Economics and Investing:

New Rules: Cyprus-style Bail-ins to Take Deposits and Pensions

o o o

Average Federal Spending Per Household Nearly $30K. – P.M.

o o o

Egon von Greyerz: Global Deflationary Implosion Will Start Money Printing

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas

New Law Would Make Taxpayers Potentially Liable For TRILLIONS In Derivatives Losses – This essentially already exists as they have an implicit guarantee from the government but suppose this would have it officially explicit.
JWR has been warning about the derivatives since 2006

Japan Third-Quarter GDP Revised Down to 1.9% Contraction

Rate Rises Spark ‘Massive Volatility’ Warnings

Notes for Monday – December 08, 2014

Book Bomb Day is December 30, 2014: Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’re on Your Own

Now available for pre-ordering at Amazon.com, but I’d prefer that you wait for December 30th to order: Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’re on Your Own. This book is a guide to the selection, use, and care of tools. It will also be available as an e-book and audiobook. -JWR

o o o

On this day in 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

o o o

For those in South Florida: Miami Area Nuclear Plant In Partial Shutdown After Steam Leak. – D.S.

Guest Article: Six Common Misconceptions About EMP, by G.B., PhD

Many misconceptions about electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects have circulated for years among technical and policy experts, in press reports, on preparedness websites, and even in technical journals. Because many aspects of EMP-generation physics and its effects are obscure, misconceptions from those who do not perceive the seriousness of the effects to those who predict a doomsday chain of events are inevitable. However, not all EMPs are the same, with the most significant effects being caused by E1 and E3 fields.

Nuclear bursts detonated at altitudes above 40 km generate two principle types of EMPs that can debilitate critical infrastructure systems over large regions:

  • The first– a “fast-pulse” EMP field, also referred to as E1– is created by gamma ray interaction with stratospheric air molecules. The resulting electric field peaks at tens of kilovolts per meter in a few nanoseconds and lasts a few hundred nanoseconds. E1’s broadband power spectrum (frequency content from DC to 1 GHz) enables it to couple to electrical and electronic systems in general, regardless of the length of their cables and antenna lines. Induced currents range into the thousands of amperes, and exposed systems may be upset or permanently damaged.
  • The second– a “slow-pulse” phenomenon referred to as magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) EMP, or E3– is caused by the distortion of Earth’s magnetic field lines due to the expanding nuclear fireball and the rising of heated, ionized layers of the ionosphere. The change of the magnetic field at the Earth’s surface induces a field in the tens of volts per kilometer, which, in turn, induces low-frequency currents of hundreds to thousands of amperes in long conducting lines only (a few kilometers or longer) that damage components of long-line systems, including the electric power grid and long-haul communication and data networks.

By over- and under-emphasizing realistic consequences of EMPs, policymakers may delay actions or dismiss arguments altogether. The six misconceptions about EMPs that are perhaps the most harmful involve: (a) exposed electronic systems, (b) critical infrastructure systems, (c) nuclear weapons, (d) cost of protection, (e) type of EMPs, and (f) fiber-optic networks.

Misconception 1:

An EMP Will Cause Every Exposed Electronic System to Cease Functioning.

Based on the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Congressional EMP Commission’s EMP test databases, small, self-contained systems, such as motor vehicles, hand-held radios, and unconnected portable generators, tend not to be affected by EMPs. If there is an effect on these systems, it is often temporary upset rather than component burnout.

On the other hand, threat-level EMP testing also reveals that systems connected to power lines are highly vulnerable to component damage, requiring repair or replacement. Because the strength of EMP fields is measured in volts per meter, the longer the conducting line, the more EMP energy will be coupled into the system, and the higher the probability of damage. As such, the electric power-grid network and landline communication systems are almost certain to experience component damage when exposed to an EMP with cascading effects to most other (dependent) infrastructure systems.

Misconception 2:

EMP Effects Will Have Limited, Easily Recoverable, “Nuisance” Effects on Critical Infrastructure Systems.

Although an EMP would not affect every system, widespread failure of a significant fraction of electrical and electronic systems will cause large-scale cascading failures of critical infrastructure networks because of the interdependency among affected and unaffected systems. Mathematician Paul Erdos’s “small-world” network theory applies, which refers to most nodes– equipment attached to a network– being accessible to all others through just a few connections. The fraction of all nodes changes suddenly when the average number of links per single network connection exceeds one. For example, a single component failure, where the average links per node is two, can affect approximately half of the remaining “untouched” network nodes.

For many systems, especially unmanned systems, loss of control is tantamount to permanent damage, in some cases causing machinery to self-destruct. Examples of this include:

  • Lockup or not being able to change the “on” or “off” state of long-haul communication repeaters,
  • Loss of remote pipeline pressure control in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, which communicate with remote equipment,
  • Loss of generator controls in electric power plants, and
  • Loss of machine process controllers in manufacturing plants.

Misconception 3:

Megaton-Class Nuclear Weapons Are Required to Cause Serious EMP Effects.

Due to a limiting atmospheric saturation effect in the EMP-generation process, low-yield weapons produce a peak E1 field similar in magnitude to high-yield weapons if they are detonated at altitudes of 50-80 km. The advantage of high-yield weapons is that their range on the ground is affected less significantly when detonated at higher altitudes.

Nuclear weapons with yields ranging from three kilotons to three megatons (a three order of magnitude difference in yield), when detonated at their optimum burst altitudes, exhibit a range of peak E1 fields on the ground differing by only a factor of ~3, viz. 15-50 KV/meter. With respect to the late-time (E3, or low-amplitude, low-frequency components) EMP field, a 30-KT nuclear weapon above 100 km would cause geomagnetic disturbances as large as solar superstorms, although over smaller regions. It also is worth noting that peak currents on long overhead lines induced by E1 from 10 kiloton-class weapons can range in the kiloamperes with voltages reaching into the hundreds of kilovolts.

Misconception 4:

Protecting the Critical National Infrastructure Would Be Cost Prohibitive.

Of the 14 critical infrastructure sectors, EMP risk is highest for electric power grids and telecommunication grids, because of their network connections and criticality to the operation and recovery of other critical infrastructure sectors. Attention to hardening these infrastructure grids alone would provide significant benefits to national resilience.

The electric power grid is essential for sustaining population “life-support” services. However, some major grid components could take months, or years, to replace, if many components are damaged. The primary example is high-voltage transformers, which can irreparably fail during major solar storms and are thus likely to fail during an EMP event. Protection of these large transformers would reduce the time required to restore the grid and restore the necessary services it enables.

According to Emprimus– a manufacturer of transformer protection devices– the unit cost for high-voltage transformer protection is estimated to be $250,000, with the total number of susceptible, large, high-voltage units ranging from 300 to 3,000, according to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The requirement and cost for generator facility protection are still undetermined but are likely to be similar to transformer protection costs. To protect SCADA systems, replacement parts are readily available and repairs are relatively uncomplicated. Protection costs for heavy-duty grid components are in the $10 billion range, which is a small fraction of the value of losses should they fail. When amortized, protection costs to consumers amount to pennies per month.

Misconception 5:

Only Late-Time EMP (E3) Will Damage Electric Power-Grid Transformers.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s January 2010 report on its E1 tests of 7.2-KV distribution transformers produced permanent damage to transformer windings in seven of the 20 units tested. The failures were due to transformer winding damage caused by electrical breakdown across internal wire insulation. As an important side note, transformers with direct-mounted lightning surge arrestors were not damaged during the tests. Similar tests of high-voltage transformers are needed.

Misconception 6:

Fiber-Optic Networks Are Not Susceptible to EMP Effects.

In general, fiber-optic networks are less susceptible than metallic line networks; however, fiber-optic multipoint line driver and receiver boxes, which are designed to protect against ground current, may fail in EMP environments. Long-haul telecommunication and regional Internet fiber-optic repeater amplifiers’ power supplies are particularly vulnerable to EMP environments (Figure 1). Terrestrial fiber-optic cable repeater amplifier power is provided by the electric power grid and, thus, vulnerable to grid failure as well as to direct EMP/E1 effects. Undersea cable repeater amplifiers also are vulnerable to EMP/E3 effects, since they are connected to a coaxial metallic power conductor that runs the length of the line. Because of its low-frequency content, E3 penetrates to great ocean depths, which subjects undersea power amplifiers to high risk of burnout. On the positive side, line drivers/receivers and repeater amplifiers are relatively easy to protect using shielding, shield-penetration treatment, and power-line filters and/or breakers.

Standardized Solutions

From a risk-based priority standpoint, the electric power grid is a high priority for EMP protection. Hardening this infrastructure alone would have major benefits for national resilience– the ability to sustain, reconstitute, and restart critical services. EMP engineering solutions have been implemented and standardized by DOD since the 1960s and are well documented:

  • MIL-STD-188-125-1 – “DOD Interface Standard – High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) Protection for Ground-Based C4I Facilities Performing Critical, Time-Urgent Missions – Part 1 – Fixed Facilities” (17 July 1998);
  • MIL-STD-188-125-2 – “DOD Interface Standard – High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) Protection for Ground-Based C4I Facilities Performing Critical, Time-Urgent Missions – Part 1 – Transportable Systems” (3 March 1999); and
  • MIL-HDBK-423 – “Military Handbook – High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) Protection for Fixed and Transportable Ground-Based C4I Facilities Vol. 1 – Fixed Facilities” (15 May 1993).

With respect to the power grid, the installation of blocking devices in the neutral-to-ground conductors of large electric distribution transformers will significantly reduce the probability of damage from slow EMP/E3. Transformer protection against E1 over-voltages is achievable by installing common metal-oxide varistors (control elements in electrical circuits) on transformers from each phase to ground. Costs for protecting the power grid are small, compared to the value of the systems and services at risk. 

The author of this article is a professor emeritus who consults on critical infrastructure assurance, specializing in EMP and other nuclear effects for various government agencies.

Scot’s Product Review: Valley Food Storage Meals

The angst of buying the right storage foods made me feel as if I was stuck in a drama, so I turned to Shakespeare and found a suitable quote in The Comedy of Errors: “Unquiet meals make ill digestions.” Although it wasn’t his best play, by a long shot, and the character had more on her mind than food, the thought does have some application to my household.

I mentioned in another review that my wife is a pretty intense food person, who loves gourmet meals and is a serious cook. My ten-year-old son is surprising in liking a large variety of cuisines, but he stubbornly draws the line on things like onions and a number of vegetables. He also insists that each food stay in its place on his plate and not be mixed up. He also inherited my wife’s need for quality on the dinner table. I’m the low brow, and as long as it’s not kimchi, mushrooms, or raw tomatoes, I can probably manage to get it down. I may not enjoy it, but it’s just fuel, right? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good meal, but I can get by without one for a lot longer than anyone else in the house.

My tolerance for low-quality food made it pretty easy to store stuff just for me. However, now that there are three of us, it is a lot more complicated. As we have started to rotate out some of the older stock, I am finding that they don’t want to eat some of the food I had been buying. My wife draws a heated line against MRE’s. My son likes the idea of Army food, but he will only eat about half of them. There are a few I don’t like either. There have been some other types of food that haven’t gone over well either, so we have been giving unwelcome items to food banks or homeless shelters. While I am happy to provide charity, some of this stuff was expensive, and I feel as if we have lost money we can ill afford.

For a while, I have motored along on the assumption that if they get hungry enough in a crisis, they will eat it, but the agony over eating it in normal times has made me worry about the stress that would be caused by forcing them to eat what they see as swill. That’s not a good plan for family solidarity in the crunch. Food is important to them, which means it needs to be more important to me when I make purchases.

My new vow is to try to buy storage food that we will eat at any time. While it might not be a first choice, it has to be something at least two of the three of us can handle.

My new food policy made me very eager to accept an offer for some sample food from a new company– Valley Food Storage https://www.valleyfoodstorage.com/ of Orem Utah. Their slogan– “Store food you’ll love to eat”– certainly fit into my plan as did the 25-year life they guarantee on their products. The longer it lasts, the less often we have to rotate it. That saves time and energy as well as money, since this stuff is often costlier than fresh food from the store. (However, their per-serving prices aren’t bad.)

Valley Food Storage was started by people who were unhappy with the storage food they purchased in 2005. When they decided to try some a few years later, they discovered that all of the food they purchased had gone bad. They learned that the food they purchased had been made with ingredients that had limited shelf lives, and they resolved that they could do better. In short, Valley Food was started, as have been many companies, by people who were unhappy with what they found on the market and who felt they could do better.

Valley Food says there are a number of elements to why they are doing better. They make first-class choices in sourcing food. They ensure that their foods are dehydrated or freeze dried in ways that provide the right moisture level for storage, while not destroying nutrition or flavor. They are highly concerned with rancidity and say that their choice of palm and coconut oils will prevent it, as these oils are more stable. Nitrogen is used to flush out the bags of food before they are sealed, which helps reduce moisture and microbes. Valley Food feels this is more effective than just using an oxygen absorber.

Interestingly, they argue against the ubiquitous can for storage food, due to how they can rust. They also feel that cans transfer heat to the food, which will shorten storage life. Personally, I have seen rusty cans go bad, but I haven’t had a problem with the ones I keep in air-conditioned spaces. I do, however, keep thinking it might be a good idea to give all of mine a coat of varnish to protect them.

Valley Food also does not use MSG or genetically-modified products, and they eschew the use of soy oil, which are all pluses in my book. We can’t be sure of what the genetically-modified stuff is actually doing to us, and there are many arguments that can be found on the Internet about soy oil being dangerous to our health. MSG is a flavor enhancer. While most governments say MSG is safe, some complain that it causes headaches and other health issues; I would just as soon do without it.

Valley Food also has some items that are gluten-, dairy-, and nut-free, for those who can’t handle those items. All lunch and dinner entrees are five servings, while the breakfast ones vary from 15-20 servings.

They sent two items– the Pasta Primavera and the Mango Habanero Chili. Both meals come in a heavy “industrial-grade mylar” bag. They were tough enough that I preferred to use scissors to open them, rather than using brute force and tugging at the top where they had the little notches to tear. The bags can be resealed, too. A bag of either meal costs $11.95. If you buy one of their larger units of one or more months of food, it will come in one of those heavy plastic buckets to further protect it.

We tried the chili first. You boil five cups of water, whisk in the package, and then leave it on a low boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. They also suggest cooking, until the beans are to your preferred tenderness. You then take it off the heat and let it stand for 5-7 minutes. I did feel it was slightly soupy and would consider cutting the water back by ½ cup. My wife and I both liked it as is, but I then added the suggested ½ pound of ground beef. We agreed that improved it. She enjoyed the heat, but I found it a bit too warm for my tastes. (Habanero is hot? Who knew!) So I added some canned chili beans, which toned it down more to my tastes. I really enjoy chili beans and felt the extra beans added to the meal. I also sautéed some onions and threw those in too. Some green pepper might have been nice as well, but there weren’t any around. What I wish I had thought of was using some of the pork sausage patty from our hog hunt rather than ground beef for the meat. I think it would have worked well together. I’m not much of a mango fan, but I was surprised at enjoying it in the chili. It had a pleasing texture and the little bites of sweetness were a pleasant counter to the habanero. Adding some shredded Colby Jack cheese further enhanced it. From the package, you get 180 calorie servings, which could be a bit light for a full meal, but adding meat will bring that up. Include some bread and cheese along with a side vegetable and you should be able to get the calorie count high enough for someone doing manual work to get by for a meal. This one is on our buy list.

The Pasta Primavera is prepared similarly to the chili. You boil five cups of water and whisk the package contents in. Let it low boil for 15 minutes, or until you think the noodle are soft, and then let it stand for 5-7 minutes. My wife prepared this one; she likes noodles al dente, while I like them softer. That led to the peas, in my view, not being fully cooked. I suspect that if I had prepared it, she would have felt the noodles were too soft, though I would have been happier with the peas. This may sound familiar to many of you! We tried it without the suggested two tablespoons of butter and thought it was pretty tasty. Then we added the butter and felt that made it even better. She then cut up a chicken breast and some cooked butternut squash and put them in, which made it work quite well for a full meal. Again, we both would be tempted to cut back slightly on the water to make it a bit thicker, but it didn’t prevent us from enjoying it. I would have appreciated a few more vegetables in the original mix. I suspect green pepper would be a good addition, along with more broccoli and peas. I was very happy that the mushroom flavor wasn’t very strong, as I really don’t like those nasty things. My wife loves them, so it was not of concern to her. The servings from this entrée are 380 calories, so more likely to fuel you while doing manual labor. The chicken would pump it up as would some bread and extra vegetables. Again, this is one I will buy.

My wife agreed that both meals would be fine to purchase. She prefers making her own meals from scratch, but she felt these were good to go, even if we don’t wind up in a crisis. I won’t have to worry about throwing them away or giving them to a food bank.

Brass Stacker Scope Mount updateJames Tolboe of Valley Food agrees with adding things to their entrees is a good way of making them meet your own tastes. He said they did that with one of their chili entrees recently and won a contest with it.

My 10-year-old is absent from this discussion, as he pretty much refused to try anything. I came up with some other food products he flatly didn’t like. Now he is keenly suspicious of anything Dad prepares, trusting only Mom’s cooking. I’m probably going to have to let her prepare the next few samples and see if I can slip a few meals in for testing. The frustrating thing is I am pretty sure he would have liked both of these meals, as he is fond of hot chili and loves pasta with chicken and cheese sauces, at least as long as he knows Mom made it!

Brass Stacker Scope Mount update

When I reviewed the Brass Stacker scope mounts https://survivalblog.com/scots-product-review-brass-stacker-products-for-the-mosin-nagant/ for the Mosin Nagant, I mentioned that I would have liked to have the torque settings for the mounting screws. Apparently I got a copy of the instructions that didn’t have this information, and Brass Stacker let me know that it is now in them. They recommend 20 inch pounds of torque, to be sure everything is correctly tightened.

– SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie

Recipe of the Week: Cranberry-Orange Bread, from M.L.

With cranberries available right now, it is time to buy them and freeze or freeze-dry them for all your wonderful breads and dessert recipes! This is one that our family loves. It’s very easy, and the family expects lots of it available continuously from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. This bread recipe is great to double and then freeze what you don’t eat right away. (Just don’t put icing on what you want to freeze. When it’s time to serve, remove from the freezer, put in the oven or microwave to warm, and then drizzle some icing over the top. The icing isn’t even necessary. This bread is simply wonderful to have on hand when a neighbor drops by; just serve with a cup of coffee or hot tea on a cold wintery day and you’ll “win” your neighbors over!)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup butter (or butter flavored shortening)
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 orange, rind grated and then juiced with seeds removed
  • 2 cups frozen cranberries, coursely chopped
  • 1 cup pecans or almonds, chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

  1. Grease and flour two medium bread pans or a tube cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar; set aside.
  3. Cream butter (or shortening) and sugar until fluffy.
  4. Stir in eggs, one at a time; beat until fluffy and airy.
  5. Gently, add buttermilk, vanilla, and orange rind.
  6. Gently stir in flour mixture, just until combined.
  7. Fold in cranberries; also fold in nuts, if you want nuts.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
  9. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 60-80 minutes, or until done in the middle.
  10. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing from the pan.
  11. Let the sweet bread cool.
  12. Combine the orange juice and powdered sugar to make an icing. Drizzle over the top of the bread. Serve.

o o o

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

Letter Re: 1 Year Followup on Colorado Flood Experience

I was displaced from Jamestown, Colorado, in the 2013 flood, and was evacuated on a Blackhawk helicopter in the second biggest airlift after Katrina. I live in a town of 300 souls in the mountains, where the flood wiped out 20% of the homes.

The most valuable preparation I was able to use was a laminated emergency checklist. The checklist was for a fire, but it served well for the flood. When the helicopters are overhead and you’re freaking out with phones down, it’s important to know to turn the gas tank off, which elderly neighbors and pets need help, and what to do next is better than utter panic. Having a reciprocal agreement with someone down on the plains for a disaster was great; we got to the airport, registered with FEMA, and in 15 minutes were in a friend’s home.

A few folks stayed in town and did okay, depending upon their geography and preparations. My geography and medical needs didn’t permit it. We probably could have withstood a fire, assuming no structure damage. Fires burn out in a day or two and leave roads mostly intact. The road system was down, and the National Guard let everyone know that fact, which made the decision to evacuate sensible.

We were displaced for 10 months. During the diaspora, I occupied myself with volunteerism to rebuild the town, and it helped a lot. Now I’m home and on rebuilding groups, and there’s another year of recovery in terms of roads, waterways, homes and community.

Now I’ll move on to talk about FEMA, the bugbear of sites like SurvivalBlog. My review of FEMA is mixed. If I could go back and do it over, I would have not registered with them. If you have a decent job, paying $50K/yr or more, you’d be better off walking away from them. They provided everyone with a rent and deposit payment, on an incident basis. Anyone who registered got $1600.

For folks making less money, they provided a lot of true help to real citizens who got some value from their taxes for a change. Just because your house isn’t there, doesn’t mean you don’t still have a mortgage. The banks were wretched, as were the insurance companies if you still had a house but couldn’t occupy it and wanted fire insurance; there were many denials. FEMA did some good things.

The problem I had with FEMA is that I was unaware that the cash was a one-time payment given to everyone that was in the disaster. I filled out a lot of forms for chump change and had an expectation that my rental expenses might be covered. Oh well. For the less well-off, FEMA paid rent for many months and was pretty good.

FEMA is a road show. They come into disasters and their site reps make some great promises that aren’t delivered on, and they don’t explain the implications of your choices. The Small Business Administration pushes loans, at good rates, but on folks that were barely qualified to repay, and the SBA doesn’t tolerate defaults. Recently, FEMA wants audits and repayment of some money disbursed from some folks. Fortunately, I’m not among them, at least not yet, to the best of my knowledge.

The most odious behavior from FEMA was to require photos of the interior of the house. I had to fib and tell them I didn’t have a basement (where my storage area is), but a couple preppers got their supplies photographed.

The most odious behavior from SBA was to enter my property, which was fenced and had fresh no trespassing signs on it, and leave business cards. Okay. I could make a complaint to my sheriff, but I was not up for fighting a 900 pound gorilla.

The outpouring of generosity from local United Way, Red Cross, and Salvation Army was incredible. The Mennonites and Baptists deserve a special shout-out for the cleaning and carpentry they provided the town. Our local Bible-based church also gained a lot of popularity because of the support and dinners they provided. SurvivalBlog deserves credit for helping me be as prepared as I was, which was far from a high level, but in comparison to some, I was way ahead of the curve. If I have a piece of advice at this point, it’s laminate a formal disaster plan. – R.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Daisy Luther of The Organic Prepper has released a 242-page book called “The Organic Canner”.

o o o

From the Wranlerstar video blog: No More Broken Axe handles along with part 2.

o o o

From SurvivalBlog reader T.G.: This is a link to a well done video providing an update on Ebola and, more particularly, the misinformation and obfuscation being promulgated by the CDC, et al.

I found it interesting that the video cited many of the same sources I cited in my previous writings on the subject. Some of you on this distribution were so kind as to publish that material; thank you. Others on this distribution have shown me kindness over the years and I thank you too. Still others on this distribution are in positions of influence and have the ability to reach a much wider audience than I. I ask you, especially, to please consider carefully what I’m saying.

As much as I enjoyed the video, it continues to ignore a very fundamental issue and that is that the respiratory “protection” cited in the CDC and WHO guidelines is inadequate, and dangerously so. In my articles, I drew attention to the disparity between the filter specifications and the size of the Ebola particle. Subsequent to writing those articles, I discovered a much more rigorous treatment of the topic which is, frankly, a far more credible resource. Here’s the latest updates from CIDRAP and Dr. Brosseau.

The significance of what I’m about to say cannot be overstated: By promulgating guidance for healthcare workers that is, at best, dubious, conditions are created that turn health care settings and their workers into a highly effective and efficient vector for transmitting the disease. When you feel dangerously ill, where do you turn? For most of us, it is to an emergency room. If the workers in that setting are unwittingly infected with the Ebola virus and are asymptomatic, even with an N95 mask on, they are able to infect people they come in contact with.

I have much more faith in theories of bureaucratic incompetence than in bureaucratic conspiracy. The inept are gifted at overlooking the extent of their incompetence. Either way, what they’re doing here is, as the video states, not merely negligent, it’s criminal.

I urge everyone to establish a reserve of water and food for yourselves, your families, and a little extra for others. A 3-month supply of each is within reason for most of us. Likewise, it is a good idea to get some personal protective equipment (PPE)– even the N95 mask or a cloth handkerchief is better than nothing. Tyvek suits, military surplus gas masks (with proper fit and up to date filter elements), rubber boots and rubber gloves, lots of duct tape, a small plastic children’s wading pool, a garden sprayer, and lots of unscented bleach provides a rather high level of protection and at minimal cost. Learning how to don and doff the suits, how to decontaminate the equipment, and learning some basic patient handling protocols is key.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Relax. They’re not going to kill us. They’re going to TRY and kill us. And that is a very different thing.” ? Steve Voake, The Dreamwalker’s Child

Notes for Sunday – December 07, 2014

On another Sunday morning, 73 years ago, America was caught sleeping. Then there was that September morning, in 2001. Let’s pray that nothing like those days ever happens again. – JWR

o o o

For those who were not around in 1941, I recomend “Day of Infamy” , “At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor” or “Pearl Harbor An Illustrated History”. May we never forget.

o o o

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. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208,
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  8. 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.

Biblical Prepping, by Frank C.

1

One of the most difficult things about prepping is the occasional run-ins with family, friends, and others who openly mock or criticize your preparations for a future collapse. Many of these people even use Bible verses, or their own spin on the Scriptures, to defend themselves and go on the offensive against you. As soon as some of these people hear about your views or plans, many of them inevitably sniff at you and sneer, saying things like, “Don’t you think you’re being a bit fanatical about this?” or “Don’t you know things are going to get better?” or “The Bible speaks against greediness.” or “If you want to go through the tribulation, go ahead, but I’m going to get raptured up before any of this stuff happens!” and finally, “You have to have faith that God will take care of you, instead of all this mindless materialism!”

First of all, I’ve come to the conclusion that in most cases you’re better off, for OPSEC purposes, to not broadcast to the four winds or others about your prepping plans. If you run into a kindred spirit, reveal what you feel you need to, but be careful. We need to balance encouraging others to prepare with maintaining security. However, despite such precautions, especially with the upcoming holidays and family gatherings, some detail about your prepping may slip out, and some brother or sister or acquaintance is sure to make some snide remark about your survival practices. Or, it may even come out innocently enough in a discussion at work or at church when you make some mild comment about “being prepared,” which is instantly pounced upon and ridiculed by some self-appointed truth policeman.

I’ll never forget a discussion that took place a few years ago in my own church Sunday School class. The teacher, who had just concluded a study on the book of Revelation, and knowing my interest in “last days” events, asked me to teach a special class on what we can do to prepare for the future. I began by discussing Revelation, chapter 6, with the descriptions of the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” (the conqueror on the white horse, the red horse of war and uprisings, the black horse of famine, and the pale horse of war, famine, disease, and wild animals). I made the point that the world is in for some difficult times in the future, regardless of whether we call it a collapse or the great tribulation. I said that we should be prepared, both spiritually (having a right relationship with God) and also physically (by stocking up on food and water).

Suddenly, this classroom of previously mild-mannered adults exploded into a heated discussion about prepping. It was as if a match had ignited a pent-up powder keg of emotion. I would divide the class roughly into thirds. About one-third of the class mostly agreed with me, another third was quietly on the fence, but a very vocal third of the class yelled at me (and others) with a ferocity that I personally found to be disturbing. Among the comments were those found in the first paragraph of this article. A large basis of the anger was the belief on the part of most of the critics that God will supernaturally remove Christians from Earth before all these terrible events in Revelation (and Matthew 24) actually happen. This is a theoretical event, known as the pre-tribulation rapture.

I responded by politely reminding these hotheads that we just don’t know for sure when the rapture will happen, whether pre-, mid- or post-tribulation, so we might as well be ready for all of the above. Since the majority of the people in the class are “pre-tribbers”, my suggestions for preparation were met, in some cases, with outright hostility. It was as if someone had shaken the very foundations of their faith. To a degree, there could well be some truth to this. If these same people who doggedly refuse to store provisions for the future realize they actually will go through part or all of the tribulation, some of them may think they missed the rapture, and in their mind will think they are damned to hell for all eternity. They may end up losing all hope, resulting in a deep depression and abandoning their faith. (“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ” [1 Timothy 4:1]) They may blame God for deserting them, though they were repeatedly warned, by people and in the Scriptures, to get ready. So, your attitude on prepping could actually become extremely important to your emotional and spiritual well-being in the future.

What about the claims that prepping is a form of materialism or greediness? Is there any Biblical proof of this? Personally, I feel a lot depends on where your heart is. If you are only prepping to hunker down and do nothing to help others for several years, then I would say you need to rethink your priorities. Obviously, you can’t help everyone, and to maintain OPSEC, you shouldn’t broadcast your intentions to someone who is potentially violent, but we are called to help our fellow man also. Even Jim Rawles, who has wisely and repeatedly preached about the importance of maintaining OPSEC in the future, included a scene in one of his novels about a bugout group who lets a small family of refugees join them. So, each refugee who shows up at your doorstep needs to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Some people will reveal their violent intentions immediately, and will need to be kept at arm’s length. Others may prove themselves over time. You may allow still others to join you, after prayer and discussion, in a short amount of time.

Still, the nagging question remains: Does the Bible support prepping or not? If so, how should we use our supplies? Actually, there are many verses that not only advocate prepping but severely scold those who don’t. For example, Proverbs 11:26 tells us, “people curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.” So, if you’re a prepper who stocks up on grain and other goods and get criticized for it, don’t feel so bad—human nature hasn’t changed in centuries! Notice the second part of the verse– that we should also be willing to sell, or possibly to barter. In some cases, we should even give some of our goods away. Verse 24 of that same chapter says, “one man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” So, by either selling, bartering, or in some cases freely giving, there are blessings of increase that God gives us somehow, somewhere. In what forms will these blessings come? They could be physical, material, or spiritual. These blessings could come in the form of protection from attack, increase, and protection of your harvest, your livestock, or more.

One of the most famous Bible stories related to prepping is that of Joseph. In Genesis 41, God enabled Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams of seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. As a result, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of grain collection. Later on, when the famine hit, Joseph sold grain to both Egyptians and foreigners, including his father, Jacob, and his brothers. This enabled Joseph’s family to survive the difficult times. Therefore, we learn in this story that, in some cases, God actually warns us ahead of time about future famines and provides the solution to overcoming it, if we are wise enough to take action.

In fact, when it comes to prepping, the Bible specifically tells us to take action and not be lazy. Proverbs 6:6-8 tells us: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” So, even the lowly ant is commended for storing food. How much more should we, who are created in God’s image, do? In contrast to the wise ant, the “sluggard,” or non-prepper is severely scolded: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:10-11). So, not only are preppers praised in the Bible, but non-preppers are described as the modern equivalent of lazy bums.

Notice also the reference to the ant storing up provisions during the summer. Summer represents a time of plenty, when food is readily available for storing. In the same sense, summer symbolizes “normal” times, when food is both readily available and can still be purchased for relatively reasonable prices. Right now, even though food prices have gone up quite a bit in the past year or two, there is still an opportunity for most of us to purchase extra food to put away for a rainy day. However, there is no guarantee how long this window of opportunity will last. At any moment, supermarkets could be closed or looted due to any number of events, such as economic collapse, riots, terrorist attacks, or pandemics.

Jesus himself told us, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. ” (John 9:4). This verse symbolizes truths on several levels, from spiritual to physical. Spiritually speaking, night is coming, when you need to be right with God before you die or the second coming, whichever comes first. You also need to be emotionally prepared for “night,” which could come in the form of an economic collapse, wars, uprisings, famine, disease, and other tribulation events. When it comes to physical preparation, though, keep in mind that night is also coming, when you won’t be able to buy groceries and other supplies any more. You may be able to buy and/or barter with another wise person who lives down the road from you. In so doing, you will help forge a bond of friendship with others in your community to help ensure your mutual survival.

In the future, community will become extremely important, as we all share our talents, and in some cases, resources to help ride out the wave of collapse and lawlessness that will sweep through the land. So, prepping also gives the added benefit of enlisting allies to help defend you and others, by either bartering or helping the needy, while maintaining OPSEC at the same time. So, the next time some sharp-tongued cynic mocks you for your prepping, quietly move on to what you are called to do to prepare for future events. The next time someone twists a Bible verse out of context to belittle your preparations, continue your physical and spiritual preparation for the dark days ahead, confident that the Scriptures actually back you up, and powerfully so. If more of us would simply prepare now, while it is day, we will have the opportunity to shine as a light of hope for multitudes of destitute and hopeless people in the coming night of tribulation.

Letter Re: Self Directed IRA

The topic of self directed IRAs has been one of great popularity on SurvivalBlog– especially the LLC IRA, whereby the individual can take home delivery of precious metals owned by the IRA and/or invest in almost anything he wants without approval or oversight.

  We offer this piece to provide clarification on the taxable nature of distributions as expressed in this recent letter.  It often makes sense for an individual to setup an LLC IRA to take his assets off grid, rather than take an often 50% tax hit on the entire account.  However, when retirement age is reached, how does one take distributions of these assets from the self-directed IRA?

Just to recap, a self-directed IRA is established when an individual wants to take control of the assets in his retirement account.  An LLC IRA is a type of self-directed IRA that adds another series of benefits to the account.  A few of the benefits include: legal asset protection, investment flexibility without approval from a trustee, and the framework allowing at home storage of certain precious metals.

  Once setup, the individual manages the LLC IRA investment company, including investment direction and storage of assets.  The trustee acts as a silent custodian, and the individual maintains complete checkbook control of the account.  At this point there is neither government oversight nor control of the assets.  It is up to the individual to stay within the law and ultimately report taxable distributions once they come due at retirement.  

Upon attaining age 59.5 taxable (assuming non-ROTH) distributions are allowable from the account, and at age 70.5 they become mandatory.  At either age the individual will begin taking assets out of the IRA and claiming them as personal property.  Typically, this is done in a schedule whereby a percentage of the account value or a fixed dollar value amount is withdrawn each year.  This is simple to plan, if the distributions will be in cash, but what if the LLC IRA owns real estate, physical precious metals under the mattress, or other tangible assets?

The important aspect to grasp here is title ownership.  Contrary to common belief, one can own a percentage of an asset shared with his IRA.  Think of it like this: Before distributions, the IRA owns 100% of the account.  Let’s say one plans to draw down the account by 10% per year.  After the first distribution, the individual owns 10% and the IRA maintains ownership of 90%.  After the second annual distribution, the individual owns 20% and the IRA owns 80%, and so on.  If the asset is a piece of real estate, the individual is merely changing the percentage of title ownership with each annual distribution.  The individual will claim each annual distribution as a taxable withdrawal of a dollar amount matching the percentage value of property which has changed hands.   In this example, the ownership of the account itself (or property) is changed each year via percentage distributions. 

Precious metals can be distributed in a slightly different manner.  Let’s assume that Mary has 10,000 ounces of silver buried in her garden, all of which are owned by her LLC IRA.  She just turned 70.5 and is now forced to take taxable distributions from her account.  At this point she must follow a schedule of annual distributions of a dollar amount, based on the value of her account each year at the time of distribution.  She will simply take the dollar amount of her required distribution and divide by the per-ounce spot price of silver and remove that many ounces from her LLC IRA stack and move them to her personal stack.  She has effectively changed the title ownership of those ounces she removed.  In this case, her IRA still owns 100% of the stack in her garden, only the stack will get smaller every year.

  People pursue the LLC IRA not for greater tax advantages, but for more control and flexibility with their retirement account.  If the fiat dollar system completely collapses, some argue that taxes will be the last thing of concern.  If government tyranny rises to a level never seen on our soil and IRA account confiscation begins, some say they’d rather be able to fight for what’s legally theirs rather than watch it be taken away with the click of a mouse. –  Will Lehr of Perpetual Assets

Economics and Investing:

Creator of ‘Liberty Dollar’ Sentenced to Home Detention

o o o

Thanksgiving weekend sales fall 11%: NRF

o o o

The New Depression: 5 Decades in the Making and No End in Sight

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

The Incredible Shrinking Incomes of Young Americans – A good article, but the author (like many) clearly misunderstands this to be a real recovery and thus is puzzled by this. They also don’t understand that falling prices, because of increased production, doesn’t cause a loss of jobs if we had a true, free market economy.

‘Near Perfect’ Indicator That Precedes Almost Every Stock Market Correction Is Flashing A Warning Signal