Letter: New Madrid Danger Explained

Dear Editor,

I am a Geologist. I wanted to give the short answer as to why the New Madrid Fault complex is dangerous. And this IS the short answer.

  1. It is Still Active and always will be. Central-Cratonic faults never completely de-stresses.
  2. New Madrid quakes Destroyed the Pre-Colombian Mississippi Mound Builder Civilization.
  3. New Madrid quakes Destroyed the region in 1811-2 with aftershocks all the way through the Civil War.
  4. The New Madrid Fault Complex is around 9 different faultlines connected together, each capable of 7.5+ quakes. A quake on one shifts the stress to trigger a quake on another. They don’t all happen at once.
  5. Quakes are felt on the entire continent sharing what’s called the Cratonic Shield, which is basically continental shield rock that runs from the Rockies to the Atlantic down to Florida and Mexico, and all the way to the Arctic Ocean. So most of the USA’s Midwest, East, South and Canada. The South and Midwest will feel it most, but that whole shield will feel it.
  6. During the 1811-12 quakes church steeples swayed so much that their bells rang… in Boston. The whole East and middle of the country will feel these quakes, except the West which is isolated by very different geology and many intervening faultlines.
  7. Last time the ground reshaped so severely that it changed the course of the Mississippi River, making it flow backwards before it found its way around the new high ground.
  8. Shaking caused liquefaction along several hundred miles of the River.
  9. Sand geysers erupted 150 feet into the air, complete with coal and natural gas that caught fire. Sulfur dioxide gas (more poisonous than Cyanide) was also described in journals by survivors.
  10. Entire log cabins flipped over, sank into the ground, or both. In modern times, most levees, bridges, roads build across water saturated ground, and probably earthen dams are doomed in quakes over 7.5 magnitude.
  11. Shaking was described as over 3 minutes.
  12. Where you are affects what the shaking does. On hard rock you’ll feel it badly, however your house won’t sink into the ground. This is greatly complicated by things called Nodes, as you find with sound waves. This is why some buildings collapse and others near them are largely undamaged.
  13. What your home is built from matters. Unreinforced masonry (brick) fares BADLY in an earthquake. Stick lumber with foundation anchor bolts has the best survival in a quake, as shown in Western homes.
  14. In the Loma Prieta (Bay Area 1989) quake, many people with private wells saw them cut off due to ground shifting and had to be redrilled and recased and a new pump installed. Factor that cost in.
  15. Ground waves from that LP quake also destroyed underground water and sewer lines and the state funded and quietly taxed for the replacement which took 10 years. During that time millions were exposed to contaminated drinking water full of cholera since sewer and water lines are often close to each other under the streets. Those $$ billions are still being paid off as municipal bonds.
  16. The cost of repairing utilities and roads destroyed by multiple 7.5+ quakes affecting the Entire East Coast, South, and Midwest is $$ trillions. They will have to be done several times due to major aftershocks years later breaking them again. The repairs cost more than the country can pay. Giving up public utilities is a major step down in civilization and will lead to disease outbreaks.
  17. Unchecked flooding from ruptured levees and dams allows for many more mosquitoes, and malaria should be expected to make a comeback, along with cholera and typhoid fever and new infections like Dengue.

That’s the short version. For some idea of what severe ground shaking can do, see the Anchorage 1964 quake. Sincerely, – I.K.

Letter: Heating Concern in LP/OP

Dear Hugh,

As we remain in a long lasting frigid winter in northern Ohio, I question how anyone could maintain long term diligence in a listening/observation post that is partially open to the elements. I struggle with ways to provide a heat source without compromising a tactical location. I have read survival blog for many years, but have not seen this important concern addressed. Perhaps you will find this a notable concern, and I request this be forwarded to the masses to solicit ideas for solutions. Thanks for your consideration. – B.B.

HJL Replies: I’ve never served in the military, but I’m sure those readers who have can shed some light here. It seems to me that being in an LP/OP is not that different that sitting in a duck blind. I have spent many a cold morning sitting in a hole in the ground with partial shelter on the sides. Sometimes we had overhead shelter and sometimes not. When the temperature would drop down to 0 degrees or below, I often wondered to myself why I was even there. Of course, there was humor too, making fun of the icicles growing of the end of each of our noses. We tried all the gadgets, from battery-powered socks to Coleman fuel-powered hand warmers. The battery powered socks worked, but they were a novelty that soon broke. The Zippo hand warmer worked well though. I used only one and would put it in my trigger hand pocket. If I started to lose feeling in that hand, I would remove the glove and shove that hand into the pocket to warm it up. I would also shift pockets if the other hand needed it as well. There are some general rules that you have to abide by to stay warm though. You will need more layers than you would otherwise, and they must be layers. Sitting in one position, you won’t have the opportunity to move around and generate warmth. You must have enough layers on so that you stay warm sitting still. As the temperature fluctuates, you need to be able to peel layers off or put them back on so you don’t sweat or freeze. You also have to stay off the cold ground. You need padded seats that won’t collapse to become flush with the floor when you sit on them. You also need to get your boots off the ground when you can to help with cold feet. Blankets work well on multiple levels. They help keep you warm and they can break up your visual pattern. I also used mittens as well as glove liners. I had a pair that had a slit in the palm that would allow me to pull my hand out to use the shotgun.

Economics and Investing:

Putting Silver Price Rigging Into Perspective

Is California built out?Privately owned housing starts remain all-time record lows. Affordability continues to crush home buying but signs of lower prices loom.

Is your money safe at the bank?An economist says ‘no’ and withdraws his

Items from The Economatrix:

India’s Central Bank Governor: ‘International Monetary Cooperation Has Broken Down’

Nearly 1/2 Of America Lives Paycheck-To-Paycheck

Index Of Consumer Sentiment Dips

Odds ‘n Sods:

This article touches on a sensitive topic with the government. China has been testing their new high speed missile and it has the Pentagon concerned. We have repeatedly announced that we will shoot down any missile that is to close to us, our allies or our forces, Yet every test that violates that has flown successfully. Can we shoot them down? Are we just chosing not to?

o o o

B.R. sent this link in: Important Safety Tip: Tape Your Batteries With Electrical Tape!. I have, on more than one occasion, nearly set my pocket on fire as batteries were shorted out by keys or pocket change. Lessons learned the hard way.

o o o

RLE sent this article in: Private Citizens stop 16% of mass shootings. You may not have known the numbers, but you already knew that it happened.

o o o

JBG sent this in: Do we face a disastrous century due to global cooling?. I know global warming is all the rage right now, but if you were around in the ’70s, you’ll remember it was global cooling. Full circle?

o o o

You can’t celebrate America, school says – sent in by B.E. – Just a couple of reasons why I believe in homeschooling.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“History is full of insurrectionists who, when they gain power, became imitators of what they overthrew.” – Marvin Olasky, World Magazine, l998

Notes from HJL:

—–

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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 $225),
  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 gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. 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.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  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 Prepperis 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, 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.

Round 51 ends on March 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.

Nine Ways To Be More Self-Sufficient (Even If You Live In The City), by K. Sowell

Many people are intimidated by the idea of becoming more self-sufficient or preparing for disaster because of the misconception that you have to live in the country or at least have a bug-out location in order to do so. This simply isn’t true. There are many things urban or suburban dwellers can do to improve their chances of surviving or even thriving in the event of a disaster when leaving is not an option. A little thoughtful preparation can prevent you and your loved ones from becoming victims in an unstable situation, even if you live in the city and don’t have a lot of room to spare.

Here are nine ways you can make yourself more self-sufficient; less dependent on frequent trips to the grocery store; able to take care of injuries and illnesses in an emergency; and defend yourself, your family, and your property. Even if you can only do a couple of these things right now, you’ll still be ahead of the game while you work toward implementing the others:

  1. Invest in a water filter. My family uses a Big Berkey every day. (I am not affiliated with them in any way.) I run our tap water through it to purify and make it taste better, and it couldn’t be easier to use. Do some shopping to find a water filter that fits your budget and your space. It is critical in a disaster to have clean water. This cannot be stressed enough. You will need it for drinking, washing, and cooking. So, invest in the best one you can afford because cases of bottled water will not be enough, even if you have the space to store them.
  2. Build an emergency medical kit. When someone in the family is sick, do you have to run to the corner pharmacy for pain reliever or cough medicine? Someday, that might not be possible. Over-the-counter medications are easy to buy, have relatively long shelf lives, and don’t take up much storage space. Watch for sales and make use of preferred-customer programs to save on the ones you are likely to use for colds/flu, coughs, fever, stomach problems, and allergies. You’ll need plenty of bandages in all sizes as well as rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and antibiotic ointment for cuts and such. Add a few Ace bandages and ice packs for sprains and muscle/joint injuries, and don’t forget to include hand sanitizer and soap. Again, if the grid goes down, sanitation instantly becomes a priority. When you can obtain extra prescription medications for chronic conditions, do so and make sure you keep an eye on their expiration dates to ensure their effectiveness when they are needed. A well-stocked medical kit, rather than a huge stockpile of food, may be the one thing that saves your life.
  3. Keep a few hens. Yes, real chickens. Backyard Chickens is a great site for more information about keeping urban hens. Check your local ordinances if you live in a city. Many do not allow roosters, which is not a problem unless you want chicks, and some communities require a certain size yard. Hens are easier to care for than a dog and will reward you with fresh, nutritious eggs with minimal work. The only real concern is predators– dogs, cats, raccoons. They will need a safe home, but there are numerous ways you can house them. You can make your chicken coop as attractive as you wish. Healthy hens will lay almost every day, so if you have four of them you may get two dozen eggs a week. If that’s too many for your family, sell a few eggs to friends and family. Then, use the money to buy your chicken feed; your happy hens will be supporting themselves. In a worst case scenario where you cannot leave your house or all the grocery stores are sold out, you will have a source of protein in the form of eggs or the hens themselves. They also produce great fertilizer for your garden, which brings us to gardening.
  4. Grow some vegetables and/or fruits. You don’t have to have an actual garden plot; just a few plants in pots will serve you well. You can grow sweet onions, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, herbs, and berries; grow whatever your family eats. Your produce will be more flavorful and nutritious than any you can buy at a supermarket and you can be sure that it is chemical-free. What do you do with your extra produce, which you are certain to have? Give it to friends or family; barter with it; or preserve it by drying, freezing, or canning. A single cucumber plant can yield several quarts of pickles in a season, even after eating many of them fresh. Just a couple of tomato plants can ensure a freezer full for the winter. The only vegetables that can’t really be preserved and therefore must be eaten fresh are lettuces. Still, they can be grown almost year-round in most areas in order to never be without fresh salad greens.
  5. Learn to can. It’s really quite simple and very rewarding to preserve your own food in jars. First, you absolutely must get the Ball “Blue Book”, which is usually right alongside the canning jars in your local mega-mart. Your grandmother probably has an old copy of it somewhere. It’s pretty much the authority on home canning and breaks it all down into simple, easy-to-follow instructions for you. You will need a canner (the big pot you process the jars in) and jars with two-piece lids, commonly called “mason jars”. Boiling-water canners are about $20 and will enable you to can ONLY acidic foods such as pickles, jams, fruits, etc. To can foods that have a higher pH such as potatoes, corn, beans, and carrots, you will need a pressure canner. Pressure canners are a bit more expensive, but it is worth noting that you can use a pressure canner to preserve any type of food since it can also be used to can acidic foods in place of a boiling water canner. Jars are usually less than $10 per dozen so there is minimal investment for the return you’ll get. Don’t be intimidated; it’s a great feeling to look in your pantry and see shelves of pretty jars of food you “put up” yourself.
  6. Get a stand-alone freezer. This can be a big investment or a small one, depending on what size you want and how much you can afford to spend. The idea is to freeze as much food as you can when it is on sale or in season so you can eat it year-round. The National Center for Home Food Preservation ( has a great site that will tell you how to freeze just about anything from meats to fruits. You can also keep extra grain or flour in your freezer to prolong its shelf life and keep it safe from insects and rodents. A well-stocked freezer will enable you to eat for weeks without a single trip to the supermarket and, in the event of power loss, a full freezer will maintain its temperature rather well (unlike a refrigerator), as long as is not opened too frequently.
  7. Learn to bake bread. Don’t let anyone tell you that baking bread is hard. That’s just nonsense. Millions of illiterate peasants have been doing it for ages! Bread is simple and satisfying and, in a worst-case scenario, you could feed your family on little more. Bread and a few small slices of meat, cheese, or an egg makes a sandwich. Bread with some veggies and some melted cheese is pizza. The shortest bread recipes tend to be the best and only contain flour, water, sugar (or honey), salt, and yeast– all things you should keep in your house at all times. Variations are endless and simple: to make the bread softer, replace the water with milk and add a tablespoon of oil. You an add some chopped garlic or nuts and cinnamon. Do whatever you like, but do it! Bake several loaves once a month and freeze them, or make fresh sandwich buns every week. Do whatever works for you. A word of caution, though; bbread baking can be addictive.
  8. Purchase at least one firearm and get comfortable using it. Imagine being the only person on your block who has food in a disaster. Imagine being the only house with potable water. You will need to defend yourself and your family. If you are not comfortable around guns, then get comfortable. You can be sure the guys that are willing to steal from you are. Buy ammunition every chance you get, too.
  9. Homeschool your children. I realize this may be a big step for some, but consider that in the event of a disaster (whether natural or mad-made), you will want your children with you. If you have to relocate unexpectedly, school will not be a problem. They can continue their studies wherever you find yourselves. Of course, the most compelling reason to homeschool, in my opinion, is so that you can cultivate in your children the knowledge, principles, and values that are important to you while you take full responsibility for their education. You don’t have to enumerate all the problems with our public school system to understand that responsible parents are better equipped to educate their own children than those government-run institutions that resemble prisons more than schools. I live in a state that is very homeschool-friendly; resources are readily available and it’s not difficult to find other homeschooling families. However, if homeschooling is less common where you live, I recommend exploring the Internet for inspiration and ideas, if you are unsure about homeschooling. It is a lifestyle change, but one that is immensely rewarding and will give your family a degree of independence that will be an advantage in an unstable world.

Like so much in life, being prepared is more of a way of thinking than anything else. Anyone can do it, regardless of where they live. You don’t need land in the country or vast storage space – you can survive a disaster right in the middle of a city, if you are adequately prepared.

Guest Article: Taxed Enough Already, by A.H.

How many articles have you read about prepping on a budget? This website and many others have explored the topic in depth. Grow your own food, buy in bulk, cut unnecessary expenses, learn to improvise, and get out of debt. The old saying is “use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without”. We should all be following this advice. At the same time, we should ask the obvious question, ‘Wwhy are so many of us on such a tight budget these days?”

One reason may be that your income has decreased, stagnated, or disappeared. If you are unemployed, under employed, retired, or disabled, it will be harder to make ends meet. Even if you are still working, your paycheck may not be keeping up with inflation. Despite the government statistics, the basic necessities cost more than they used to. Think of all your expenses: housing, food, fuel, clothing, transportation, education, entertainment, and communication. Modern life isn’t cheap.

There is one expense that we often take for granted– taxes. Have you ever sat down and thought about how much of your monthly budget goes directly or indirectly to pay taxes? Typical state and federal income tax can cost you 20-30% of your entire salary. Then there is the cost of sales tax and property tax. Don’t forget about social security and payroll taxes. How about licensing and governmental fees/tariffs that are just disguised taxes?

Gather up all your bills and take a close look at how much of each bill involves a direct tax. You probably pay tax on your cell phone service, cable bill, fuel bill, and shopping bills. Next time you fill-up your gas tank, check the receipt for how much tax you paid to the state and federal government.

In addition, think of the indirect taxes you pay for that tank of gas. What percentage of the price of gas comes from taxes the oil company had to pay and pass on to the consumer? The companies themselves often pay property tax, payroll tax, income tax, and other taxes. What does gasoline really cost, minus all the added expense of indirect taxes passed on to you? What would a loaf of bread cost, or how much less would your rent be if we weren’t subject to all these taxes?

Lowering or eliminating taxes to free up money in your budget is not a ground breaking idea. However, taking the time to actually add up how much you pay in taxes every month could turn the most devout socialist to a Tea Party conservative pretty quickly. You are not paying $400 per month for gas, but really $340 for gas and $60 towards direct taxes. Of that $340 for gas, perhaps another $20 is for indirect taxes passed on to the consumer. For your convenience, the gas station collects the government’s direct tax. You never miss this money because the tax is included as part of the price per gallon.

We need to think about taxes differently, and start asking new questions. Why do we allow private companies to collect taxes for the government? How long do these companies get to hold on to our money before they send it to the government? Why can’t I opt out of this scheme?

When I fill up my tank, I want to pay for gas. Unless I agree to it, I don’t want the gas station collecting taxes from me. At the end of the year, I can send the government a check for all the taxes I owed for the privilege of buying gas and other taxed goods and services. In the meantime, all that tax money is my money and earning interest or available for investment.

More importantly, writing this tax check would not be easy for many people. They would realize how much money they are throwing away to a wasteful government to support endless wars, special interests, and entitlements. Some people wouldn’t even write the check, knowing the government could never prove how many taxable items they bought with cash. Think of all the extra cans of food they could buy then.

Letter: Rechargeable Batteries and a Solar Charger

Hello HJL and JWR,

I was wondering if you could review and recommend the latest generation of rechargeable batteries available and a solar charger as well. I am leaning towards stocking up on rechargeable AA and AAA and the spacer packs that allow these sizes be used as C and D cell batteries. The vast array of options is overwhelming, and I am hoping someone with the expertise required can help. Thanks for all you do. Take care. – J.W.

HJL Replies: I have chosen to use a modular route so that I have the flexibility to charge whatever I need charged. Many of my electronics utilize proprietary batteries, but all can be charged from a vehicle (12-16VDC). I separate my solar setup from the charger so that I can attach whatever charger the item needs, to the solar module, which simply acts like a vehicle. I currently use Eneloop batteries by Sanyo. Most rechargeable batteries have a problem with internal leakage and will only hold a charge for a couple of months. Disposable batteries generally are easier to use because they can be used immediately after purchasing them. If you purchase them, you can throw them in a drawer and pull them out over the course of several years, and they are ready to go. Now with Eneloop batteries, rechargeables have the same capability. A normal rechargeable will lose about 75% of its stored charge in six months and come close to having no charge in a year. Eneloops will hold nearly 75% charge for at least three years. Because of this slow internal leakage rate, they come pre-charged in the package and are ready to go when you purchase them. Except for the higher purchase price, they have overcome practically all of the disadvantages of recheargables. Even the purchase price is tolerable if you look at the ownership cost spread out over the life of the instrument you are powering, which is reasonable since these batteries will take over 1000 charges.

Where you will find issues with your planned usage scheme is using AA and AAA batteries with adapters for C and D. Eneloop does not sell a C or D sized battery yet in the U.S., and their AA batteries are rated at 1900mAh. A decent NiMH rechargable “D” cell battery will be rated at close 10,000mAh. Eneloop has adapters to use AA in a D size, but you will loose 80% of the storage capacity in exchange for that long shelf life. (Sanyo does make them, they just don’t sell them in the U.S.)

Eneloop AAA 1800 cycle, Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries, 4 Pack

Eneloop NEW 2000mAh Typical, 1900mAh Minimum, 1500 cycle, 4 Pack AA, Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries

Alternatively, you can use the higher power model, but you get fewer charges on it:

Eneloop XX 950mAh Typical / 900mAh Minimum, High Capacity, 4 Pack AAA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries

Eneloop XX 2500mAh Typical / 2400 mAh Minimum, High Capacity, 4 Pack AA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries

You can also get a kit that contains adaptors from eneloop:

Eneloop SEC-CSPACER4PK C Size Spacers for use with AA battery cells

Eneloop SEC-DSPACER4PK D Size Spacers for use with AA battery cells

Eneloop adaptors are well made, but you can get adaptors to use up to 2 AA batteries to make a “D” cell that has close to 40% of the energy of an actual D cell. (65% of Sanyo’s “D” Eneloop batteries sold in Japan):

Adapter shell converts 2x AA to a D-size cell (set of two)

Chargers on the other hand are a little bit more difficult. One of the huge drawbacks to most portable NiMH chargers is that they must charge batteries in pairs. I have several items that only use one AAA battery or one AA battery, and it is a real problem keeping track of dead batteries versus charged ones. I also try to keep batteries paired for life since they do have a limited number of charges. Pairing a new battery with an old one can lead to issues with rechargeables. As a result, I usually mark the batteries on the end cap, identifying the item they power and the date they went in service. I have found a nice 15-minute quick charger that will also put a maintenance charge on the batteries, if you forget and leave them in the charger. It will charge one, two, three or four AA or AAA batteries. It is powered by a heavy duty 12V wall wart. The charger states it takes a power source from 11V to 16V, so you can also power it from your car battery:

Energizer AA 15-Minute Charger w/4 NiMh AA Batteries

I chose to go this route rather than a dedicated solar charger to give me more flexibility. I have several other items, like an Icom IC-T90A, that use 12-16V to charge as well. It then becomes a simple matter to use a generic solar charger with generic solar panels to charge all of my electronics. Currently I use a Tycon TP-SC24-10 12/24V 10A solar charge controller because it is what I had on hand. You will need a charge controller capable of at least 10A at 12V because that Energizer charger may be small, but it can really pull the juice when it’s in 15-minute charge mode.

With a setup like this, you can be semi-portable by using small solar panels. I use two in parallel that I picked up at a garage sale. They measure 18” x 18”. As an alternative, you can be completely portable by using a flexible roll-up solar panel.

As always, please check with our advertisers to see if they carry these or similar products before using the Amazon links.

Letter: Shotgun Security

Dear Sir:

I am writing to seek your advise and that of your readers. I live in a metropolitan area, in a nice “safe” suburb where “nothing ever happens”. I have recently become more active in preparing for crisis situations. I have also reevaluated my home security needs. I want to have immediate access to my handgun at night. At this point, if we had an intruder, I would have to get into my closet, open my safe, get my handgun and then try to successfully confront a threat. I have several small children, so leaving a loaded firearm in the nightstand is not an option. I believe that a Gunvault product may be my best bet for a handgun. Although it is not “instant” access, the time needed to enter the code is very short.

My question concerns shotguns. I would like to have instant access to my shotgun, but have the same speed and safety concerns. The gun safe is too slow, and the idea of having a loaded shotgun along the side of the bed just won’t work either. I would like to mount it to the wall with a safety mount that covers the trigger. The only product I can find that would appear to fit the bill is called the Shotlock Solo Vault. I have never seen this product, or this type of product, evaluated or discussed on Survivalblog. Do any of your readers have experience with this product? I would appreciate any evaluations, thoughts, or recommendations that you could make that would help me find a product that can meet my needs. – M.C.

HJL Replies: I refuse to give in to political correctness on this issue. Gun safes, vaults and locks are for keeping the weapons that you are not using safe when you are not around. They are not for “working” weapons. Working weapons should be loaded and ready to go at all times, whether it is a shotgun leaned in a corner behind the front door or a pistol under your pillow, or anything in between. The only effective way of making a working weapon safe is to make sure that all who come into contact with it are educated and trained. That may mean that you have to be careful about who is in your house. It may also mean that, at times, you have no working weapon available. Small children are also capable of being trained. I have memories, from when I was only four or five years old, of working weapons in our household. I also trained my children. Before they could handle a weapon safely, they knew of the danger and had their curiosity satisfied by spending time with me and the weapon in use. Your weapon may be scary to your young child, but they can learn to respect it and stear clear of it until they are trained to become comfortable properly using one themselves. Any product that attempts to render a working weapon safe merely gives you a false sense of security and hinders your ability to access that weapon when you need it. As an EMT, I will attest to the reluctance of the mind to function well when you have been rudely awakened at 3:00AM. You owe it to yourself to simplify what you have to think about in a time of severe stress. I want ALL of my thinking to be toward the shoot/no shoot situation rather than fumbling with a combination that I may or may not remember under stress thus shrinking the time available to deal with the shoot/no shoot decision. Making the decision to have a working weapon for self defense is making a decision to change your lifestyle. I don’t believe you can merely purchase a product that will allow you to live life as you did before you made the decision and expect to have the safety and security of a working weapon. As much as I hate to say this, you should also check with your local laws. They may attempt to regulate what you do in the confines of your own home and only you can make the decision to allow them to do that or not.

News From The American Redoubt:

T.H. sent in this link to Amend2, a company based in Idaho that makes 30-rnd magazines. They are $15 apiece and seem stronger that Magpul, according to T.H.

o o o

Here is an clever product, made by a small business in Rexburg, Idaho: The Hot Logs

o o o

Citizens take law into own hands after cash-strapped Ore. county guts sheriff’s office

o o o

Itt seems that Idaho could be next state to allow guns on campus – RBS

o o o

RBS also sent in this video of a man who can skin, gut, and partially debone a deer in 1:48

o o o

Plunder-Lusting Quislings Seek to Repeal Posse Comitatus

Odds ‘n Sods:

B. sent in this link for Sniper Basics For The SHTF Survivalist. Not a bad primer for someone who is just starting out learning this valuable skill.

o o o

China is confirming limited interhuman infection of H7N9 bird flu. This may be a very important development. – B.B.

o o o

Ready Made Resources as a limited supply of har-to-find Radar Scattering Camo Netting.

o o o

B.B. sent another post in on the Connecticut fiasco: How Did ‘Millions’ of High Capacity Magazines Disappear in Connecticut?

o o o

R. sent in this link on How To Make Disaster Survival Gear With Common Household Items

HJL Adds: They are pretty basic and some of them may or may not work. The picture of a hand holding onto the Toilet Paper/Alcohol heater is silly and dangerous, but they might make some fun projects to do together with your kids.

o o o

For those that care, Evolution vs. Creationism will be debated. Ken Ham has the creation museum in Kentucky. He is a former Science teacher with a BA in Applied Science with an emphasis in Environmental Biology. Everyone should also be familiar with Bill Nye (you know, Bill Nye, the Science Guy) CEO of the Planetary Society and an Emmy Award winner. Sign up for a live stream feed via Internet or pre-purchase a DVD at that site. We are planning a homeschool activity around the debate with other homeschool families joining us. It’s happening today, Feb 4th, 2014 at 7pm EST. As one AJK put it… “Thought it might be interesting to watch this debate. Definitely more entertaining than the State of the Union.”

Notes from JWR:

American Liberty: Not the Past, But the Future

I’m not the first one to mention this, but the governance of the United States can be divided into four distinct epochs, delineated as follows:

  1. March 4, 1789: the first day of constitutional government,
  2. April 13, 1861: the first day of un-constitutional government,
  3. December 8, 1941: the first day of non-constitutional government, and
  4. January 20, 2009: the first day of anti-constitutional government.

The past is immutable. We cannot travel back to it, nor can we change it, but the future is something entirely different. The future is a blank slate. We, as God’s creatures with volition, can change the course of history.

I am confident that the American spirit of liberty will not be crushed. With the many recent news headlines about NSA snooping, burgeoning bureaucracies, and the newly-militarized police using bully boy tactics, the future might seem bleak. Yet, we can change it, and change it we must!

I strongly encourage everyone reading this to show some backbone and make a stand for liberty. Just say no to martial law. Use passive resistance, if possible, but do resist, and never give up your final recourse to “…the cartridge box.” Most importantly, don’t just sit still and mute, while watching it happen around you. To paraphrase the leftists: When you see injustice, raise a ruckus. When you see rights being trampled, speak up, and do so vociferously! – J.W.R.