Economics and Investing:

Sent in by P.W.: Russia’s Growing Regional Debts Threaten Stability

H.L informed us of this: Wells Fargo bans staff from investing in P2P loans

C.S sent this link in: The Economic Slowdown No One is Talking About.

Items from The Economatrix:

What The Unemployment And Labor Force Participation Rates Would Be If All Of The Discouraged Workers Came Back

IMF Paper Warns Of ‘Savings Tax’ And Mass Write-Offs As West’s Debt Hits 200-Year High

Global Freight Data Indicates No Economic Recovery

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers have informed us of this: Stealing heating wood in NE

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SA sent this video suggesting that Folks should get rid of their smartphones NOW!!

HJL Adds: Take the references to Minority Report with a hefty grain of salt. This really isn’t late breaking news. I’m posting it so that those who are not aware of the implications can decide for themselves if it’s worth it or not. Hand held GPS have used this exact technology for years for geocaching. It is the Holy Grail of retailers, to be able to individually target users with ads and products so they can maximize the return on advertising dollars. Retailers already have the ability to data mine existing information they have collected on you and target you with specific information. They already tie different methods of data collection together, i.e. credit cards, debit cards, store savings cards, coupons, product purchase history, et cetera. Retailers lead the way, but the information is just too useful for governments not to be involved.

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J.W. sends this to us: Turk – the silver spike is going to shock the world in 2014

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B.B. adds this: Wall Street adviser: Actual unemployment is 37.2%, ‘misery index’ worst in 40 years

Of course, if you’ve been paying attention, you already know the basics of that one. Life can get pretty miserable for those who do not prepare for it.

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And on a brighter note, an anonymous reader sent this in: This Town in Australia Looks Totally Deserted. But Turns Out Their Residents Are Just Brilliant.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.” – Isaiah 32:1-4 (KJV)

Notes from HJL:

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Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ 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, and
  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. The current value of this roll is at least $225,
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have 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. and
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit.

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 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is 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, and
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.comin Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is 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. This is 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 Tradingis donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Productsin North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies. This assortment has a retail value of $208.

Round 50 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum , and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Home Fire Prevention and Firefighting , by P.T.H.

Her name was Dawn. The fire that took her life started in the living room directly below her bedroom and spread quickly. It followed her father up the stairs as he tried to rescue her, setting his clothes on fire as he went. He grabbed the doorknob to Dawn’s room. It was red hot. There was no longer life on the other side of that door. It was 0045, New Year’s Day, 1976. Things like this are never forgotten. The wounds never heal. Dealing with the loss of a loved one this way is horrible in itself. Having it happen during a TEOTWAWKI situation may very well break you and your group. If these words save one person, I’ll put it down as an answered prayer, no matter what.

First, the disclaimer: I’m not a firefighter. I did, however, spend twenty-one years in the military; several of them were at sea. The ship was my retreat. I was taught that it was the only thing between me and death, and we were drilled in firefighting and fire prevention constantly. You need to think of your retreat in the same manner. Chances are, no one’s coming to your rescue. You need to educate yourself in fire prevention and, to some extent, firefighting, if you and your family are to get through a survival situation. For the record, Dawn was my first love.

Fire is one of the most powerful tools known to man but is also a double-edged sword, capable of working both for and against us. Prepping websites and written material cover the starting of fires in a TEOTWAWKI situation at length, but precious little is written about fighting them, or better yet, keeping them from getting out of hand in the first place. In a grid-down scenario, firefighting services most likely won’t be available. This will be further compounded by the fact that you’re using unconventional methods to light the house, heat, and cook. Do yourself and your group a favor; don’t stop here. Continue reading and learning. Make yourself the smartest person in the room concerning the use and control of fire.

Face it; we live in the age of electric light. Many of us also cook with electric stoves. We’re no longer intimate with the hazards of the open flame, especially within the confines of the home. Unfortunately though, in the long run, it is the least expensive way to light a room, and may be the only way to cook a meal. In a long outage, you’re most likely going to have to resort to “hazardous” lighting and cooking.

Lighting is one of the easier things to deal with in a power-down situation. It’s also one of the easiest ways to burn down the house. Nothing says “we’re prepared” like lighting a candle or lantern during a blackout. On the other side of the coin, nothing says “we’re screwed” quite like standing in front of your burning house! Use candle or oil lamps only if they’re properly made. Look to the past for example. Folks “back in the day” knew how to minimize the risks of lighting with open flames. Learn from them! Look for lamps and candle holders with wide bases and glass chimneys. The wide base will make a lamp harder to tip over. The chimney will keep the wind and flammables off the flame. Oil lamps range from fairly safe to downright dangerous. Many people have decorative glass kerosene lamps around the house. They’re usually tall, with the tank and burner elevated by the handle/base. They’re made that way to better broadcast the light, and to make them easier to move around. This design also makes them top-heavy and easy to tip. Less thoughtful designs have a small base footprint or are too tall, making them even easier to tip. Steer clear of these. Look for a wide, heavy base; the wider and heavier the better. Also, make sure the burner, which also supports the glass chimney, screws onto the tank and stays there. Many of these lamps are cheaply made; they’re more for looks than actual use. The burner and chimney will often fall off if the lamp is moved or tilted at all.

“Old fashioned” metal kerosene hurricane lamps sit low, with the tank on the bottom for stability. New ones tend to be junk. I bought a couple of these a while back. They leaked wherever anything was welded to the tank. They were so dangerous that I wouldn’t even give them away! Look instead for older ones at yard sales and swap meets; preferably ones made in the USA. Aside from my bleeding red, white, and blue, I recommend these because they’re really well made. If you can find the kind once used on the railroads at a good price, grab them! Aside from being sturdy and really stable, they’re collectors’ items and are worth some money!

Propane or liquid-fueled pressurized lanterns throw a ton of light. They also throw a ton of heat! They can actually double as small area space heaters. At one point there was even a burner plate marketed that replaced the lantern’s top. The lantern could then be used as a small, really top-heavy stove! The fact that it’s unavailable now is testimony to just how bad an idea this was. Don’t use one of these. Any source of light which uses an open flame must be treated with respect. Don’t leave lamps unattended or where children can tamper with them. Don’t leave them anywhere near combustible materials like curtains and bedding. I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but fires caused by misplaced lamps and lanterns happen all the time.

Heating with an open flame gives fire yet another opportunity to ruin your day. Again, the prime culprit here is the proximity of the heat source to combustibles. If you’re heating with something like a kerosene heater, keep it away from the walls and away from the furniture. If using this type of heater, also be mindful of Carbon Monoxide buildup. You need to provide ventilation for the thing. If using a woodstove or fireplace to heat, keep anything that can burn away from them. A single ember rolling out of either one is all it takes. When cleaning either of these out, NEVER assume that there are no hot embers. The ash needs to be placed in a metal container, removed from the house, and stored away from the house.

Does your house have an electric stove? If so, unplug it or kill its circuit breaker when the power goes out. Horizontal surfaces like these inevitably tend to be repurposed as countertop space. If the power comes back on and one of the burners was inadvertently left on, anything left on the stove will be burning in minutes.

Speaking of cooking; if you find yourself having to cook on a campstove or other “alternative” means, do it outside, away from the house if possible. Again, look to the past. In the days of yore, the kitchen was always a separate structure built some distance from the house. The old-timers knew that it was a matter of time before a fire would start there. Isolating this fire source from the rest of the house was simply smart prepping. Do the same. And please, do not bring a gas grill into the house or garage for cooking, heating, or whatever. Aside from the obvious fire danger, running one of these in the house will fill the place up with carbon monoxide in no time!

Liquid fuel must not be stored inside the house, or anywhere near your stores. Place containers of fuel on the ground, in a really well ventilated space. Outdoor storage is ideal, but not always practical. The shed I store my fuel cans in has a very large vent louver at floor level, to allow any heavier-than-air vapors to immediately exit the structure. You don’t want to accumulate at all.

Okay, you did everything you could think of to prevent fire. Unfortunately, nature always sides with the hidden flaw. You need to be prepared, should a fire end up sprouting where it’s not supposed to be. Plan for the “what if”. If your retreat is not self-contained, plan on running water not being available. Purchase several fire extinguishers. Keep them in the areas most likely to entertain a rogue flame. Know how to use them. Know when to use them. A grease fire in a pot in the kitchen may be easily snuffed by putting a lid on the pot. Hitting the fire with a dry chemical extinguisher will do the same, but will also make a BIG mess. It’ll also use up one of your valuable extinguishers.

Four things are needed for fire– fuel, heat, oxygen, and a sustained chemical reaction (sometimes referred to as “free radicals”). Remove any one of these elements, and the fire goes out. It’s that simple (on paper). All fire extinguishers are designed to remove one or more of those elements. Readily available extinguishers are rated A, B, and C; A is for solids (trash, wood, paper); B is for flammable liquids; and C is for electrical fires. Most of the “A-B” extinguishers you’ll see offered at the home improvement and department stores are the “dry chemical” type. Squeezing the trigger on one of these releases a powder agent to snuff the fire. As I said before, it also makes a heck of a mess. If you discharge one of these on electronic equipment, consider the equipment ruined. Engines don’t like inhaling this stuff either. Aside from checking the gauge or “pop-up” pressure indicator, dry chemical extinguishers should be inverted every so often and tapped lightly with a rubber mallet. This keeps the powder inside from packing down and rendering the extinguisher useless. The most common class C extinguisher you’ll see is the CO2. This type starves the fire of oxygen. It’ll also starve YOU of oxygen, so use it with care. It produces water droplets and fog when used. It’ll also cause frostbite if discharged onto skin. To check one of these, either read a gauge on the unit, or weigh the extinguisher on a scale. Before using an extinguisher on an electrical fire, shut off power to whatever initiated the blaze, if possible. At this point, the fire goes from being a class C fire to either a class A or B. Chances are, shutting off the power will either bring the fire under control or put it out altogether!

There’s another type of extinguisher out there that’ll work on B and C fires, and can even give you the upper hand on some class A fires as well– halon. Halon gas actually interferes with fire’s chemical reaction. You can spray halon on electronics, engines, and the like with no ill effect, as the discharge doesn’t produce frost, static, or residue. The only damage you’ll have to deal with is that caused by the fire itself. The downside is that halon extinguishers are really expensive. They used to be quite common and cheap before the EPA clamped down on them for punching holes in the ozone layer. They ended up in a lot of cars, garages, and kitchens. As a result, you may find perfectly good units at yard sales. If you find one, and the gauge is in the green, BUY IT! Smaller halon units may not have gauges. If you find one of these and it feels about half-full, it’s most likely good to go.

If the fire you just knocked down involves any kind of bedding or furniture, get it out of the house immediately. Fires in things like this can smolder and reflash hours later. If the fire was that grease in the pan on the stove and you dropped a lid on it to snuff it, leave it alone until it cools. DON’T take the cover off right after you put the fire out! Remember; you snuffed the fire by dropping a lid on the pot, which starved the fire of oxygen. The heat and the fuel are still there, just waiting for the oxygen! Removing that lid will most likely result in a reflash, with your face and body just inches away from it! In the event of ANY fire, post a reflash watch until the fire scene is completely cooled.

Fire is one of those “fight or flight” things, and can go from one to the other in a heartbeat. If you’re fighting a fire, the only people in the space should be those doing just that, or, if necessary, removing stores from the structure. Everyone else should be outside at a predetermined meeting place. Pre-assign someone to do a head count, so that no one is mistakenly left inside if you need to fall back. Know when to run. Fires can get ahead of you really quickly, possibly barring your escape. This is a big deal, I know. You’re losing your shelter. You’re losing a good portion of your prep. If you wait too long though, you’ll lose your life. This is as good a place as any to plug the practice of dividing up your stores between several locations. It just plain makes sense not to put all of your eggs in one basket.

Have an escape plan, should a fire catch you by surprise, such as at night. As with every prep, have a plan A, B, and possibly C for escape, in case the primary exit route is impassible. Be sure everyone practices using the escape routes. Having a rope ladder fire escape in your kid’s 2nd floor bedroom is a good idea. Some people are afraid of heights though. Better to find this kind of thing out during a practice drill, than during a real event. Everyone should know what to do and where to go. Again, have a specified meeting place outside the house. While on the subject of “surprise” fires; buy GOOD smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, along with enough batteries to keep them running for a several years. These are proven lifesavers and are very affordable. They may even give you enough of a jump on a fire to save the house. There is NO excuse for not having a few of these installed in your house.

The uncertain times ahead will have their share of trials. My hope and prayer for you is that uncontrolled fire will never be one of them. May God and His wisdom be with you if it is.

Doing Things Differently, by Sapo

What happens when your world is turned on end and everything you have planned for in life is now null and void. A little background of what I can say about who I am or was. Without being specific I will say that I used to be a government contractor doing things that I won’t discuss. Needless to say I have a tainted view on life and what I believe is coming down the pike. This has majorly shaped the way I prepare and with what. Due to this previous life, big changes in my health, and many other things, my world has now changed and this is what I want to discuss.

I used to be the person that would jump out of perfectly good airplanes, rappel down and climb mountains, scuba dive, hike, camp, and a whole lot of other very physical activities. I am the type of person that often finds himself in the middle of an emergency or disaster either helping with it, surviving it, or… the cause of it. “Accident prone” is really a good definition of my life. So, learning about emergency preparedness has been a life survival tool for me personally. To say I have had a fair share of issues is an understatement. To mention a few, I have been shot and stabbed multiple times, gassed, radiated, majorly burned several times, electrocuted, broken just about every bone in my body at least once, and so on.

To not expose all my preps I will just say that I am well prepared for about 20 people, because there are 20 people in my extended family, for about 6 years with the ability to leave at a moment’s notice with preps fully packed and ready to leave either on foot or in a vehicle or bug in and feel relatively safe in my home depending on what I choose according to the threats presented.

Okay so I am well prepared. In fact I teach emergency preparedness on a regular basis in numerous settings and venues. So what is the big deal. Well, almost 15 years ago I decided it was better to sleep while driving down a winding canyon road at 60 mph, resulting in rolling my truck and breaking my back in three places. To top this off, previous life adventures have also taken their tole on my body and combine that with a life threatening blood disease that is now literally killing me. Okay, not trying to play the sympathy card here, but I wanted to paint the new picture of my life.

Before, I could grab an 80 lb. bug out backpack and travel through inhospitable terrain for miles and miles in all kinds of in-climate weather. Now, there are days that I am tickled pink if I can get out of bed for the day and walk to the mailbox and back.

So, does this mean I am no longer prepared for come what may? Heck no. This means I now need to do things differently in order to do what I wanted to do before. I am stubborn enough to still be alive today and not say “die” and just throw in the towel. Things may slow me down, but I don’t let anything stop me.

Below are a few changes that have helped me that may work for others: (Remember my preps work for me and are not the answer for everyone.)

  • Not being as mobile as before I found that a handcart can carry a lot of stuff and take the weight off my back if I ever have to leave on foot.
  • Being medication dependent, I have stored up to a year or more of medications, based upon their storage life. Also important is the ability to keep them cool, especially insulin, in a very small but adequate container. I can keep them cool in my container using fold up solar panels. Yes, I know that limits me to cooling in the daytime and only cloudless days, but the container is insulated well enough that even in 90 degree weather I only have to cool it down every 4 days to keep my insulin from spoiling.
  • I don’t keep my truck permanently hooked up to my fully stocked and ready to go enclosed trailer because I use my truck regularly. However, I do keep the trailer in a position and level that I can back up the truck to it and leave at a moment’s notice after unlocking it from its secured location. I have drilled this many times and even in the middle of winter I can do this in 3 minutes.
  • I can no longer carry an 80 lb. pack. In fact a 25 lb. pack gives me trouble now especially as I now walk with a cane. I learned from years of practice and training and real world experience that I can live off the land with literally nothing prepacked. Yes, it is nice to have a knife and fire starter and a whole host of other gadgets, but I don’t need them. These same principles I have taught my wife and children. Now we all carry packs that we have drilled with and know we can actually carry and have packed them to the weight and size limitations of each person and their ability to walk long distances with them. We realize we don’t have the pillow top mattress that we really want. However, we can survive if needed on literally nothing prepacked. So we prepack as much as we can, within our limitations, and pray we can actually take and use them. Regardless, we will not die or give up if we have to leave with nothing. Speaking of which the hand cart still goes with us just in case my sons have to put me in it to haul me out. If we can drive out, that’s even better. Once again we are not limited to only bugging out in a vehicle if we so choose to leave.
  • Now, speaking of bugging out, years ago I planted or buried caches of food and other survival items every 20 miles along 5 different possible bug out routes from my home to aid in travelling up to 100 miles on foot. Yes, I know 100 miles may not be far enough, but where I live in the Intermountain West, 100 miles puts me in some very suitable locations. Walking that far for me is the new challenge. It no longer will happen in 3 days like I have been able to do before. It will take much longer and be a lot tougher for me. Once again, though, I am stubborn enough to make it there.
  • Years of prepping and practice and unfortunate real life situations have taught me to carry certain gear with me at all times. I have carried what I call a “crash bag” with me at all times. Some people call this a “SCRAM” or an “external carry bag”. Mine is put together with the thought if I were ever in a airplane and it crashed in some remote location what would I like to have with me. As mentioned before this is a “want” bag and not a “need” bag. This is not a bug out bag but much smaller and easier to throw over my shoulder to carry literally everywhere I go, even walking with a cane. Now with the latest grope and violate procedures now employed at most airports, I have had to modify what I used to carry in the bag. However, I still keep the other non-compliant items in a separate pouch for when I am not getting on an airplane. This pouch goes in my “crash” bag for when I leave my house for whatever other reason. Examples of non-compliant items in my bag would be a compact sidearm, knife, and certain fire starters. I still carry my bug out bag in my truck at all times, since my mobility issues dictate that I am rarely very far from my truck any more.
  • Everyone that knows me or attends my classes and seminars know that I am prepared and many have expressed their desires to “share” in my preps, whether I agree or not. For the past couple of years I have been caching most of my preps, especially food, out of sight and out of general public reach. I am now more willing than I was before to give guided tours of my now almost empty pantries and storage rooms. I like to paint that picture, now that I am currently unemployed, that I am living off my preps and almost have nothing left. Hopefully, this is making me less of a target for those that would love to “share” in my preps. By the way I am not as destitute as the picture I show people. This is just part of the preparedness plan to keep me fed.
  • Other thoughts about staying home include rapid mobility concerns. Having serious mobility issues, I have now added ramps and railings throughout my house and yard to allow me to respond quicker to possible threats and issues.
  • I used to brag that I could shoot the left eye of a fly sitting on a pole 300 meters away. Now with my diabetes I cannot even see the pole, let alone hit anything with a real long gun. So long guns are not an option for me anymore, although my children are proficient enough that I still keep them around. So a few scatter guns with combat loads and a few side arms now do the trick. With my deteriorating health I have found that manhandling bad guys is not what it use to be, but at the same token I have not lost the understanding that the only way to take care of bad guys is not always with a gun. It is never a good day when you are required to take another life, especially in self defense. However, the last two men that tried to use a gun on me were subdued and eventually went to meet Allah after finding out that the bent over stupid American with a cane knows how to use it effectively. Needless to say I had to buy a new cane. Don’t be totally reliant on only one way of doing things that works for other people. Find out what works for you and then practice, practice, practice.
  • One more security issue involves those that insist on “sharing” my preps. I have two thoughts on this. First, my best defense is a good offense. My offense is knowing the condition of my neighbors by being friendly or Christian with them. I would rather be on their porch with a casserole in hand saying “please eat” rather than them being in my face with a shotgun saying they are taking my food. Okay, so I give up a little food. However, food is a great force multiplier. Second, for those that show up on my doorstep wanting food, I will hand them a shovel. I will tell them in exchange for going to the park and turning under a 10′ x 10′ section of turf and preparing it for planting, I will give them a loaf of bread fresh out of the oven and warm to eat. I cannot turn dirt under for a garden any more. However I can bake bread. I will not give them the ingredients. I will give them a reward for their efforts. I have seed, a deal with a farmer neighbor, and a plan to turn the whole park into a huge potato and corn field and thus be able to feed the entire neighborhood. Yes, I have go give up some time, wheat, and other bread making ingredients, but I now have an entire neighborhood on my side. Now that is security. For those that don’t want the shovel option, I offer them the lead option.

These are a few of the changes I have made in my life to still stay prepared in my new condition and lack of employment. So many that know me and my situation think there is no way I can continue to be prepared. All the better for them to think that so they don’t show up on my doorstep. In the mean time I will continue to hobble along at my new pace and be ready for come what may.

Two Letters Re: SurvivalBlogs New Managing Editor

Dear Editor

Like other readers have stated, you have a truly amazing set of qualifications. As a former AWANA Commander, welder, machinist, physicist, embedded engineer and technical editor I hope to continue fleshing out my skills and service in the ways you have. Though my estimate is you have 15-20 years on me. 🙂 Not only welcome to SurvivalBlog but thank you for the material encouragement. -D.D.

HJL Replies: Thank you and congratulations on a well rounded and broad skill set. A quote from one of my favorite authors sums it up nicely: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly” –Robert A. Heinlein

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Dear Mentor,

The new editor has a lot going on for his resume and I’m sure you have the right guy for you, but some of us didn’t see any gun stuff in there. All that schoolin/rocket stuff won’t matter if he doesn’t know how to strip his AR and find the problem with why it’s not cycling, or the difference between a 5.56 round and a 7.62×39 round in the dark… If ever TSHTF it will be all about gun handling, shooting, and killing sad to say. Nowhere will be safe forever. Just saying. Thanks for the best blog on the net and great books. -W

HJL Replies: My wife tells me that I am eclectic. My kids accuse me of being eccentric. I’m not so sure, I may just be an undiagnosed ADHD, but whatever the reason, there is a lot of stuff on those qualifications. I’m sure that was the reason you missed the fourth bullet point “Holds a gunsmithing certificate from the Colorado School of Trades.” I also shoot regularly and reload all of my own ammunition. Though I don’t shoot competitively, I enjoy long range rifle (1000yd) and three gun IDPA style shooting. I am confident that I have the neccessary skills to perform should the circumstances require it. However, I believe that the other qualifications on my resume actually have more bearing on a SHTF scenario. If our civilization reaches the point of collapse, the lawlessness will, by necessity, be relatively short lived. People will start rebuilding, communities will re-establish themselves, and governance will continue. The reality is that we can’t go it alone. The skills that I have aquired over a lifetime will certainly be useful then, but they are also useful now. I don’t learn these things to prepare, I learn them and practice them because I love this lifestyle. I believe this nation was discovered, founded, and built on a “can do” attitude. As I tell my children, “That’s just who I am.”

Odds ‘n Sods:

F.J. sent this link, ‘LighterBro’ Turns Common Bic Into Knife-Equipped Multi-Tool, a simple Ten buck tool that looks pretty neat, and reminds us that “one is none.”

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From G.G.: Reviving a Life Saver, the Tourniquet

Article quote:

“Only 2 percent of soldiers with severe bleeding in those countries (Iraq and Afganistan) died compared with 7 percent in Vietnam in part because tourniquets were in widespread use and the injured were quickly transported to doctors. “

HJL Adds: Our own Medical Director in the local EMS has notified us that in the next round of protocol updates, we can expect tourniquets to be back. Our 30 minute transport time is pretty close to what the military has experienced in the last 10 years.

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Brandon sent this in: Mexican Citizens Topple Cartels And Are Rewarded With Government Retaliation

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An anonymous reader sent this in: Real Cellphone Tracking \

Article quote:

The Ukrainian government already tried banning protests, which didn’t work out too well for them. Then the New York Times posted this news article today. Something really stood out to me:
…on Tuesday, sending cellphone messages to people standing in the vicinity of the fighting saying, “Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance.”

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Daniel Valles let us know that his Disaster Crash Course Digest Vol. I available now. This contains his top ten tutorials and is available in a downloadable PDF or printed version.

Notes from HJL:

January 23rd is the birthday of John Moses Browning, (born 1855) the brilliant designer of dozens of guns including the M1911 pistol, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and the venerable M2 .50 Caliber Machine gun. The latter is still in service in at least 95 countries. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it is still in service in 2075 or even 2100.

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Pat Cascio has decided to cap his pen and retire from his position as SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor. His last reviews will be posted in April. Please don’t send him any more products for test and evaluation.
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Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of 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), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. H.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225, I.) Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $195. J.) 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. and K.) APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit.

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 EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.)A full set of all 26 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is a $270 value, G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value). H.) EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles is donating a $250 gift certificate, I.) Autrey’s Armory — specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts and accessories– is donating a $250 gift certificate, and J.) 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.

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.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises. F.) Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and G.) Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies. This assortment has a retail value of $208.

Round 50 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Poorboy Version: Prepping When You’re on a Tight Budget, By N.S.

Awhile back my husband and I happened to both lose our jobs within a two-week period. (I was doing in-home care and the client decided to enter a Home. Meanwhile, the factory where my husband worked went bankrupt and closed its doors.)

Due to some peculiarities of our situation (my work being part-time and his factory neglecting the paperwork) neither of us could get unemployment. So we had literally zero income for around six months of job search. We sold some things, the truck got repo’ed, etc… During this time we learned a lot about frugality, what true luxury is, and how far you can stretch when you really have to. Here are some basic principles in no particular order:

1. There is always a way to do it cheaper.

It might not be as fast, efficient, neat, or convenient…but there’s always a way. In the overwhelming majority of instances, you are trading your money for someone else’s time. (Examples: store bought bread costs up to ten times as much as home-baked. A bus ride–for those on transit lines–costs, while the mare is much cheaper it takes longer. Homespun hats and mitts and scarves take LOTS of time, but very little money.)

2. A good proportion of the time, homemade/cheaper translates into better.

Think about it. When you’re doing it yourself, you are the quality control. There are fewer unpleasant surprises because the factory QC was tiring toward the end of a shift. Another example: home-canned meat is fairly simple, and I know there is NO gristle in it because I didn’t allow any. I could buy canned meat at more expense, but then I’d be subjected to someone else’s idea of “edible.” (We pause here for a reminiscent shudder about the time I opened a store bought can of tuna which turned out to be through and through with worms.) I also home brew, and I’ll say here that of the best beverages I’ve ever tasted, store bought stuff barely makes the top ten. (Other home brewers are generally willing to barter, too.)

3. Sometimes older is better.

I habitually haunt thrift shops and secondhand stores. It’s amazing what people will discard in not only usable but like-new condition. And sometimes it’s things that you simply can’t buy–either that, or the price is prohibitive. Old Revereware, for instance, with its thicker copper bottom to affect the heat transfer of the pan, is more responsive for cooking. The copper in newer pans, for the past few decades, has been nothing but a thin aesthetic layer. With old cast iron, let someone ELSE do the work of seasoning it and wearing off the rough casting surface. Old furniture is made of honest planks instead of pressboard. Wool, silk, cashmere, linen, and angora have all turned up on the shelves where I shop from time to time.

4. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it IS broke…

Repairs will necessarily be a large part of your life should SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. Learn to fix things. Plastic can be repaired (depending on type) by “welding” it with a candle flame, drilling paired holes along the crack and “stitching” it closed, applying the eternal duct tape, or gluing. Other times, plastic must be replaced. I have whittled wooden elements to replace broken plastic ones– cut to size, file to fit, and paint to match. Sock repairs are best darned in, not sewn. Learn to darn and effectively patch. Also, learn how to splice rope, sister a wooden beam, weld a straight bead, and suture when necessary. (Repairing yourself, eh?)

5. Even a small garden is better than none.

We were lucky in that our layoffs happened at the start of the growing season and I could expand our planned garden. I did learn that carrots dislike our soil, but potatoes love it, while our plot (hemmed in by Other People’s Timber on three sides) simply does not get enough sun for corn to mature. Tomatoes limped along (that sun issue again), but the hot peppers thrived. Beans and peas took the middle line, neither withering away nor flourishing. For long-term frugality, save your seeds. I found not only heirloom/open-pollinated varieties for sale, but also advice, techniques, and support at Seed Savers Exchange– www.seedsavers.org. In addition to freeing you from the chains of big agriculture, you will gradually select for the traits that favor YOUR microclimate, YOUR soil, and YOUR growing conditions. Besides, fresher is better. I haven’t bought greens in years. During the winter, indoor-sprouted microgreens provide variety to the routine of canned and frozen vegetables, and during summer the cutting patch thrives also.

6. Skills cost nothing.

Practice, practice, practice. Unused skills quickly fade.”Use it or lose it” is a truism for a reason. Even if you can’t afford ammo, dry-firing drills and practice keep the muscle memory going. If you can learn to enjoy skills, practice your hobby, such as sewing, and double- or triple-task by providing your own entertainment while honing your skills.

7. We meat again.

Stretch that food to its limits also. One of my favorite frugal meal(s) involve a chicken. (Stay with me here.) Chickens can be bought whole for very little per pound on sale. The first meal is Roast Chicken, with vegetables in the roasting pan. Make gravy to pour on the vegetables. Second day, prepare Hot Chicken Sandwiches by slicing up some of the rest of the meat and serve with the rest of the vegetables on thick-sliced bread, smothered in gravy. Third day, serve Chicken Pot Pie. To make the Chicken Pot Pie, make a shortening crust or a batch of biscuits, dice up the main pieces of remaining meat (freeze the bones and remaining scraps), mix with the rest of the gravy and some supplemental vegetables (assuming the roasted ones are all eaten by now), cover the stew with crust or biscuits, and bake until done. Fourth day, enjoy leftover Pot Pie. Fifth day (or at some indeterminate date in the future), serve Chicken Soup by boiling up the chicken frame, picking off any remaining shreds of meat, seasoning the broth well, and adding more vegetables and some noodles, rice, potatoes, or dumplings.

8. Self-medicating isn’t a dirty word.

We all do it whenever we pop a Tylenol for a headache. When you have no money and no insurance, your view of self-treatment may have to expand. I’ve stitched myself up before when it was necessary. It hurts, yes, but no more than a badly stubbed toe (for each stitch, mind you…and yes, it is cumulative). I was already a practicing herbalist for my own needs before this happened. Therefore, I had a stock of homegrown herbal remedies, including the ones that must be prepared ahead of time. But even without that stock, much of the time you just need to get out of the way and let your body heal itself. (There are exceptions, of course, but for most acute issues, they WILL get better on their own given time and minor first-aid.)

9. If you wait long enough, it will go on sale.

Clearance aisles and markdown racks. Sadly, some grocery stores refuse to mark down even day-old bread; avoid them for places that do. Buy your candy after Halloween; the cheapest source for baking chocolate is leftover bagged Halloween and Valentine’s Day candy. Furthermore, grocery stores generally operate on a rotational basis. By saving the advertisements over time (typically six to eight weeks) you can figure out their cycle. For example, if the local store puts bricks of cheese on loss-leader sale every five weeks, it would be silly to buy it on week four just because you ran out. It’s far more sensible to simply wait a week to restock. I highly recommend a full-size chest freezer for taking full advantage of food bargains. (Our freezer was a wedding gift we had before our personal financial crisis.) Our freezer would have been great for game, if hunting in our area were more than a gamble. Ted Nugent has been heard to characterize the blacktail deer in its native habitat as the most challenging critter he ever pursued, and after a few years of similar pursuit I’m inclined to agree.

10. Little by little gets you there in the end.

Adding one “storage” item to each grocery list was fairly painless, even when the grocery money was twenty a week. (Twenty per week is not as impressively skinflint as it sounds sincere there are only the two of us.) Add one extra gallon of gas per fillup. Stretch a tea bag to make two cups. The ocean is made of little drops of water and the mountain of little grains of sand. They do add up when you remember to be consistent.

A note on tea: I freely admit it’s my favorite beverage, and what’s not to love? In addition to black/green teas being good for you, it’s inherently healthier than raw tap- or well-water due to boiling during preparation, and tea comes in so many flavors and varieties that it boggles the mind. If we expand the definition to herbal “teas” or tisanes, not only do they give you the benefits above but they’re also frequently free for the growing or gathering. (Caveat: always be POSITIVE of what you’re picking–identify it from a field guide, preferably one with photos, if you can’t arrange for an experienced gatherer to tutor you in person.) Some of us can even grow the true tea plant, Camellia sinensis, in the right climatic zone (USDA 7-9, I believe). Even if you have to purchase your tea, it’s still one of the cheapest alternatives to plain water.

Letter Re: LDS Buying Experience

I ordered 10 cases of hard red wheat in #10 cans from the LDS store online. The charge was authorized on the card, but the hold expired and the charge initially did not go through. I received a message telling me that item was back-ordered, I could cancel at any time,and that my card would be charged when the wheat was sent. The boxes came 5 months later, almost to the day. All was as advertised, and the card was charged at that time. The amount charged was $28/box, with no shipping added. I believe this is the best price out there if one is willing to wait. –Prepper Tax Dude

HJL adds: I haven’t shopped at the online LDS store and haven’t been to the local LDS store since the new changes have been implemented regarding the cessation of bulk sales. The local store was always the best price (by up to 75% less) than most online places. However, we bought in bulk and packaged it ourselves. Since the bulk purchasing has been done away with, we are always interested in stores that can replace that valuable resource.

Three Letters Re: SurvivalBlogs New Managing Editor

We have three responses to the introduction of our new Managing Editor today:

Greetings, Mr Rawles,
Wow – I just read the posting on your new hire and I’m absolutely blown away. What an outstanding set of qualifications! I’m glad to have submitted my resume, but clearly you have found a tremendous candidate with very high credentials. Congratulations and may this new working relationship bear much fruit in the years ahead. –J.M.

J.F.J sends this response:
>Please tell him that I said “WELCOME ABOARD!”. And just one more thing… with his impressive resume, can you also please tell him that I am “reserving” a spot for him on my compound. We (our clan) could certainly use a patriot like him. WELL DONE Mr. Rawles! Sounds like a GREAT fit!
Signed… Now anticipating being even a more devoted reader.

And finally, P.L sent this letter:
Good catch on the new editor!! You’re right, his background is dazzling.

HJL Replies: Thank you for those kind words. SurvivalBlog has long been my favorite blog because of Jim’s high editorial and content standards. You could always rely on information found here to be accurate and useful. It is my intention as the new Managing Editor to maintain those same high standards. SurvivalBlog is a success because readers like you care about it.