and Investing:

The Deflationary Myth

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No Proof JPMorgan Not the Big Buyer of Silver Eagles. – K.W.

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

US to Cut Off Food Stamps for One Million Next Year – This is part of the massive invisible “bread line” that we don’t see but is every bit as long as the lines in the Great Depression. Let’s see how this goes over…

3 in 5 Americans Don’t Have Enough Savings to Pay for Unexpected Expenses

Mortgage Apps Plunge 9.1% Over Two-Week Period

$200 Billon in Debt Looms over American Oil and Gas

Odds ‘n Sods:

Again showing that the human link is often the weakest in any security. Young mother let terrorists into Charlie Hebdo building after threat against daughter. – P.M.

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Welcome to the Matrix: Enslaved by Technology and the Internet of Things. – B.B.

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Harvard Professor explains America in 90 seconds. – C.T.

Hugh adds: While the premise of the clip sounds good and my initial thought is to agree with it, I can’t help but wonder if that isn’t part of the problem. I will always remember the story told to me in my youth of the German church who sang their hymns louder to drown out the sound of the trains enroute to the concentration camps. Not every law should be followed all the time.

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US Government Crack Down On ‘Preppers’. – T.F.

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Commissary shelves still empty in Europe, Pacific. – RBS

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Lamenting Liberty Lost. – G.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“See, they say it’s ‘survival of the fittest’, but you and I really know that it’s ‘survival of the most heavily armed.” ? Lia Habel, Dearly, Departed

Notes for Thursday – January 08, 2015

On this day, in 1835, the U.S. National Debt reached zero for the first and only time. This is also the birthday of the late Algis Budrys (born 1931, died June 9, 2008). He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three 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, 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 then 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 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) 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 $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. 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,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. 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. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis 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,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

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,
  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 Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 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.

Getting By In Wyoming, by DBF

Retiring back in Wyoming, where I grew up, has been a real blessing. I had way too much of living in cities during my thirty years with the military. I think a lot of folks out here could be called preppers, but for us it is just the smart way to do things. We don’t have to wait for the system to collapse; every year the weather, or some other thing, has us getting by on our own. We use a lot of the techniques discussed on SurvivalBlog, and there are a few others I’ll list here that you might want to think about.

Fire Starter

I carry a few pieces of inner tube rubber in the pocket of each jacket. Once lit, one will burn hot, and is pretty tough to blow out. A piece the size of a matchbook will burn for five minutes. They work best if you snip a series of cuts in them from one edge to make a fringe.

Dressing Too Warmly

I heard that the Eskimos have a rule about not leaving home without enough clothing to survive the night. I try to follow that rule too, but what do you do with that jacket when you are hiking in the heat of the day? You can overhand knot the sleeves around your waist, but you’ll be constantly pulling up the jacket and tightening the knot. Along with the inner tube rubber, I also keep a piece of shoelace in my pocket. Tying the lace around the knotted sleeves keeps the knot from slipping.

Caffeine

These days, without a cup of coffee, I just don’t have the go-power to start my morning. Except for a little that is grown in Hawaii, all our coffee is imported. I used to worry about losing that supply, but it’s really the caffeine that I need. There are several plants here that can be used to make coffee substitutes, but they don’t have the caffeine. I found I can add a pinch of pure caffeine to other drinks and get the same lift. (Two grains of pure caffeine equals a cup of coffee.) So, $20 buys something like a 20-year supply of caffeine.

Alcohol Stove

I don’t understand why these aren’t more popular among the preppers. Non-pressurized alcohol stoves are widely used on sailboats because they are safe, never fail, and the fuel stores forever. I’m guessing that most folks think you have to purchase alcohol as gas line antifreeze, and they don’t know that many automotive parts stores stock methanol in five gallon containers for about $5 a gallon. I’ve got backup stoves using all of the other fuels, but I usually grab my alcohol stove. There are some good ultralight alcohol stoves for backpacking too.

Wineskin

If you or someone you know drinks those boxed wines, save the plastic bladders. They are tough and have a wide, air-tight opening. Some are Mylar. Here are a few of the uses I’ve found for them:

  • Put a little shredded foam rubber or down inside to make an insulated, inflatable seat pad or pillow.
  • Fill them with grains, legumes, or other foods for food storage.
  • They make good hot water bottles and cold packs.
  • They keep dog food dry inside a dog’s pack, which is no small feat.
  • Fill them with drinks or sauces. They can be safely frozen.

Toilet Paper

I’ve been told that outhouses once had Sears catalogs instead of toilet paper. I think that all ended when the catalogs went to glossy pages. Well, those phone books that keep showing up in your mailbox aren’t glossy, and they are easy to store. Cowboy up; they are way softer than corncobs.

Carbines

If you are going to be out in the wide open spaces, get yourself a real rifle. I guess those carbines have a place in the city, but out here a rifle needs at least a 20-inch barrel. In addition to the velocity loss and the muzzle blast, those little guns are just too hard to hold steady when you have to shoot without a rest.

Sandbags

It used to be that grain came in jute or woven plastic sacks, and we used them for all sorts of things. The grain sacks are now paper, but you can buy woven plastic sandbags. If you shop the web and buy in quantity, sandbags can be had for less than twenty cents each. I recently got 1000 camouflaged bags for $175. That may sound like a lot of bags, but do the math; you will likely find you need at least that many. An eight-foot square shelter/bunker with overhead protection will take every one of them. That bunker will stand up to a lot of storms, radiation, and bullets. Old barbed wire laid between the layers of bags keeps the bags from slipping. Sunlight breaks down the material in these bags, so if they can’t be shaded, smear them with mud.

Periscope

Some hunters use these for sneaking up on antelope. You need one in your bunker. While you are peeking over the top of your sandbags trying to locate a threat, that threat may be steadying his crosshairs on your head. Mine is a 5X sportscope/periscope for $50.

Backup Heat

Last winter we had a storm that left us snowbound and without power for a week. It was no big deal; it didn’t even make the news. I’ve got lots of warm clothes. However, if the waterlines in the house were to freeze and burst, that would be a big deal. I get by burning wood as a backup heat source, but I need electrical power to run the 110 volt blower to get much heat output. Rather than run my generator twenty-four hours a day, I added a 12-volt blower from a car heater. I can power that with a car battery when the generator isn’t running.

No Heat

Because you may have to leave the house for days at a time, be prepared to protect the plumbing when the fire dies out. This is a fairly involved process, but it is absolutely essential if your pipes are to survive a long power outage in freezing temperatures. The waterlines and appliances must be drained, and the sewer lines must be protected with antifreeze:

  1. Start by shutting off the water supply to the house.
  2. Turn off the hot water heater and drain it. While it is draining, sequentially open each hot water faucet for a minute; you will draw some of the hot water out of the lines. IMPORTANT: Never have the water heater turned on, unless the tank is full of water.
  3. The lines to the freezeless outdoor faucets are likely to be the first things to freeze, since they extend outside the house. Even a lot of plumbers don’t know that water will not drain through a freezeless faucet with gravity alone. These lines must be blown out with air pressure, just like lawn sprinkler systems get blown out in the fall. I have made up an adapter that connects my air compressor air tank to a faucet inside the house (not a freezeless faucet). If air is pumped directly from the compressor into the line, it will just bubble through without moving much water. This is why I suggest you connect to the air tank; to blow out waterlines, a large volume of low pressure air needs to be dumped into the waterline all at once. Put no more than 60 psi in the tank, open a faucet at the far end of a line to be drained, and then open the air valve to dump the air into the line.
  4. To drain the other lines, repeat this, sequentially opening each water faucet inside the house (hot and cold) one at a time. Treat the water heater input valve as one of these faucets, i.e., closed except when blowing out that line. For the hot water lines, the water heater tank will be dissipating most of your pressure so you may need to pressurize it first, and then open the hot water faucets. There is still going to be water in the lines going to water users, like the toilets, washing machine, dishwasher, water softener, pressure pump, and filters. Each of these will have to be operated with the air pressure on to get the water out of the lines, then drained, or pumped/sponged out.
  5. The sewer drain lines do not have water in them, except for the toilets and drain traps. A lot of this water can be forced out using a toilet plunger. The remaining water must be protected from freezing by adding about a cup of RV antifreeze.
  6. Remember that there are other things in the house, like jars of food and drinks, that can freeze and break, too.

Charity

Whether it is moving cattle or fixing the road, few people would last long here without a hand from their neighbors. I’m thankful they have been there to help me; I’m always looking for ways I can help them too. When I buy something, like food storage, sand bags, surgical masks, and other items, I always get extra so I’ll have something to share. I’ve found that when people’s resources get scarce, people you can trust get scarce too. The best defense against that is sharing. Those with nothing to share had better be willing to work. I’ve got some hard jobs waiting for them. I have little enthusiasm for helping folks who won’t help themselves. Remember Who is John Galt?. As for those surgical masks, as a kid I had hay fever and had to wear one anytime I worked around grain dust or livestock. I found it was impossible to keep a good seal against my face until I learned to wet the paper edge of the mask.

Warning Signs

At my turnoff, I have a sign that says “Welcome”. These are good times; I’m glad to entertain strangers. If the times ever get bad and I feel someone crossing onto my property represents a threat, I have different signs ready to put up. I don’t plan to put myself at risk by going out to talk with them about it. These signs make it very clear that coming any closer will not be tolerated.

Dogs

Out here, it would be tough to get by without a good dog. He is a beloved member of the family and has real work to do. However, a bad dog cannot be tolerated. You must not keep a dog that is not compatible with your family and your neighbors. Good breeding will go a long way toward ensuring a good dog, and serious training is essential. Your dog must be reliable enough to have the run of the property. A chained dog cannot do his work and is vulnerable to predators. Keeping a dog chained is no substitute for training. Eventually he will get off the chain and be twice as bad as before. Ideally, you should have two dogs with staggered ages. Two dogs can do four times the work of one. Sadly, they don’t live forever, so having a second dog makes the loss of your best friend a little less traumatic.

Music

I’ve seen some postings about using solar power to keep music players, electronic games, and even videos operating. It seems to me that this is just perpetuating some of the same nonsense that got this country into the mess it is in. If you want entertainment, learn to play an instrument. Pick up a guitar or a fiddle (no accordions please) and spend a few hours learning the basics. If you think you don’t have the time, get rid of that stinking TV set. Stick with it for a week, and you will be playing some simple songs and having a good time doing it. Also, sing along. Don’t worry if you aren’t gifted with a good voice; half of today’s popular singers don’t have one either. If you do have a good voice, you’ll literally be able to sing for your supper. If your voice is not so great, you can still lead others in sing-along songs, and if your voice is so bad it makes your dog howl, get a harmonica or penny whistle. Music builds camaraderie and lifts spirits. It has been an important part of troops marching, church congregations, Boy Scouts at campfires, and sailors at sea. A musician will always be a valued part of the community.

Public Land

A large part of the west is public land that can be identified as school sections, state lands, National Forest, BLM, parks and monuments, military reservations, and more. I have read numerous postings by preppers who include this public land as a bug out destination– a place they can go to “live off the land”. In the interest of avoiding conflicts, let me explain how the locals would feel about these people showing up and setting up camp. The majority of public land is permitted/leased for uses such as grazing; mineral, oil, and gas extraction; cabins and homes; and timber sales. Some of these permit holders are big outfits with lots of employees. They build the roads, fences, buildings, mines, wells, and water systems. Many permits are permanently obligated to nearby “base property” owners. The land (and its water) is vital to their livelihood, and they are very protective of it. I’m not making any moral or legal judgments here, but I am explaining why I tread lightly when I’m on “their” lease land.

Thank you for your tips in SurvivalBlog. They have been a help to me, and I hope mine can be of some use to you, too.

Letter Re: Prepper Digital Security

Hugh,

Just wanted to bring up a point about a couple of the letters to the editor. The article was meant as a primer as to steps that can be taken to digitally secure your data. There is no such thing as a 100% secure data system. It sounds good, but it is unrealistic. With that said, however, you can make it take such an inordinate amount of time to get to the data as to be “virtually” 100%. That is also the premise of DiD (Defense in Depth). You are employing a multi-layer shell of encryption and segmentation around your data. It would be a simple matter to turn TPM on in the BIOS of the machine and then (assuming Windows here) activate Bitlocker on the host machine. This would add yet another layer to the onion that someone is trying to peel back. Add in the fact with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) enabled and proper configuration, it would be possible to create hardware-based encryption that would lock the machine if the hardware changes (opening the door to using devices that can be removed at will to lock the machine and prevent it from even booting). It is all about time and how long you can force them to decrypt the data, assuming they can even figure out where it is. I would be more than happy to continue the discussion, if the readers want more information. I’ve had ideas for other articles on low-tech computer networking and other related topics, if people are interested as well. – J.B.