Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Mark H. sent: Data on MRE Shelf Life Dictates Shorter Shelf Life –New Chart

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What Is An “Assault Rifle”? – You’ve Probably Been Lied To. Starting a 5:55, watch him transform a humble Mini-14 into something “Evil” looking–at least in the eyes of Chuckie Schumer and Dianne Feinstein. But we must remember that outward appearances are meaningless: Esse quam videri. (Translated: “To be rather than to seem.”) That should be our byword, whether we are judging the looks of a rifle, or the looks of people. Just because a rifle is black doesn’t make it evil. And just because someone has a different skin color doesn’t make them any better or any worse than you, either.

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Peter S. sent: New York State Sets Up Gun Snitch Line With $500 Award

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The two children of American Civil War veterans who are still receiving soldiers’ pensions nearly 150 years after war ended. (Ronald Reagan was right, when he said: “The closest thing to immortality on this Earth is a federal government program.”)

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H.L. sent: Obama presses Congress to vote on assault weapons ban. JWR’s Comment: If congress votes down the magazine ban bills, I anticipate BHO soon issuing an Executive Order that would ban the importation of any magazine that can hold more than 10 cartridges, except for police or military use. I urge my readers to stock up on full capacity magazines, especially for any guns that are imported, such as Glock, SIG, HK, Taurus, Tavor, et cetera.]

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Why do you allow these men who are in power to rob you step by step, openly and in secret, of one domain of your rights after another, until one day nothing, nothing at all will be left but a mechanised state system presided over by criminals and drunks?" –  Die Weisse Rose (The White Rose), Resistance Leaflet 3, 1942

Notes from JWR:

March 24th is the anniversary of the mass escape of Allied POWs from Stalag Luft III, in 1944. Of the 76 men who escaped, just three made “home runs” to Allied territory. In a dastardly deed, 50 escapees who were re-captured were executed by the SS, on orders from the highest echelons of the Nazi government.

I had the honor of meeting one of the Stalag Luft III survivors, Colonel Jerry Sage (1917-1993) of the OSS, late in his life. (In the movie The Great Escape, Steve McQueen’s character “Captain Virgil Hilts” was loosely based upon Jerry Sage. Sage once commanded the 10th Special Forces Group.

March 24th is also the Birthday of Dr. Art Robinson. (Born in 1942.)

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Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 45 ends on March 31st, 2013, 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.

Survivalism: A Jewish Perspective, by DystopianLiving

Since I am Jewish, I read with interest “A Prepper’s Holiday” by C.E.B. (posted March 7th), in which the author described what he has learned by observing the Old Testament holidays of Passover and Sukkot.

It occurred to me that Jewish history and culture – being largely a five-thousand year track record of survival against all odds – actually has quite a few lessons that would be relevant to SurvivalBlog readers of all faiths. Here are a few.

1) WHEN IN DOUBT, GET OUT

In 1941, Adolf Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. At the time, my grandmother and her family were living in a small town in the Ukraine, not terribly far from the Soviet border. The Stalinist propaganda machine, of course, assured the populace that the German army would be crushed with ease. However, one of my grandmother’s uncles was a senior member in the local Communist Party, and had a clearer view of reality. He gathered the family together one evening and told them that it was very likely that the Nazis would reach their town, with devastating consequences to the inhabitants. He spread out a map of the USSR, and pointed to a small province much farther east: the Uzebek SSR (now called Uzbekistan). “You have to go there,” he said. “Hitler will never get that far.”

Having suffered through generations of persecution and “pogroms” (anti-Jewish riots, often conducted with the approval of police and political authorities), they had every reason to believe him. So, they quietly packed up and moved to Uzbekistan, where they waited out World War II far removed from the death camps and other atrocities of the Third Reich and the Stalin regime.

Fast-forward to today: while the mass media assures us that the recession will be over any day now, folks like SurvivalBlog’s Captain Rawles are busy telling anyone who will listen that heading for the hills would be a very smart idea.

If you wait until you hear the sound of jackboots on cobblestones, it will be too late. The time to get out of town is now. As American poet Robinson Jeffers wrote, “When the cities lie at the feet of the beast, the mountains will remain.”

2) NEVER TRUST POLITICIANS

Even well-meaning politicians can easily be influenced to implement terrible policies. This is illustrated perfectly by the Book of Esther, which is commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Purim.

To make a long story short, a beautiful Jewish girl named Esther is selected to be the wife of King Ahasuerus. Aware of anti-Jewish sentiment in the King’s court, she keeps her heritage a secret. Esther is an orphan, and her guardian is her older cousin Mordechai. While visiting Esther at the palace, Mordechai offends Haman, the king’s chief adviser, by refusing to bow to him. Mordechai explains that he will prostrate himself before God, but not to a man – even the King.

Enraged, Haman tells the king that the Jews do not follow the law of the land (which states that everyone must bow to the king), and suggests that they be executed. The king, being a typical politician, agrees.

Haman gleefully makes plans for soldiers to go out and exterminate the entire Jewish population of the kingdom in a few days. For Mordechai, against whom he has a special grudge, Haman sets up an impaling pole.

Queen Esther finds out what’s happening, and decides to risk her own life for the sake of her people. Through some high drama involving a banquet and a secret plot against the king (which Mordechai exposes), the king winds up offering Esther anything she desires. She asks him to spare her life, and the lives of her people. Outraged that someone would threaten his queen, the king quickly discovers what Haman has been up to, gives Esther the authority to overturn Haman’s orders, has Haman impaled on his own pole, and gives Haman’s estate to Mordechai.

With that story in mind, consider the fact that West Point’s “Combating Terrorism Center” recently released a report entitled “Challengers from the Sidelines,” which classifies “the ‘Militia’ or ‘Patriot’ movement” as part of the American “violent far-right,” describing its members as dangerous extremists who promote “anti-taxation, gun rights, survivalist practices, and libertarian ideas,” and who “support civil activisms, individual freedoms, and self-government.” Of course, this describes perfectly the interests and ideals of all of America’s founding fathers, but that irony is apparently lost on the scholars at West Point.

A variety of other quasi-governmental reports have made similar allegations. In other words, just as Haman (and, of course, Adolf Hitler) twisted the facts to classify Jews as enemies of the state, these so-called “think tanks” are twisting the facts to classify the typical, security-and-freedom-loving SurvivalBlog reader as a terrorist-in-waiting. Since our politicians are engaged in a never-ending War on Terror, it’s a very small step to you or me finding ourselves being treated to the indefinite detention, torture and summary execution that the US government has established as being appropriate for terrorists.

3) BE READY TO FIGHT

The traditional narrative of the Holocaust is that the Jews went meekly to the death camps, like lambs to the slaughter. In reality, many Jews fought, guerilla-style, against Nazi troops in the streets and alleys of Europe.

One of the most remarkable of these Jewish guerillas was a young man named Imi Lichtenfeld, who was a champion boxer, wrestler and gymnast in his native Slovakia. As the tide of anti-Semitism began to sweep Europe in the 1930s, Lichtenfeld and his fellow Jewish athletes banded together to defend their communities from the increasingly violent attacks of Jew-hating gangs. Lichtenfeld quickly discovered the difference between combat sports and life-or-death brawling, and developed his own fighting system, which he taught to his compatriots.

Seeing the writing on the wall in 1940, he left Slovakia and served with distinction in the Free Czech legion in North Africa. He spent the remainder of his long life in the newly-established State of Israel, teaching his system – Krav Maga – to the Israeli Defense Forces.

The moral of this story is not only that Krav Maga is one of the most practical and combat-proven self-defense systems in the world, but that having the WILL to fight is just as important as having the ABILITY to fight. In the Jewish tradition, life is viewed as a gift from God. Therefore, to allow your life or the life of another to be taken, if it is in your power to prevent it, is actually disrespectful to God. My understanding is that, with the exception of certain pacifist denominations, most Christians agree with that rationale. Therefore, we must be ready to act, without hesitation, to defend ourselves and our loved ones, and must do so in the certainty that self-defense is not only a moral right, it is a moral obligation.

4) THE LAW IS YOUR FRIEND, UNTIL IT ISN’T

In medieval Spain, there was a period – from about the eighth to the eleventh centuries – called “La Convivencia” – “the coexistence.” During this time, Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together in relative peace and prosperity, freely associating with each other and openly exchanging knowledge of medicine, philosophy and commerce. As you might expect, the members of all three communities benefited from this interaction. Although there were certain social barriers in place, in principle everyone was protected by the law.

That pleasant situation gradually deteriorated, and many Jews and Muslims converted to Christianity to protect themselves. Unfortunately, the powers-that-be had serious doubts about the sincerity of these conversions, and in 1481, the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition was formed to root out and punish “heresy.” Overnight, the law went from protector to persecutor. Anyone with a grudge against a neighbor could accuse that person of being a “crypto-Jew,” and report them to the Inquisition. Thousands of innocent people – many of whom weren’t Jews at all – were imprisoned, tortured, and then hanged or burned at the stake.

Christians today face similar persecution in many middle-Eastern countries, where being openly a non-Muslim is seen as a crime, and sometimes a capital offense (witness the murders of Copts in Egypt, for example). In fact, the only middle-Eastern country where Christians can worship openly and in safety is in Israel – the Jewish state. But leaving aside religion for a moment, consider the bigger picture: anything can become a crime, just because the government says so. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago that a black person who drank from a “whites-only” water fountain was a criminal in this country. It is because “law” does not necessarily mean “justice” that Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”

When the Department of Homeland Security stockpiles hundreds of millions of rounds of ammunition (according to one report enough to keep our troops in Iraq supplied for 20 years) one is forced to wonder exactly whom our “representatives” expect to become criminals – or, to put it another way, whom they plan to CALL criminals. We all love law and order, but – God forbid – if the day ever comes that the law of the land is no longer our friend, we must be prepared to do the RIGHT thing, even if it is not the LAWFUL thing.

5) COMMUNITY IS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL

Being part of a community means looking out for each other. It is this trait – more than any other (with the exception of Divine intervention) – that explains why the Jews have outlived the Ancient Egyptians, Philistines, Persians, Phoenicians, Romans, and every other culture that tried to stamp them out.

From the 40 years of wandering in the desert, after escaping from slavery in Egypt, to the Diaspora, when Jews were forced out of almost every country in Europe, to the Holocaust, to today, if a Jew needs a hand, other Jews will help him. And Jews are not alone in this: you see the same thing, for example, in the Latino community: if a Mexican immigrant opens a restaurant, other Mexicans will go there to eat. Or consider the informal fraternity of military veterans: if a newly-retired Marine applies for a job, and the business owner is also a retired Marine, odds are the younger Devil Dog has a good chance of getting the position. Historically, church congregations have also helped their less-fortunate members in times of illness, unemployment and hardship.

This may sound like simple human nature, but in some neighborhoods, the opposite is true: if a person opens a laundromat, his neighbors will break his windows and vandalize his machines. And, from an outside perspective, community solidarity is often criticized as conspiracy or clannishness. The folks at the Aryan Nation meetings certainly aren’t thrilled to see Jews and Mexicans supporting their own communities. They recognize – in their own twisted way – that Malcolm X was exactly right in his assertion that, “when you spend your dollar out of the community in which you live, the community in which you spend your money becomes richer and richer, [and] the community out of which you take your money becomes poorer and poorer.”

The job that went to a Marine, the meal bought from a Mexican immigrant, the suit bought from a Jewish clothier, or the housing given to a frail parishioner, represents dollars that did NOT leave the communities in which those people live. Is it wrong to give preferential treatment to members of your community? To “your own kind”? By the politically-correct, non-judgmental, morally ambivalent logic of modern thinking, yes it is.

According to the voice of history, experience, and common sense, no, it absolutely is not! If we do not support our own communities – however that term is meaningful to ourselves – we are in fact harming them. If you, retired USMC Captain, don’t give that young Sergeant a chance, who will? If you, Juan, buy lunch at McDonald’s instead of at the neighborhood Taqueria, whom are you helping? As Malcolm X explained, “And then what happens? The community in which you live becomes a slum. It becomes a ghetto. The conditions become rundown. And then you have the audacity to complain about poor housing in a rundown community, while you’re running down yourselves when you take your dollar out.”

Rabbi Hillel, a famous Jewish scholar who was a contemporary of Jesus, famously asked, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?” Those questions have been food for thought for 2,000 years, and they are as pertinent today as ever. If you don’t look out for yourself, who will? But if you only look out for yourself, and ignore your community, your society or the Earth, what kind of person does that make you? If you put off meaningful action, how will you know when to act? All of us – regardless of race, creed, color, or background – must be willing to answer those questions honestly. We must be willing to protect ourselves, to support our communities, to recognize the dangers in our society, and to respond accordingly. And if we have not yet begun, we must do so now.

Letter Re: One Christian’s Plan for When Things Fall Apart

I would like to thank B.H. in North Idaho for his candid discussion of world views and the church.  As a Christian, I have the same beliefs that he has. 

And as a Christian, there is no way I cannot feed the hungry and the poor.  Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God and the next is to love your neighbor.  That means charity.  And charity entails feeding the hungry.  I may run out of food and die myself, but I know God would bless what I did for others.  As long as I’m doing what God instructs, I’m not scared of dying. That said, I won’t hesitate to use a firearm if necessary to save lives, including my own, from some evil person.   

In “The Apology of Aristides,” dated 125 A.D., Aristides wrote the earliest apology of the faith that we have outside the New Testament, a letter to Hadrian during the time Christians were being persecuted in Rome.  In this letter, he says, among other things, that Christians would fast for 3 days so they could give food to hungry fellow Christians.  How far we have drifted from what the first Christians did for each other. 

The church needs to be a leader through charity.  Why?  Because the one that gives charity is the one with the power.  Why do you think government wants so much to be the one that gives people what they need, in the form of Social Security, Food Stamps, Medicaid, etc?  Power.  And control.  The church needs to take this power back to show that God is the one that has power and God is the one that provides.  As B.H. said, the church needs to position itself to be ready to handle the hungry and the poor, as the Bible commands.  This is so government does not become the “savior” of mankind when everything falls apart.   We already have a savior.  And Christians need to do what the good book says, love they neighbor.

(For more information on how to put the church back in its proper role of providing for the needs of others through charity, I suggest reading the Biblical Blueprint Series.  It has loads of ideas for the church to help the deserving poor.  One of the books is titled, “In the Shadow of Plenty.”  If you see this book, you’ll know you have the right series of books.)

The Biblical Blueprint Series contains the following 9 books:

Introduction to Dominion, Biblical Blueprints on Dominion
Honest Money, Biblical, Blueprints on Money and Banking
Who Owns the Family?: Biblical Blueprints on the Family and the State
In the Shadow of Plenty, Biblical Blueprints on Welfare and Poverty
Liberator of the Nations, Biblical Blueprints on Political Action
Inherit the Earth, Biblical Blueprints on Economics
Chariots of God, Biblical Blueprints on Defense
The Children Trap, Biblical Blueprints on Education
Entangling Alliances, Biblical Blueprints on Foreign Policy
Ruler of the Nations, Biblical Blueprints on Government
Protection of the Innocent, Biblical Blueprints on Crime and Punishment

My own plan when things fall apart is to have enough food stored to be able to feed people.  I won’t be able to give them much but it will be a meal at least.  But my main plan is to teach people how to live in the tough times and to introduce them to Christ. 

For the people that live in my area, I plan to have extra seeds available to give out along with instructions for how to grow them and how to make compost for future growing.  Hopefully, within 30-60 days, they’ll have at least a little food to eat from what they planted.  Yes, I know inexperience doesn’t produce the best farmer, but they will learn.  In the meantime, I plan to teach them which foods they can scavenge, such as dandelion, stinging nettles, lemon balm, chicory, acorns and others nuts, and which berries are safe, etc.  I also plan to have extra small traps, like the ones for squirrels, etc, that I can give to others so they can supplement whatever they scavenge.   I’ll teach them how to catch and cook grasshoppers, snails, how to fish and catching/shoot birds and cook them.  Even as a female, there’s a lot I can teach.

Living in the Deep South, we have an advantage: kudzu.  We are inundated with it.  People don’t realize that every part of this plant can be used for food.  The root can be ground and made into a meal, which, when mixed with water and heated, can make a nutritional broth.  The leaves and flower petals are edible.  And for those with sugar, the petals and small stems can be used to make kudzu jelly. (As a footnote, the Japanese ate kudzu root after the atomic blasts.  The roots are deep enough that they do not get contaminated by the fallout, which is good to know if there’s a nuclear attack.) 

I also plan to teach people how to make filters for water, how to build fires if necessary, etc.  These are the types of things I feel will help people get by.  If they keep busy, maybe they won’t have as much time to get depressed or mad.  And if they can start finding food and growing food, perhaps the idea of stealing won’t enter their heads, although that may be a bit optimistic.  

In other words, I plan to teach people to fish and not just give them fish, while at the same time, telling them of God’s love and how he provides for us. – Vic from South Carolina

Letter Re: Dealing With Mentally Unbalanced Trespassers

James,
In Hearthkeeper’s account of the man arrested for trespassing while attacking a chicken run, she mentions that they had decided to “press charges” as it seemed the cops were aware of the guy, but nobody else had wanted to press charges.  Her rationale was that now he would get some kind of evaluation in jail.
 
Well, he probably won’t.
 
I don’t work in a jail environment anymore, but when I did it wasn’t that long ago.   What they did was well-intentioned and the right thing to do, but let’s point something out…
 
Under every state law I’ve ever seen, a person who appears to be unable to care for themselves can be taken into custody for their own safety if the arresting officer witnesses the person acting in a manner that would lead the officer to believe so.
 
Let’s examine the facts as we know them.
 
1.  The man acted out in front of the cops
2.  The homeowner wanted charges pressed
3.  The cops indicated that they had had prior contacts with the guy but nobody wanted to press charges.
 
So, it begs the question, why didn’t the cops simply use their power of detention for the man’s safety?  I’ll tell you why.  They would have gotten counseled for wasting taxpayer’s money and leaving their beat unnecessarily.   Depending on your jurisdiction and accessibility, the average time a cop will spend just processing someone “for their own good” is from 1.5 to 3 hours.  Why?  Because he needs to be medically cleared first.  That means the cops have to take him somewhere where a doctor can evaluate his medical condition, the guy might actually need intervention medically and the “crazy behavior” might not just be mental illness.   So, I take him into custody – and then I call the jail to ask them if they have a room for the guy (since I’m arresting him for a purported mental state, he cannot (by most state law) be housed with other inmates until he’s evaluated.  This means solitary confinement in most cases, and it means he has to be under observation 24/7 some jails set up for this by putting the person in a cell with a big window that jailers can look through, some use video cameras – but in all cases this means special treatment and you have to call the jail to see if them have the right facility.   Next step – you think he’s whacko?  Are you a doctor?  You can’t know, so, again – before involuntarily committing someone you have to have a doctor sign off on it, the jail nurse doesn’t count.  Remember your reason for arresting him was for his mental state not that he trespassed (nobody pressed charges, remember?)  In most jurisdictions this is a policy issue not a legal one, policy is set to help deal with legal issues in a fair and proper manner.  Mentally ill people are not “prisoners” in the legal sense of the word, they will have no judicial review of their case unless they are held longer than the state mandate.  Anywhere they are held, they will be held alone – and that’s resource intensive – you will have to get permission from someone to do this.  So, that’s the purported reason for why a cop might not arrest someone “for their own good”.  The biggest reason is cost.  Once you’ve undertaken to seek treatment for this person, guess who foots the bill?  The Sheriff or city that employs you.  So, there’s the Emergency Room (ER) visit for evaluation… The bill will come to your department, since once the guy is in your custody you are responsible for any medical care he may need, your status as a peace officer makes this seem easy.  Your employer, however, may not see eye to eye with you on the matter.  In many cases it will be impossible for you to do what’s right because you will need to watch commander’s specific permission,  many times you’ll summon the paramedics to let them “evaluate” the guy, and they will ask the guy if he wants to be treated – if he says yes, you’re off the hook – because once he’s in their care your hands are clean.   
 
While you’ve been doing the right thing by this crazed citizen, your entire beat has been doing without you, officers who work alongside you have been doing dangerous things alone because they have no backup, in some cases calls may not be answered because policy may dictate two officers responding (like with a domestic violence case) so it’s entirely possible that some wife out there is getting whacked around for a lot longer than she should be, all because you had to do the “right thing” and tie yourself up for three hours.   Let’s also hope you’re not pushed beyond your end of shift, because overtime isn’t something your supervisors like – you might need approval for that. 
 
But let’s assume we follow this guy’s course after he gets a ride to the jail.
 
He gets booked, just cursorily medically evaluated (if he’s cooperative), and since it’s simple trespass (a very low quality misdemeanor) after processing he’ll be given a summons and released, usually within the first eight hours.  Then he’s back on the street.  It can be quicker if the jail staff decides he’s no real danger and they’re overpopulated (a constant problem) and he could get released without four hours.  Now he’s back on the street, and he’s received no medical intervention – because he’s no longer under your control, the jail staff now makes the decision and remember, you didn’t bring him in for mental evaluation, right?  They absolutely will not try to create a bigger thing out of it, they’ll process the trespass and release him if no bail is called for – and even IF bail is set, it’s almost always a release upon personal recognizance (so you become your own bondsman).   I would estimate that there’s less than a ten percent chance that the jail staff will go out of their way to find this guy treatment, commonly in a setting like a jail a mentally ill person will become quiescent and not exhibit any of the behaviors that you found crazy, they’re sorta in a “happy place” and don’t feel very stressed – which in many cases will just make them quiet and non-threatening. 
 
How an arrest is conducted and the reasons for it are many and complex, it all boils down to dollars and cents, you’d like to think a cop is a caretaker for your community – but he’s not and there are probably policies in place to keep him/her from becoming one, because it creates liability and big medical bills for the jurisdiction in question.  
 
Let’s not forget that now they’re witnesses/victims and they’ll have to go to court to testify – unless he takes a plea bargain.  But guess how many times that happens to someone who’s mentally ill?  It’s actually about 50/50, compared to the 95 percent plus of normal people who just take whatever is offered in way of punishment for a minor crime like trespassing.    True story.  Local hotel did a local homeless shelter a favor by taking in one of their “overflow” people for a night for free.  Well, the guy orders a couple hundred dollars worth of room service, and when he leaves refuses to pay.  Arrest (defrauding an innkeeper) and it’s revealed he’s a heavily addicted bipolar heroin addict.   Hotel staff gets subpoena’d.  Hotel staff shows to court.  Defendant is supposed to get his meds in the morning, but since he’s getting transported to court he misses his morning pill and the judge continues the case because the guy isn’t in the right mental state.  This happens five times over a period of three months.  Each time the judge sends a note to the sheriff about getting this guy his pill before ending him to court.  The reason?  You must be able to understand the judicial proceedings and participate in your own defense – this is not a competency hearing, you have no court assigned guardian.  Finally seven months later the guys gets his pill, says, “yes I understand” takes a plea deal and it’s over.  But in the meantime five staff from the hotel have taken six half-days off to appear in court because they are subpoena’d to do so.  You should be ready for this if you’re going to “press charges” it can happen.  It will happen. 
 
But let’s get another thing clear, I can’t speak for other states, but here’s what I’d need to arrest someone in my state.  The person would have have to enter into a property without permission and then refuse to leave when asked to do so.  If they jumped a six foot fence to do so, and the fence was locked, then they don’t get the “leave or else” thing, they can be arrested without being given the opportunity to leave.  What do I mean?   I mean that the cops showed up at another place under the same conditions, they should have been able to arrest him without the other parties “pressing charges” they witnessed his uninvited presence in someone’s back yard – they didn’t need to – but used a convenient out to stay in service “citizen declines complaint” and they move on hoping the guy wanders into someone else’s jurisdiction.
 
Liability for prisoners is becoming a very big headache for most communities.  Putting someone in jail and keeping them there can create liabilities that get a city sued, most cities that have jails routinely pay out a couple million a year for petty complaints for mistreatment or bad conditions as the cost of doing business, we don’t hear about it because there is no access to the information within a court system, and all settlements become confidential.   Sheriff’s have a different problem, they’re elected and responsible for their own budget, reducing costs is a big thing – and if you don’t have the $5,000 per patient for a 3 day mental evaluation, you’re going to put a stopper in the possibility that your deputies do this. 
 
There is no good way to deal with mentally ill people who become violent, in many cases they don’t even know they’re breaking the law – having to shoot one would be something too horrible to contemplate.  My advice for anybody investigating an intruder outside of your home (but still on your property) would be to not do it alone, ever.   If you do decide to do it you need to do it from a far enough distance that you can retreat behind a locked barrier – bad guys can move fast, for most people this should just be their doorway with the screen closed and a loud voice.   

It’s not a matter of you having the right to defend yourself or your property, it’s a matter of never knowing if you’re willing to be killed or kill someone in an unknown situation like that described.  I’m pretty certain they’re glad they didn’t have to hurt the guy, and that the husband didn’t get hurt – I’ve committed so many stupid-brave acts in my lifetime I know exactly how it happens, and never judge someone for doing it – but if you can plan for it better, it’s always best to never do it alone and never get within running and grabbing distance of someone like that.  What the police have is civil immunity for their official acts and even if it does lose them their jobs, individual cops generally don’t have to pay money for what they do – we do not have civil liability, any act we commit against someone may get us sued, because as you all know – lawyers need to eat too, and sometimes it’s just not convenient to put on the roller skates and snag the bumper on a speeding ambulance. 

Economics and Investing:

A new “Let’s Rip Off The Russians” plan? Cyprus weighs big bank levy; bailout goes down to wire.

Tarrant lawmaker seeks to create Texas Bullion Depository

Cyprus Says It’s Close to Bailout Deal as Bank-Deposit Tax Back ‘on the Table’

Is Cyprus deposit levy the first sign of widespread wealth tax?

What You Think Is True Might Be False and Costly!

Items from The Economatrix:

Pictures From a Cyprus ATM Line [Cheryl’s Comment: Imagine if this were Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York, where there are quite a few more people…]

The Cyprus Crisis Isn’t What It Seems

Finally, Supply of Homes for Sale Begins to Rise

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Role of Biometrics in Future Domestic Conflicts

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The television series Revolution is scheduled to resume airing new episodes on Monday, March 25, 2013. While it is not up to par with Jericho or even Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles, it is the only quasi-survivalist game in town on television.

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Kensington digs in with ban on ‘mega basements’

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J.B.G. sent this from England: Could we face gas rationing? British gas reserves could run dry in 36 hours after freezing householders turn the heating up

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Peter 4:7-11 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

Today is the 238th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s famous “…but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” address at St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia. (March 23, 1775.) See today’s Quote of The Day.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 45 ends on March 31st, 2013, 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.

Leading from the Middle: A Lesson Learned from the Middle East, by Brian H.

In the survivalist/prepper world, one can argue that we are all leaders, yes?  Well, ask yourself, what happens when you thought you were going to be the leader of your compound/ neighborhood/ community but got to the party late and someone else is in charge?  What happens when you can’t or simply aren’t THE leader?

You lead from the middle. This article proposes two ways in which you can lead without being the designated leader. 

As survivalist/preppers we know a neighborhood or city block is better than one home, while a community is best. Let’s assume the SHTF and you are executing your plan.  You were able to get your family out to your community’s compound. Having fought off several looters on the way, you managed to collect several critical items from your cache. You are definitely prepared for this event and have various skills crucial to surviving the next riotous year.  Relief overwhelms you as you realize that you are exceptionally skilled, and there is  no one better equipped to handle the upcoming chaos as you are able handle it.  Let the games begin.

Once you arrive at your community’s compound, Grey Beard is in charge and he designates you “firewood collector guy”.  He directs you to stow your food and supplies in the pole barn and report to the fire-master.

I exaggerate because I am not sure there is a “firewood collector guy” or “fire master”; if you were assigned to collect firewood with your leadership experience and mammoth suite of survival skills, you might feel slighted, indignant perhaps.   You might feel as though you deserve to be elevated to a recognized leader status.  Who wouldn’t, right? 

So what’s to be done, expert survivalist/ prepper turned firewood collector? 

Be the best fire wood collector you can be.  You will ensure that there will never be a minute, an hour, or a day without ample firewood. You may improve the firewood collection process, perhaps automating your wheelbarrow.  Focus on your task and do it with dedication and focus.  And go one step further, have fun while you are doing it.

All compounds are organized differently, and I am not being frivolous by suggesting someone be designated the task of collecting firewood.  What I’m trying to convey is that if you have a PhD in Chemistry, you would feel silly if you were hired by a University to mop the floor…in the chemistry wing. 
You would feel undervalued and underused – a non-contributor.  You would be operating below your capability. 

At this point, you might be thinking, “Nah, I won’t feel that way.  I’ll do what is asked of me.  I’ll be a great team player.  I don’t need to lead.”

I sure hope so!  However, I think, that anyone who is so earnestly invested in the welfare of others would not be so quick to surrender leadership, especially us A-types who spent the last several years preparing for a SHTF moment.  We must be prepared to lead from the middle because it may be our primary mode of leading. 

For me, leading from the middle arose from necessity.  Six weeks of indiscriminate Scud missiles during the opening of Operation Iraqi Freedom kept me sleep deprived, anxious, and frustrated.  As a 1st Lieutenant surrounded by field grade officers, my objections were overruled with suggestions routinely ignored. Ultimately, I was relegated to doing a job that a Lance Corporeal could perform.  Simply put: I was not leading and it was frustrating.  Add to that combat stress, no sleep, and irregular meal times and I was ready to implode.

Working took my mind off the frustration.  Conscientiously monitoring communications kept me active. Concentrating on doing my job well relieved stress and I started to have fun—I smiled often and laughed a lot.  When I began to really study my communications plans, I saw deficiencies.  I corrected those deficiencies.  I discovered new commo devices different units had and that weren’t be used, so we trained on those devices.  We talked communications over chow and sometimes in our sleep.  I was no longer worried about the sea of officers that surrounded me—I was doing my job better than I had ever done it in the past.   

In time, lower enlisted sought my counsel, not the senior enlisted or other officers.  I was consulted on our intelligence briefings and our daily operations updates.  Our foreign partners sought my advice and suggestions concerning scouting missions and decontamination sites.  People began putting faith in me.

Reflecting on that time I realize that all I did was successfully do my job and tried to have fun doing it.  Do your work well, efficiently, and expertly.  In a SHTF environment I am willing to bet it’ll look and feel a bit like combat; days of downtime interrupted by minutes of panic.  Complacency creeps in and people get restless.  When they look at you getting firewood every day –cheerful and working hard – those around you become less anxious.  They will look inward after watching your example and realize their own work needs to be done and they will go and do it. 

You have just led them.  From the middle. 

My second piece of advice is to follow well.  Great leaders are great because they possess the capability to follow as good as they lead.  When SHTF dialogue is over, it’s time to do.  Protests must stop and you must act.  As long as you are conscious and morally not violated, follow that order. Others, who have witnessed your worked ethic, will see your enthusiasm.   They won’t be scared because you are not—you are too focused to be worried about other things.  They will ask you questions, for help or for advice.  Your skill set, even-keeled demeanor, and enthusiasm will inspire others.  You will be able to demonstrate all your skills as well as your leadership acumen when others’ speak with you and work by your side.  You, again, will be leading from the middle.

One aspect of following well is to offer solutions, not problems.  Sure, Grey Beard’s idea is not great. You can pick it apart blindfolded.  However, it’s not all that bad.  Don’t play “stump the chump”: offer suggestions that look like you love his plan and are working to make HIS plan even better.  Hide a weakness in his plan with a well worded suggestion.  People will see you are on board and are working toward making it better—not usurping it.  Think about the “sheeple” in your everyday life who say, “Oh, that’ll never work, you can’t do it like that!” and offer nothing but negativity.  Think about how you feel toward that person.  Sheeple bring problems, not solutions—being a good follower means you bring solutions.  Leading from the middle means you are not a sheep, but a clear thinking, highly skilled, insightful level-headed leader.

Some may argue against the necessity of being able to follow well.  They may say that the one with the best skill set and best leadership ability should lead and, in the case of survival, should fight to do so.  Let me offer you this—amongst an entire block or community or compound of skilled survivalist/ preppers, do you think any leader would do anything so egregious that you would be required to take over?  If so, you might need to reconsider belonging to that group.

Following well will show others that order is good; that you have courage and are not scared; that your faith in others and your abilities in your job will see whatever situation through. No one will panic because you are calm.   People are watching you—not the leader; they have their orders so there is no need for the leader right now.  Their behavior cues are coming from you because they want to see how you are going to follow the order.  You are the leader at this given moment – leading from the middle.

You have already set the conditions middle leadership.  People around you are recognizing your natural abilities as a spearhead, plus your excellent skill set has started to become apparent—you were able to weld a small motor to your wheelbarrow and you were able to suture a bad cut for your friend. 

In a small group setting like a block or compound, everyone doing their job is critical to survival.  You have to set the example – and the impact is immeasurable.  Being a good follower by being a problem solver makes you a contributor to the plan and also sets the tone for the subsequent behavior of your peers.  People may not move until you move, they won’t decide until you decide, and they won’t feel safe unless you let them know they are safe and have told them what they need to do.

Eventually, you will be the leader without being the appointed leader…because you led well from the middle.

I offer these two lessons learned because they have helped me throughout my life, not just during my time in the Middle East.  It was exceptionally hard for me to deal with being a junior officer and having no one to lead.  Imagine saving money for the entire year for prom and the woman (or man) of your dreams agreed and has said yes. You have the limo, the tux (or gown), flowers, and reservations at the best restaurant in town.  This will be the most magical night ever!

Yet you never get to go…

I was not prepared for being underutilized.  I had no idea, with the stress, fatigue, and hunger that I would feel so desperate to use my skills.  I was paralyzed by how frustrating it would be to watch a sea of senior officers completely disregard anything I had to say while refusing to acknowledge my contributions. It was one of the toughest emotional tests I had faced as a young man.

Leading from the middle and being a good follower saved my sanity, quite possibly my life, and the sanity of others.  I learned that a leader has many definitions and that being in charge of everyone is just one small definition of a leader.  Perhaps the greatest lesson was that no one cared about my idea of leadership – they cared how I demonstrated it.  So, I did my job well and followed even better.

After a few years as a defense contractor and now as a science teacher I’ve used these two lessons continuously with great success.   

I learned the value of humility by doing my tasks and following; I learned how to be a selfless team player and that alone is at the core of any great leader.

I hope this article at least wrinkled your eyebrow a bit.  God Bless!

Letter Re: How to Prepare for a Home Birth in a Post Collapse Situation

Hi James,
I was very concerned about some of the things C.C. recommended in her letter to you for a woman giving birth, post-collapse.  I am a strong believer in natural childbirth.  After my first birth at a hospital with a doctor I swore never again!  I had my next three babies with midwives, two of the births being at home.  I read every book out there over the years on natural childbirth, including several of the ones the above writer listed.  I even trained to be a doula (woman who aids a labouring and post birth woman).  Two things the writer advised are not just foolish but down right dangerous in a home-birth and post collapse situation.  

First is her suggestion that a woman should “catch”  her own baby. Anyone who has attended a number of natural births will tell you that many women who are in the last stages of birth and actually pushing go into an almost trance like state, only really noisy!   Often times they are concentrating so hard on just getting that baby out that they cant even really hear what people are saying around them.  To then expect the woman to reach down and help guide the baby out is ridiculous.  I did in fact help to “catch” my third baby, but with the midwife helping guide my hands, and only after she had checked to see that my daughter didn’t have a cord wrapped around her neck and that her mouth and nose were already clear.  Also a birthing woman cannot ascertain if the baby has a cord wrapped around its neck or is in distress.  That is what a midwife, or birth attendant would do.  Not only is the labouring woman a little busy at the moment, she also is in a very bad position to see the baby clearly.  And last but not least if a woman does have the wherewithal to grab the slippery baby and pull it up to her chest she could accidentally tear the umbilical cord if it is short or wrapped around the baby causing blood loss to both mother and child.

Also most babies need to have their mouth and nose cleared and checked before the mother immediately starts nursing as the writer suggested.  There is obviously lots of fluids happening during birth and if a mother were to try nursing before the babies nose and mouth were cleared really bad things can happen.

The second suggestions of allowing the placenta to stay attached to the baby via the umbilical cord is downright dangerous to a newborn and totally unnecessary.  Those who practice it probably feel that they are being more back to nature or something.  Where they ever got that idea is beyond me.  I have had goats, rabbits, and dairy cows and watched births more times than I can count.   Every mother animal who gives birth rapidly severs the umbilical cord from the birth leftovers by urgent licking and gentle biting until it is detached.  If the mother animal doesn’t eat the placenta herself then she will move her newborn(s) as far from it as possible for two reasons.  One is that the smell of the placenta draws predators, but second and most important in our case is that the placenta is the perfect place for breeding bacteria.  To keep such a thing close to a newborn with a weak or non-existent immune system is begging for infection.  And considering that post collapse we will not have access to neo-natal units, antibiotics, or doctors the risk is too great to chance.  The first and foremost goal of anyone helping a woman to give birth is to reduce the chance of infection to mother and child.  People need to remember that childbirth was the number one killer of women due to post birth infections!   The cord should be cut and clamped as soon as it stops pulsating and then when the placenta is delivered it should be checked over carefully by the birth attendant to make sure some is still not in the womb.  Then is should be disposed of as hygienically as possible. Preferably by burying it by a tree or some other large plant that could use it for good. – C.W.

JWR Replies: Thanks for those comments. I should add that one of the books that C.C. recommended, Spiritual Midwifery, while entertaining to read, has some dated information. It was written by a hippie from The Farm in the 1970s. In this book contractions are euphemistically called “rushes.”

Economics and Investing:

If the US markets are considered the “safe haven” amidst all the recent EU turmoil, then why isn’t the US Dollar Index skyrocketing? (Mr. Market has some foresight.)

And if the global economy is in “recovery”, then why is the Baltic Dry Index for shipping rates back in the dumpster? (JWR’s Comment: Sounds like more like a “Lohan” recovery to me, to wit: she’s checked into rehab, but there is no willingness to actually change.)

US Begins Regulating BitCoin, Will Apply “Money Laundering” Rules To Virtual Transactions

I found this linked over at Gold-Eagle: The Dark Truth About The Safety Of Your ‘Savings’

Reuters reports: Euro zone call notes reveal extent of alarm over Cyprus

Items from The Economatrix:

A 900 Million Euro Trade Rocked The London Options Market This Morning [Cheryl’s Comment: Hmm… Sounds like someone is betting against the Euro?]

ADP:  Private Sector Job Growth Remains “Sturdy”

Ick!  America’s Economic Signals Are Wildly Mixed

Odds ‘n Sods:

Interesting Interview With Duane Liptak of Magpul

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G.G. sent: Sun Storm Forecast: Tiny Chance of Havoc

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R&N wrote to mention that the reloading primers shortage is getting worse. Both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are sold out of most types of rifle primers.

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James C. sent: 36 Sneaky Hidden Compartments

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DHS questioned over decision to let Saudi passengers skip normal passport controls. (Thanks to Peter S. for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfil the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" – Patrick Henry in an address at St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia, on March 23, 1775.