Odds ‘n Sods:

Some disjointed thoughts from the Emergency Management of the Oso Mud Slide. Some things worked, and some things didn’t. Those of you involved in Emergency Management may be able to pick up a few things from a non-fire related incident. – R.J.

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ATF’s purchase reporting requirement gives lie to ‘military features’ test. – B.B.

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Holder announces task force on ‘homegrown’ terrorists – B.B.

HJL adds: I have concerns over this administration’s willingness to declare domestic violence perpetrators “terrorists”. Case in point, the Feds still won’t call Army Major Nidal Hasan’s assault on Fort Hood a Terrorist Action, yet a drunk neighbor who pulls a shotgun on a father teaching his daughter how to ride a bicycle is somehow “terroristic”? Do we not have those backwards? It seems to me that the Feds are minimizing the human aspect of its own citizens and emphasizing global citizenship. If it quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and looks like a duck, let’s just call it a duck. Nidal Hasan was a terrorist, and this man’s neighbor is guilty of drunken domestic violence. I suspect the government’s perceived confusion over the issue is related to their militarization of the local law enforcement. It’s a whole lot easier to fire your weapon upon a terrorist than it is to do so upon your own brother or neighbor.

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Another police intervention gone wrong: Minneapolis police used Taser on pregnant woman. – R.B.

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I’ve seen this video before (or one similar to it) sent in by T.P., but while we are still under a shortage of .22LR ammo, it’s good to watch to remind us that CCI alone produces 4 million rounds every day from its Idaho plant. The U.S. Government is not a significant consumer of .22LR ammo, showing that we are our own worst enemy when it comes to the ammo shortage. The law of supply and demand is in full force.

Notes for Tuesday – June 03, 2014

Today we present another entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  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. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  10. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  11. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

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. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. 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, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 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.

Round 52 Non-Fiction Writing Contest Winners Announced!

We have completed Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest!

First Prize goes to T.Y. for “Low Moisture Aged Cheese – Hard food for Hard Times”, which was posted on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. He will receive the following prizes:

  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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  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. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second prize goes to Dr. Goscienski, M.D. for “Feeding Infants at TEOTWAWKI: The Critical Advantages of Breastfeeding – Part I” and “Part 2”, which was posted on Friday, May 16, 2014. He will receive the following prizes:

  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. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

Third prize goes to SCP for “Learning to Adjust Your Preps for the Small Ones in Your Life”, which was posted on Friday, April 4, 2014. She will receive the following prizes:

  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. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. 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.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Honorable Mention prizes ($30 Amazon.com gift certificates via e-mail) have been awarded to the writers of these fine articles:

Note to all Prize winners: Let us know your current e-mail address. We will also need the UPS and USPS addresses for each of the top three prize winners.

Round 52 ended on May 31st, but Round 53 has started, 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. Those articles that we received for Round 51, but that did not get published in time will be automatically entered in Round 52.

Common Sense For Food Assurance, by J.M.

Over the years of taking the journey to being a better prepper, through self taught observations/experiences with myself and with others, have effected and guided me to realize that common sense had better be a big factor in all areas of prepper skills but, in particular, the areas of foods preparations (what to obtain) and food storage (both for the long- and short-term storage, how much, and the quantity needed versus available space to store). Using that guideline/method, it can be applied to all areas of planning and execution for surviving major, life-altering experiences.

However, this article is geared to a major mistake I have seen both in my journey and in other people’s experiences in planning, gathering, and storing their food preps– the unknown factor. What seems to elude most preppers, even the experienced ones, is maintaining the integrity of the food quality through the use of a temp-controlled storage area.

What is this guy talking about? Well, lets use myself as an example. I have been a student in prepping for about 40 years. I started long before prepping even became a known major topic, due in part to a life-changing injury that occurred in 1969 in the remote mountains in New Mexico. While building a very remote cabin in the mountain area, I was using stick nitro to remove boulders and trees on the road to the cabin. The injury was due to bad fusing that resulted in the loss of my right hand in the middle of nowhere and the realization that I was not prepared nor had planned or even given any thought for the unexpected. Up to that point in my life, each day was lived as if there was always another day and whatever I might need was always available– WRONG! This incident caused a radical change in my life, the way I thought, and the need to use the five “p”s– Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor results, and using common sense to factor in the “what if” into my everyday events. This brought on a change in all areas of my life, including the area of food prepping and storage. Think of it in this light; in most other prep articles, you read that 3 is 2, 2 is 1, and 1 is none, but with no thought of the proper storage, food items may ALL be none, if they are destroyed because of extreme temperatures.

This “what if” effected my plan for food, as part of my prepping, for unknown events. I started my initial attempts with my short-term needs in mind, buying canned goods and bulk items and storing them anywhere with no regard to heat, cold, moisture, time, or safety. After experiencing loss, due to food items going bad or causing “internal reactions”, my awareness level led me on a path of trying to blend in different types of food, MRE’s, instant mixes, my own canning methods, and those new things coming on the market back in the 60s called camping foods. Most of the camping foods, taste-wise, were like eating cardboard with flavors added in; sometimes, given a choice between them and eating worms, you might choose the worms. Yuck! During the first 20 years, I slowly realized that lack of effort, lack of caring, or just an “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” situation was causing me to have to throw out my food preps on a regular basis. So, okay, I would accept that and resupply. During this time I noticed both heat and cold were my enemy but more so the heat. I tried keeping food preps in the home, even with that changes in seasons or whatever, still caused concern over the quality and integrity. During my second 20 years, my aging and life experience level has dictated that I get wiser and utilize what I learned on the food storage journey. Based upon what I learned, I suggest the following:

  1. Plan and prepare a separate area for food and other perishables that is climate-controlled by you.
  2. Identify a short-term food supply (canned/bagged/liquids) that is your revolving pantry, based on a year supply of need for you and your family.
  3. Identify your long-term food supply of one year or more (I recommend three years of food for each person in the household), and buy only freeze-dried foods both in #10 cans and in pouches, with a variety. I stress freeze-dried because of their shelf life and also their taste. Buy the best tasting items (for you and yours). When buying freeze dried foods, cold is no longer a threat, but heat is still always your main enemy.

I REPEAT: HEAT IS THE #1 PROBLEM. To deal with this problem, I have built a separate, insulated room, approximately 20′ by 7′, in my workshop that has both an electric quartz heater sitting inside and a 12K BTU window A/C built into the outer wall. I maintain a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and the A/C keeps the room at 76 during summer’s hot days. I have shelving for three separate types of food. The highest shelf on three sides of the room is used to store freeze-dried items. The lower shelves on one side contain the one-year supply of canned goods and/or pasta, which I keep in 12″x 12″ x 6″ cardboard boxes, so that items can easily be stacked/labeled/moved by even an old person or child as needed to the pantry in the house. Also, since the food is separated in boxes it can be identified for donation to a church or food pantry or passed out as a charity gift to the locals. All other food preps, which are condiments (mustard/ketchup/mayo/relish/salad dressing/spices) are kept on the remaining side walls of shelves, along with candles, matches, peroxide, witch hazel, soaps, first aid items, and whatever. Note: Plan your orders for the cooler times of the year, as any delivery service may have in their delivery cycle periods where the shipment is exposed for periods of time to extreme heat or cold.

I want the word to get out that prepping for food procurement and storage without any consideration given to the affects of hot or cold temperatures and, to some degree, also humidity is a bomb that could leave you in a major dodo situation when a crisis occurs.

Let me also mention that the food inflation factor, that is just now beginning to surface in our country, is only one portion of the coming storm. The additional factors are the food shortages that are also becoming more apparent. I will use Wally World as an example. If your radar is “on”, start becoming a smart shopper and talk with your retailer. They are now stocking the shelves with a reduced quantity and selection of brands. As it was conveyed to me by some managers at those stores, they are having a supply problem and also a credit problem. The solution is to hold back inventory in the back room, so they can have a least a few items to restock shelves with. So, when you buy, buy like you may not get another chance for a few months… because you may not. Why do I mention this? It is because your ability to stock up and safely store your foods items may become Job #1 very soon and also because food will, in a crisis, be worth its weight in gold, or maybe more. Many people, lacking in the common sense department, will still assume they are going to be able to run to the corner market when the doo doo hits the fan. Likewise, a numbers of preppers may find out at the worst possible time that most of their survival foods, which they acquired but gave no concern to maintaining the quality of, is worthless.

My effort, at the local level, has been to help educate people, families, and church groups that they are to be praised at their attempts of preparing, but if proper storage of the food supplies is not part of their planning, then all of their effort could be for nothing or even worse harmful to them or others. People at the LDS local canning sessions put a great amount of effort into repackaging bulk food items in #10 cans, but only one person out of a group of 40 there at the event had given any thought to how to store those #10 cans safely when I spoke to them. Upon hearing my advice about temperature control, they became a very attentive audience for the next 30 minutes. It made me feel great about their thirst for knowledge and willingness to learn. My discussions with others often yield a response like, “I have never given any thought to heat or cold”. These are good people trying to do the best they can, but they are setting themselves up for failure. When somebody takes my advice and checks their food and or other preps that has been left in a metal storage shed, garage, in an under-cooled part of the home, or even a over-rated mini warehouse with substandard cooling oversight which may result in long durations of high heat or extreme cold and discover that most of it has “gone bad”, I am reminded of my own journey with the same results.

My journey has giving me the reward and satisfaction of knowing that, today, I am at a high level of efficiency in maintaining and better utilizing what I have purchased for an event that I hope and pray never happens, and I realize, in this current time, that the unfolding of history is happening right now. The term “food assurance” to me means FOOD INSURANCE. The old saying is true today– plan for tomorrow. My sincere hope is that this will start you to think about doing something to get ready but most importantly you actually do something in the best possible way with this information. Ensure that you “get er done”.

Letter Re: Seven Secrets of Medical Prepping

Dear Hugh,

I have appreciated Dr. Koelker’s fine contributions to this blog for some time. One thing I would like to add to the doctor’s list of items that were formerly prescription but are now OTC that are “must have’s” to stock up on is Meclizine. If I am not mistake I learned about that drug from one of Dr. Koelker’s Survival Blog offerings.

Meclizineis sold as a motion sickness aid for travel. In our area it is available at most pharmacies. A trick I learned is that while they frequently sell store brand “blister pack’s” on their shelves, they also sell bottles of 100 sold by “Rugby” that they keep behind the pharmacy counter that you have to ask for. I have found this to be true at four national pharmacy chains. The bottles of 100 are much cheaper than the blister packs. Furthermore, Amazon sells bottles of 1000 tabs at a very reasonable price. As was pointed out in the article that mentioned Meclizine, it is a powerful anti-nausea agent.

During the holiday season of 2012, I contracted a heck of a stomach flu that was also morphing afterward into an intestinal infection. Our local hospitals were swamped with this “Bug”, such that you had to wait in your car for hours for your turn to see an ER doctor. I have a very high pain tolerance, but I was in utter agony with nausea so bad I found myself heading for the ER. I remembered that I had printed the SB article, and on it was an anti-nausea OTC compound. I found the article and thought that on my way to the ER I would give it a try. The first national pharmacy I tried didn’t have any, so I was about to give up when I thought I would try one more national pharmacy “drive through” a block away.

I pulled up to the window and asked if they had Meclizine. The gal said, “Sure. Do you want 12.5 mg or 25mg?” I said, “Give me the strongest you have!” At this point, price was of no consequence to me. She could have come back and said that will be $400, and I would have bought it. A bottle of 100 was less than $4! I pulled forward and didn’t even leave the drive through before I chewed three of them. I left heading for the hospital and decided to chew one more. The drive to the hospital was about ten minutes, but by the time I arrived the nausea was completely gone! So I went home.

I later found that the year prior my wife had been having problems with Vertigo and her doctor prescribed Meclizine. Also, this drug does “knock the wind out of your sail’s”, so in a pinch if someone is “freaking out” it can be used as an anti-anxiety tool.

Our outlook is that, after TSHTF, many people will resign themselves to ingesting tainted food and water, and that consequently having tools on hand to manage diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration will be very valuable. Talk about a good way to dispense charity! Get some Meclizine! It’s cheap and it works!

BradJ

Economics and Investing:

Why the biggest US banks are even bigger and riskier than you think. – G.G.

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U.S. Hyperinflation Warning, Part I

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Items from The Econocobas:

Video: James Rickards ‘Inflation is Coming as it is The Only Way The U.S. Can Pay It’s Debt’

Deflation ‘Greatest Hoax’ as Prices Keep Rising

Video: James Rickards ‘Catastrophic Outcomes May Come Faster Than Expected’

U.S. Treasury Bonds – The Belgian Connection

Peter Schiff Talks to Ron Paul About The Fed’s “Quid Pro Quo” in Belgium

Odds ‘n Sods:

A great warning of what we’re going to face as true biblical believers as we near the return of our Lord Jesus Christ– the Son of God from Nazareth.The Coming Persecution

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We Lost Soldiers in the Hunt for Bergdahl, a Guy Who Walked Off in the Dead of Night. – P.M.

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Woman shoots at would-be home intruders. The intruders claimed to be with the East point Police Department. – T.P.

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Summertime Blues: Teen Unemployment in Major U.S. Cities Tops 50 Percent . – G.G.

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Ex-banker falls 1000ft off cliff in fatal Highlands hiking accident. If you are a senior bankster conciliere– an intel, trades, derivatives, or “where the bodies are buried” executive, you should not be going for walks, these days. You should not be stepping out for a breath of fresh air, should not be anywhere near any ledge, should not use nail-guns, not drive across bridges, not be alone, and not be in public without a bodyguard– one whom you alone pay, and one whom you pay very–Very–well. Good luck out there. You may have already known that when you work for the Devil you get paid in his coin. You also might need to remember that he always pays on time. – Jocko

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Today, we need to borrow a slogan from a past era and update it to fit our modern struggle: The government has no business in the kitchens (and snack bars) of the nation.” – Wendy McElroy

Notes for Monday – June 02, 2014

We are introducing our new economics editor “Econocobas” today. Thank you Economatrix for your long years of service to the blog. We wish you well in your endeavors.

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It looks like the announcement for the winners of round 52 of the Non-Fiction Writing Contest will need to be put off one more day. I hope to have the complete list ready for tomorrows blog.

Guest Article: May In Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we take an in-depth look at the “what” and “why” behind the price movements of gold and silver.

Precious Metals Market Drivers in May 2014

After trading in a tight range for more than two months on either side of $1,300 an ounce, gold broke down through key technical levels on the 27th. Reports of a single sale of $450 million in gold pushed prices down $13.00 an ounce through technical support, and triggered sell stops, which pushed prices lower.

GOLD PRICE MANIPULATION: The Smoking Gun

There was big news on the gold manipulation front! Barclays Bank was fined $44 MILLION over manipulating gold prices in what is the first documented, among many undocumented, instances of price rigging on the London Gold Fix. On June 28, 2012, a director of precious metals trading at Barclays made massive fake sales of gold, during the afternoon gold fix, to push the price below $1,588, in order to avoid making a $3.9 million payment to a client. The client smelled a rat and contacted Barclays management. The trader lied to his bosses, and then he lied to investigators from the Financial Conduct Authority. Barclays paid the client the $3.9 million and then fired the trader, who has been banned from the financial industry for life.

Because Barclays immediately went to the authorities when it found out about the manipulation and cooperated with authorities, it was only fined $44 million, BUT, there are some smoking guns still lying around: One, the trader had emailed “friends” working precious metals trading desks at other banks asking for help in pushing the afternoon gold fix down, and the head of precious metals trading at Barclays Bank suddenly resigned three days before this crime came to light.

In more manipulation news, Deutsche Bank has abandoned its seat on the London Gold Fix, because it could not find a buyer. All those giant banks that passed on the offer are probably thankful, since the Barclays conviction gives all the class action lawsuits over gold manipulation a smoking gun.

In related news, the London Silver Fix will be shutting down following an announcement made by the three major banks that run the operation. Since 1897, the benchmark price of silver has been set by a conference between three of the largest bullion banks in the world. With Deutsche Bank leaving, there was only HSBC and the Bank of Nova Scotia left, and that was deemed too few to set the daily price. An official statement from The London Silver Market Fixing Ltd. announced that the group will stop administering the fixing on Aug. 14, 2014.

CENTRAL BANK GOLD AGREEMENTS

Europe’s largest central banks renewed an agreement not to sell “significant” holdings of the precious metal for another five years. In a joint statement, the signatories to the Central Bank Gold Agreement said they “will continue to co-ordinate their gold transactions so as to avoid market disturbances” and pledged that “they do not have any plans to sell significant amounts of gold“.

Gold market watchers were quick to notice that the hard limit of selling no more than 400 tonnes a year has been removed, replaced by the mealy-mouthed quote above.

CIVIL WAR IN UKRAINE

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine held a snap referendum on May 11th, despite discouragement from Russian president Vladimir Putin, and proclaimed their independence. Rebels have in large part squandered the initial goodwill they had among the people of eastern Ukraine, by demanding “taxes” from businesses and the wealthy and seizing control of local governments.

On the 25th, national elections for Ukrainian president were held. Moderate candidate and billionaire businessman Petro Poroshenko won. Poroshenko, called “The Chocolate King” due to his candy empire, has pledged to work with both Russia and the West to keep Ukraine independent from both.

He also promptly launched a successful military offensive in eastern Ukraine, recovering some rebel-held areas. Russia did not actively intervene, to the dismay of the rebels, but did offer humanitarian aid.

Putin’s decision not to enter into open warfare in Ukraine was cited as a large reason for the “risk on” atmosphere in Western markets that removed safe haven support for gold in the last week of May.

CHINA AND RUSSIA

China and Russia finally hammered out a deal 15 years in the making, where Russia would sell Siberian natural gas to China. The price agreed to was not made public, sparking speculation that the Chinese had used their position of strength to force Putin to agree to a discount. Putin is very concerned over the EU’s new push to wean itself off Russian energy, since petroleum and natural gas exports are a major part of the Russian economy

Shipments are expected to begin in two years, and transactions are to be made in ruble and yuan, bypassing the dollar. Both the Chinese premier Xi and Putin stressed the need to exclude the U.S. dollar from as much international trade as possible. At the same meeting, Putin declared that Russia and China need to make sure that their gold and currency reserves are secure.

The president of Iran was in Beijing at the same time as Putin. After the gas deal was announced, China, Russia, and Iran signed an agreement to cooperate more closely in international affairs.

EU ELECTIONS/ECB POLICY

Elections for the EU European Parliament were held this month, giving a wake-up call to the status quo. The right-wing populist UK Independence Party (UKIP) won 27% of the vote in Britain, gaining ten seats in the European Parliament. The UKIP is a British version of the Tea Party, except that it is a party separate from any other. In France, Le Pen’s National Front won first place, getting 18 seats in the EU Parliament. Many of these Euroskeptic parties want to abolish the euro and return to their own national currencies. The ruling parties in Germany and Italy fended off similar threats in their own elections.

The election results, while not as dramatic as some had expected, put any new sovereign bailouts in doubt and weakened the euro to a four-month low. A weak euro means a strong dollar, which means lower gold prices (for now).

On The Retail Front

The Royal Canadian Mint has released their final sales figures for 2013, and report that both the Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coin sales set new records. Gold Maple Leaf sales were up 47.7% to 1.14 million troy ounces, and Silver Maple Leaf sales were up 55.8% to 28.2 million troy ounces. 2014 looks to be another banner year for the historic bullion coins. Interest for the 2014 Silver Maple Leaf is even higher this year, with the introduction of the same micro-etched security mark as the Gold Maple, and a new field of precise radial lines that give a shimmering effect when viewed at an angle.

The 2014 American Silver Eagle bullion coin is on track for another all-time record, with 21.3 million sold through the third week of May.

Market Buzz

Peter Schiffsays the goal of gold manipulation is to prop up the U.S. dollar, not to kill the gold market: “If you’re skeptical of big banks and big government, gold manipulation shouldn’t put you off investing in sound money. Instead, consider it as you would a gift horse. Instead of looking it thoroughly in the mouth, smile and graciously accept your good fortune.”

Russia increased gold production by 8% last year, to overtake the United States as the world’s #3 gold producer. U.S. gold production slipped 2%, but even had it remained at 2012 levels, Russia would still have taken away the #3 spot.

Schiff also looks at the bewildering case of someone in Belgium buying trillions of dollars in U.S. debt and wonders, is the ECB bailing the Fed out after the Fed Helped with Euro Crisis? “Since August of 2013 entities in Belgium have purchased and held a stunning $215 billion of U.S. Treasuries. This figure is equivalent to about half the country’s annual GDP, and equates to almost $20,000 for every living Belgian.”

According to reports, the People’s Bank of China has given the Shanghai Gold Exchange permission to build an international gold-trading platform in Shanghai. The exchange has already contacted foreign banks, including HSBC, ANZ, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and the Bank of Nova Scotia, and invited them to participate in a new international board. This is on top of plans announced earlier to offer a gold contract denominated in yuan.

James Rickards is warning of a massive financial collapse that will leave people scrambling for gold and no one willing to sell at any price. He says that it may all start with China, and start sooner than even he thought: “Now, over to China, this is one of the things that is happening faster than I originally thought. The credit collapse story is happening in real time… Defaults are piling up. We are seeing money rise. We’re seeing people march down to the banks . . . trying to get their money back. . . . So, if they can’t buy foreign stocks, domestic stocks, don’t want to put their money in the bank and are getting out of real estate, then what’s left? The answer is gold. . . . I see a demand shock coming from China. . . . You could see a scramble to buy gold.”

Russian palladium exports spiked in April, in an attempt to cash out before any sanctions. The 69,400 oz. was over 10 times the monthly average this year of 6,500 oz., but far below peak exports in the six-digit range from just a few years ago.

Looking Ahead

The break lower in gold after the expiration of June gold options may be the correction that some analysts have deemed necessary for gold to move above the $1300 mark.

Narandra Modi’s election as prime minister in India is good news for gold. The pro-business Modi promised to implement measures designed to boost the Indian economy and restore national pride, including relaxing the severe restriction on gold importation. How much of an increase is Modi willing to absorb in the CAD, or will he make easing gold restrictions contingent on an expanding economy?

The Indian government recently released a report that gold smuggling increased by six times in the last fiscal year, which ended March 31. Before the 10% import tax and import restrictions, India was the world’s largest buyer of gold.

PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM

China announces it will force 300,000 old cars off the road in Beijing, and six million nationwide by end of year. Auto exhaust causes 31% of the smog in Beijing, and low quality gas just makes matters worse. Smog levels can reach literally deadly levels in many Chinese cities, and the nation will need TONS of palladium and platinum for new cars and gasoline refineries. Platinum and palladium (Pd) are used in the catalytic converters of cars to reduce emissions. (Note: Russia and South Africa account for nearly 80% of the total global supply of these two metals.)

Johnson Matthey Plc said in a statement, “Supply shortages for platinum and palladium will be the largest in more than three decades.” The Bloomberg report also stated there would be a deficit this year of 1.22 million ounces of platinum and 1.61 million ounces palladium.

This might be a good reason to keep an eye on platinum and palladium prices in the coming months amid record deficits, increasing demand and restricted supply.

Scot’s Product Review: Officer Survival Initiative First Aid Materials

Officer Survival Initiative (OSI) says they are “a bunch of current and reformed medics, law enforcement, military, and general trigger puller types who want to help you come home at the end of the day.” That’s a great goal and one they are clearly advancing to. They have put a lot of energy into the law enforcement field, as the name implies, but they also make first aid stuff for outdoors folks and the prepping market. They were kind enough to let me look at some of their kits and modules.

The Advantage II Personal Vehicle Aid Kit

The first kit I looked at is, in my view, a brilliant package. It is in a 6.5″x5″x3″ pouch and comes with a harness that can be fixed to the headrest or visor in your car. The kit pouch attaches to the harness by Velcro. You can easily rip the kit from your headrest and run to an injury. This, to me, is the brilliant part. All too often first aid kits wind up at the bottom of the debris field found in most cars. This one won’t. It will be up high and in plain sight. There is a red cross on it to help it be seen. I found it a bit bulky for my sun visor. (I have an old Honda CRV, so the headrest would work better for me.)

This is not a “boo boo” kit. This is a kit for dealing with serious, life threatening injury, particularly bleeding. There is a Combat Applications Tourniquet (CAT), a four-inch Israeli bandage, gloves, compressed gauze for stuffing a wound, EMT shears, a HALO chest seal set, and a Laerdal face shield for doing CPR.

The CAT is one of the standards for tourniquets today. It is used by the U.S. military and has proven itself where it counts, on the battlefield. A key factor in its popularity is how easy it is to self-apply. It is also small and light. There are additional videos on its use that are worth watching, if you choose this tourniquet.

One interesting comment OSI made about tourniquets is that one should consider an orange tourniquet for non-deployed use where visibility is not a concern. In the chaos of treatment, the orange one will stand out to rescuers so they can deal with it. The black one could be missed more easily.

The Israeli bandage is another battlefield standard for serious wounds. It provides compression to stop the loss of blood.

You can add Quik-Clot hemostats to the kit. You get a choice of a pad to cover the injury or gauze for stuffing wounds. These contain an agent that speeds the clotting of blood. Either would be a good choice to add if you can afford them.

The components, other than the shears and tourniquet, are sealed in sturdy vacuum packed plastic bags. All have tear points so you can get them out in a hurry.

The chest seal pack actually has two seals so you can treat both entry and exit wounds.

The compressed gauze could also be used for wrapping a wound to hold on a bandage or even as an impromptu sling. It is quite strong. You could improvise and find a number of other uses such as tying or holding things together.

The pouch can also be used with a MOLLE adapter, so you can put it on a tactical vest. It is held on the adapter with a quick release buckle. It also has a clip so it can be hung most anyplace you might need it.

The kit is small enough to carry on a day hike or hunting trip. I found it bulky for cargo pant pockets, so it would need to be clipped on or stowed in something else. There is enough room left to slip in a few Band-Aids and a tube of antibiotic ointment for the inevitable boo boo.

It is priced at $139.82 without the MOLLE adapter or hemostats.

Some More OSI Products

All of the following items are contained in 5″x9″ zip closure clear plastic pouches. The plastic is quite sturdy and should hold up well. I’m not sure how UV resistant they are, so it might be good to keep them out of the sun. OSI agreed with that thought. I would rate them as moisture resistant and not waterproof. If you drop them wrong or carry them roughly, the zip could come undone. A number of the items in them, though, are in watertight packages. These pouches fit easily in BDU pant pockets.

The Eveready Pocket Kit

Like it says, this is a kit to keep in your pocket. It will fit nicely in most cargo pants. Like the Advantage II, this is not a boo boo kit. It is a kit that can handle major bleeding and chest penetrations.

It has gloves and compressed gauze. There is also a Quick-Clot pad, two packs of compressed gauze that could be used to pack a wound or wrap and hold on a dressing. A petrolatum gauze that can be used for a chest seal or as a non-adherent cover for other wounds is also included. Finally, there is a Dynarex 5″x9″ Combine dressing. Combine dressings are soft, absorbent pads held in a soft pouch-like thin fabric cover.

To save space while adding versatility, this kit uses the SWAT-T tourniquet. This is a wide elastic band that can be used in several ways: as a tourniquet, as a pressure wrap over a dressing, or as an elastic bandage. I found it interesting that it has indicators on it to show whether you are pulling it tight enough. The folks at OSI feel the SWAT-T, despite its smaller size and cost, is a fully capable tourniquet and showed me a study that supports that view. There are arguments that this type of tourniquet is actually better because it is wider, and by spreading the pressure over a larger area, it will cause less pain and damage to the victim. A doctor also told me he feels it will stop the flow of blood more effectively than a narrow one. Further, some experts say that muscles can contract under a tourniquet, and the elasticity of the SAWT-T will maintain pressure better, which keeps the wound from starting to bleed again. The only drawback I could see with it would be self-application on the arm. It can be done, but I’m not sure I could manage it as well as one of the web ones.

The components, save the gloves and Combine dressing, are packed in sturdy vacuum sealed plastic or foil pouches with easy tear points. The Combine dressing is in a paper package lined with some sort of plastic film on the inside. I was curious about how well it protected the dressing, so I soaked one in what started as very hot tap water. I gave up after more than three hours; the dressings stayed dry. The paper rubbed off, revealing a thin but sturdy plastic layer.

There is room in the pouch to slip in a few Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment packs, and antiseptic wipes to handle boo boos. With these added items, it would be a great kit to carry when I’m leading Cub Scouts on a hike. With the addition of a couple of pieces of candy, it should be possible to get them through most mishaps. A whistle might be good to put in too.

This one goes for $36.42.

Bleeding Control Module

The Bleeding Control Module offers a very cost effective and compact kit for bleeding. There are 2 8″ x 10″ Combine Dressings, 2 5″ x 9″ Combine Dressings, and 2 Primed Compressed Gauze Dressings along with a pair of Nitrile gloves. The compressed gauze is in rugged vacuum sealed pouches, while the Dynarex Combine dressings are in the same packages I couldn’t get to leak with a multi-hour soak.

This kit is a bargain at $8.46.

Bandage and Dressing Module

This package has four 2×2″ Curity gauze sponges, four 4×4″ Dynarex gauze pads, two 3″ Dynarex conforming gauze and six triple antibiotic ointment packets. This is finally getting pretty close to a boo boo kit, but it could still stop the bleeding from a nasty cut. Most boo boo kits would be running out of steam while this one would still do the job. The Dynarex dressings are in paper like the Combine dressings, so they could easily stand some moisture. The Curity ones, though, failed my impromptu soak test in less than an hour, so they need to be kept dry.

This goes for a very reasonable $6.46.

Conclusions

I’m impressed with what I’ve seen here. The components are high quality and chosen with care. A lot of times pre-packaged kits have useless or low quality stuff. These don’t. Worse, many first aid kits lack what you need for a serious problem. The Tylenol and small bandages you find in the drugstore kits aren’t enough for a real emergency. That’s not a problem with these. With OSI kits, you can save a life.

I’m also impressed by what I see on their website. Besides a wide range of first aid gear, there is a wealth of information and a number of instructional videos. They also quickly handled my requests for more information.

Do note that a number of items in any first aid kit will have expiration dates. You should keep tabs on them. While I think most first aid supplies will be good for a lot longer than the date says, I have had things go bad. Adhesives, elastic, and plastic items deteriorate, so plan on going through your kits every year or so to replace the old stuff. Also watch for any compromised packaging, especially on sterile goods. I would be especially concerned about items left in cars in hot climates, and I’d be sure to replace those items first. Use your old items for practice or training. Everything in the OSI kits, by the way, was current and fresh.

Some of these things can’t be re-used either. I wasn’t aware, for example, that most tourniquets are viewed as a one use item. So much force has to be applied to stop the flow of blood that they can’t be relied on in the future. They might be better than nothing, but don’t counted on them for a second use if you can avoid it.

Don’t forget to spend time learning how to use your equipment and supplies. Gear is worthless without skills. The Red Cross offers classes around the country. I particularly recommend their Wilderness First Aid class. It was developed with the Boy Scouts of America. It takes two days and helps you deal with things when out of range of immediate emergency response. It is, however, only an introduction and doesn’t deal with some of the issues a prepper might face.

OSI recommended a couple of organizations that offer various levels of wilderness first aid training. The first is the National Outdoor Leadership School, and the second is Remote Medicine International. The fellow who taught the Red Cross Wilderness class I took recommended Wilderness Medical Associates International for further training. Unfortunately, most of these classes will require travel.

I’ve also seen recommendations for Stonehearth Learning Opportunities and Advanced Wilderness Life Support.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive list of first aid training. These are just the few that I know about that have reputable recommendations. If you know of others, please drop me an email.

Your local college or university may have classes intended for EMTs and paramedics that could be useful, though they are usually based on the idea that there is a trauma center nearby.

You can find tons of videos on YouTube, but I’m leery of them unless I can verify the quality of the people posting the video. Vendors often post videos on how to use their products, and those are usually pretty good. A doctor friend highly recommended this one, 9mm vs .45 vs Rifle A Dr’s View of Gunshot Wounds. You have to register your age to view it, as it is graphic and restricted to adults. There isn’t as much about treatment as I would like, but it is still an interesting look at gunshot wounds. I say again that it is graphic in parts.

The bottom line is that you, or someone in your group, need to get some serious training along with some serious first aid supplies. Ideally, everyone would get a basic Red Cross class and, if possible, the Red Cross Wilderness one. Personally, I feel I need to go farther and intend to take more classes despite not really enjoying this stuff. I would rather be shooting or milling wheat. I need this though, and so do you. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Scot Frank Eire

Recipe of the Week: Wild Turkey Pho

I am a 5th generation Oklahoman. My wife is ethnically Vietnamese. Our children are happy little mongrels with Eurasian eyes and Oklahoma accents. We often produce fusion recipes consisting of local ingredients and traditional Vietnamese ideas.

Wild turkey spring season is almost upon us, and I would like to share one of our fusion recipes with the blog.

Pho (pronounced fuh-uh with two syllables NOT foe with a long O and one syllable) is a simple soup dish with numerous health benefits. In its simplest form it is broth made from bones and simple herbs. The bones provide minerals and collagen for bone and joint support. The herbs provide a medicinal element (anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, et cetera). The entire concoction can be considered as a prescription in traditional Chinese medicine, and ideally the herbs should be tailored to medical needs and not to palette preference.

I shoot my turkeys with a small cal rifle, because I’m not fond of eating bird shot or trying for a head shot. I do not pluck feathers or attempt to save skin. Gut it. Remove head and feet.

Drop the bird into a large Dutch oven or crock pot, along with a few carrots, celery, an onion, garlic, and maybe an apple. Salt well, and slow cook until meat becomes tender. You may have to separate the bird depending on its size. If so, use legs and wings and save the breast for Chia Gio (Viet Eggrolls, next time).

Remove most of the tender meat and veggies into a bowl and set aside. Place bones and drippings into a stock pot, along with a handful of coriander, one cinnamon stick, three star anise, a half handful of fennel seed, and a half handful of cloves. I do not really measure ingredients and neither do the Vietnamese grandmas who make this on Sunday afternoon in homes throughout OKC. Use what you have. Experiment.

Fill the remainder of the pot with fresh cold water and boil for at least an hour. Honestly, I think the longer it boils the better it is. You may have to add water to counter evaporation. Taste for saltiness.

Rice noodles, known as Banh Pho, can be purchased dried or fresh here in OKC and most any place with an Asian market. Be careful to follow directions. It’s very easy to turn these into mush. If you don’t have access to rice noodles, make your own egg noodles with wheat flour, egg, and water, just like grandma does. I use them frequently, as do many Vietnamese here.

Noodles go into your bowl. The broth goes on top. Add turkey and cooked veggies. Garnish with fresh onions and herbs. Commonly used are cilantro and basil, but I frequently make use of wild herbs, such as dandelion and curly dock (good stuff). Use what you like and what is available.

Finish with a squeeze of lime and some chili paste, too, if you can handle it. Love your neighbor and share! Say fuh-uh not foe; it’s excruciating to hear it incorrectly. Next time I will share Viet Spring Rolls/Eggrolls with wild turkey. Shalom y’all. – C.B.

o o o

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

Letter Re: Grain Mills

Hugh,

We searched for the perfect grain mill for years. We wanted one that did not depend on electricity, because none of us can be guaranteed that we will always have electricity. If you have one that is totally electric then if the grid goes down you have a good door stop.

We wanted one that could be used by hand crank, but if we wanted we could attach it to an electric motor and one that would not heat up the grain.

We opted for the Grain Maker, which is made in Stevensville Montana. It is very heavy duty, does not heat the grain, and will grind any grain or legume which most mills will not. We can grind by turning the crank OR we can attach to an electric motor OR the option we chose is we purchased the optional bicycle attachment. We can attach the mill to a bicycle and pedal our flour. We laugh that we are going to be like those on Gilligan’s Island.

We used to grow field corn and grind our own cornmeal. We used to have to take turns turning the crank, because I could only do it for about 10 minutes, and my husband could go for about 15-20 minutes. It’s quite a workout.

The Grain Maker is not cheap. However, when SHTF, you don’t want cheap; you want what will do the job when it’s supposed to do it. There are just some things for which you don’t want the cheapest equipment. For your water filter, your grain mill, and your heating/cooking source, you want the best you can buy. – S.W.