Letter Re: Lessons From The Polar Vortex Invasion

Dear Mr. Rawles,

This week has been a wake-up call for me. Living in the Deep South, I have never worried too much about being too cold. We have made quilts and have had many quilts passed down to us when my wife and I married. We had more quilts given to us when our daughter was born. But, our electric heat pump loses its efficiencies when the temperature is below freezing. Using natural gas is not cheap and the price varies based on the economic principals of supply and demand. We have never had to worry about our pets as we place extra straw in their houses. I have always checked my vehicle’s anti-freeze and thought if it gets down to zero degrees F, I would just stay home.

Then the bitter cold [from the Polar Vortex] ravaged the South.

Lesson 1: Piling on too many quilts can get heavy and the heat pump cannot keep up with the house’s demand. My wife’s sinuses have dried out from running the natural gas backup. I will have a wood burning stove added soon and will cut wood. I will [continuously] use a cast iron tea pot [on the wood stove] to put humidity back in the air.

Lesson 2: The dog and cat are staying inside. I even brought my dog to my office so she can use the facilities. I am blessed to have an office with a gated back area where she can exercise and do her jobs. She is also trained to only go on guard with a key word. I have a very safe feeling with her at my office. In my line of work, I work late nights from mid-January thru the end of April. I have always been reserved working late at night during this time of year. But, I keep my guard up. That may include having my dog with me this year.

Lesson 3: I will make it so the dog and cat can be comfortable outside without disrupting our schedule. I will have to study on this to come up with some practical ideas.

Lesson 4: Better prepare our vehicles for what is to come. I thought I would get one more summer out of this set of tires. They are not real good for snow or ice but work great in rainy conditions. I will have a set of “take-off” tires which I screw some small sheet metal screws into to act as ice cleats if needed.

Lesson 5: Know how your insurance works. I did not have any pipes to freeze; praises to God! But I went to lunch with an agent and talked about what insurance covers. Insurance does not cover the broken pipe, but will cover damage caused by the pipe. So it will pay to re-do your home but not pay to re-plumb your home. It can pay for you live somewhere else while your home is being redone. Talk to an agent in your area.

Lesson 6: If you have water pipes in your ceiling, insulate, insulate, insulate. Several businesses with pipes in the ceiling froze and burst. So many are closed and undergoing remodeling.

Living in the Deep South, I worry more about heat and rain rather than cold and snow, but this has shown me that any part of the US could be susceptible to any type of weather. We never lost power, but we need more options for heating. – Anonymous in The South

JWR Replies: I wholeheartedly agree about insulating houses. Don’t forget that it helps with both cold and hot weather!

Economics and Investing:

C.J.A. spotted this news: One Week Into 2014, UK Royal Mint Runs Out Of Gold Coins

North Carolina Sheriff Swaps Out 2 Vintage Tommy Guns for 88 new ARs. (Thanks to T.P. for the link.)

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts-U.S. Markets Rigged by its Own Authorities–It Blows the Mind

Items from The Economatrix:

Doug Casey: “We’re Really Close To The Edge Of The Precipice”

A The Prepper Podcast: Three Warning Signs That A Financial Crash Is Imminent

Here Is The Most Frightening Prediction For 2014

Odds ‘n Sods:

Outbreak of ‘nightmare bacteria’ in Illinois stirs worry. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)

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Mexican Vigilante Gunmen Disarm Local Police So They Can Rid Town of Feared Drug Cartel. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

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California Gun Law Paves the Way for Confiscation: Starting in 2014, the state will keep a list of every gun owner and the specific guns each person buys. (This explains the rush to buy long guns before December 31st.)

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Huge Solar Flare Delays Private Rocket Launch to Space Station until Thursday. (The flare is rated at an X1.2, so it is fairly large. If it were an X6, you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now.)

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Hidden Hybrid Holsters has announced another 10% off coupon for the month of January 2014. Use coupon code IG141 when ordering.

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Yer Ol’ Woodpile Report just celebrated its 10th Anniversary. It bears mentioning that 10 years is in fact a quite venerable age, since few blogs existed before 2004.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"What is the meaning of a gold standard and a redeemable currency?  It represents integrity.  It insures the people’s control over the government’s use of the public purse.  It is the best guarantee against the socialization of a nation.  It enables a people to keep the government and banks in check.  It prevents currency expansion from getting ever farther out of bounds until it becomes worthless.  It tends to force standards of honesty on government and bank officials.  It is the symbol of a free society and an honorable government.  It is a necessary prerequisite to economic health.  It is the first economic bulwark of free men." – Walter E. Spahr, Professor of Economics at New York University

Notes from JWR:

January 8th is the birthday of the late Algis Budrys (born 1931, died June 9, 2008.) He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die.

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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.

Maintaining Good Morale, by Audax

If you take prepping seriously, you’ve probably stored up quite the array of supplies—or are at least working diligently at it.  You may have even downloaded the Excel spreadsheet found on Survival Blog, and if you’re like me, you might have been slightly overwhelmed at first, at the number of things that are necessary in order to really become self-sufficient in the case of a SHTF scenario.  For those of us who are actively preparing for whatever may come, prepping is a never-ending exercise in gathering, training and building.  In between all of these prepping activities, however, sometimes we forget that one of the single most important supplies in our “arsenal” is an intangible thing.  Morale, otherwise known as positive attitude, can mean the difference between life and death—whether you have 2 days’ worth of food or two years of it.

Morale is so critical that the military spends an incredible amount of time and money training troops to understand its necessity and teaching them how to maintain it even in the most dismal of situations.  Major Alexander Cox, in a monograph published by the Army’s Command and General Staff College in 1995, explained that morale and unit cohesion are “the intangible entity that bonds men together and motivates them to push themselves to the last ounce of their strength or ability.”  In the worst case scenario, that type of motivation can be the last deciding factor in victory or defeat, whether the situation is a battlefield or just keeping your family focused on surviving from day to day when everything is crashing down around you.

So what exactly is morale?  It seems to be a fairly elusive concept that is often oversimplified or even given trite, clichéd meanings.  I polled several co-workers of mine, for instance, and asked them how they would define the word, and I received a plethora of varying responses.  “Just staying in a good mood,” said one.  Another stated that morale was “something you have in the military.”  Oddly enough, when I asked my boss, a former medevac chopper pilot in Vietnam, he gave me the best answer yet.  “Morale,” he said, “is the absolute belief, way down in your gut, that you will survive by any means necessary, for yourself and for the man next to you.” 

This sounds noble and courageous and lofty, but how does this translate to the average citizen in a SHTF situation?  How does one impart this to the members of their family and/or group?  More importantly, how does one cultivate this within himself?   Many prepper articles about morale offer games to play, or little distractions to engage in to keep the mind busy.  While these are all helpful, the truth is that morale building starts long before SHTF, and it is far more than just stashing a deck of cards in your bugout bag.  Morale is a mindset, a combination of core belief system, emotional health, training, and focus—and one member of the group without it can jeopardize everyone else.

The Marine Corps is often held up as the standard of esprit de corps, or the spirit of the unit.  What makes a Marine so different from other servicemen and women?  Certainly any member of the Armed Forces contributes something, but the mindset of a Marine is wholly different from the rest.  This is because Marines are not only taught to fight and kill, but they are taught the history of their beloved Corps.  They are taught about the spirit of those who came before and they have a pride instilled in them that spurs them on in situations that would break the average man.  They are part of a legacy, if you will, and every one of them believes forever after in the values and the standards of their Corps.  “Ex-Marine” is not something they say [as some even chafe at “former Marine”] , for they are Marines until the day they die.  Every piece of a Marine’s uniform is a symbol of a battle, a hard-earned day of reckoning—right down to the red “blood stripe” down the side of their dress trousers.  Everything has a meaning, and no recruit leaves boot camp without understanding the stories and the pride behind them.  They cultivate a mindset, and that training becomes the foundation for their endeavors both in and out of uniform, for the rest of their lives.

“So what?” you might answer.  “How does that help me here in my home, with my family, facing the whole End of the World As We Know It?”  Trust me when I tell you that you have far more in common with the United States Marines than you think—or at least, you should.

For those of us who call ourselves patriots, who love our nation and believe in the Constitution, prepping is not just setting up food stores in case of economic collapse.  It is not just putting escape plans in place in case of fire or tornado or flood.  For us, prepping also includes the solemn knowledge that we are in 1775 all over again.  Our freedoms are under attack.  Our government seeks to subjugate us under a socialist philosophy.  Our privacy is non-existent, and if the administration has its way, we will be disarmed very soon.  Stripped of our ability to defend ourselves, we will simply be sheep led to the slaughter, with no recourse, no way to save ourselves.  This is a sobering realization, for this knowledge brings with it another fact: We may be called upon to defend our freedoms in our streets, perhaps even in our homes.  The idea of morale, then, takes on a whole new meaning, for suddenly it is not just doing some stretches or playing cards by candlelight to “stay in a good mood.”  It is keeping that same frame of mind that allowed Marine Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly to rally his Marines in the darkest hour, screaming, “Come on! Do you want to live forever?”  It is the frame of mind that drove American fighting men through the mud and the gore of Iwo Jima, through 30 days of endless fighting.  It is the mindset that pushed thousands of wounded and starving Marines to survive Bataan. 

For us, morale begins with understanding that we have a history.  We are the descendants of Nathan Hale, of Patrick Henry and John Adams.  Our ancestors faced this same fight, and in their writings we see not only their humanity and their fear, but we also see their courage, and their steadfast belief in liberty.  We see their own willingness to do whatever was necessary to ensure they won this battle; even if they died, they would die free.  This, then, is the first step to building morale in your families and neighborhoods—understanding our history, and the legacy that we carry in our blood.  We should be teaching our children about our ancestors, and teaching them about who we come from and what was sacrificed on our behalf.

Secondly, morale comes from a core belief system.  Are we sheep?  Or are we the sons and daughters of liberty?  What do you believe in?  What is worth fighting for—or dying for?  When you’ve asked and answered these questions within yourself, there is a sense of confidence that stems from that self-awareness.  People who already know what they believe and how far they are willing to go in defense of that belief have a certain peace because the internal struggle about these things is no longer necessary.  They are free to move to action.  Corporal Jason Dunham did not have to stop and think about what he believed when the insurgent he was guarding attacked him and his men, dropping a live grenade on the ground.  Dunham did not need to stop and think about whether it was his job to protect his men, or whether he loved them enough to give himself for them.  He already knew the answers to these questions, and so he acted, shielding the grenade with his helmet—and his body.  He died eight days later…but his men are alive because of him, because he did not need to question his core beliefs during crisis.

There is a misconception that those who are willing to fight for liberty do not value life, or that they are eager for war.  This could not be further from the truth.  It is because we do value these things that we choose our path.  Please understand—I am not advocating that we all rush out and find a way to die for each other.  On the contrary: we are learning and preparing to survive.  But in order to survive, we must be willing to do what is necessary within the parameters of our moral code and belief system.  We only truly believe that which we are willing and able to defend.

Training is another critical piece of the morale puzzle.  Firefighters train constantly so that when they are inside an inferno, their mind can stay clear.  When you train, morale becomes easier to maintain because you have already prepared for the situation you find yourself in.  When you learn mental discipline, you can steel your mind against the emotions that we all possess, and get the job done.  We put flashlights and candles in strategic areas so that when the lights go out, we don’t have to hunt around for light.  We load rounds into magazines so that when we need them, they are already prepared.  In the same way, we must practice mental discipline so that when we are tested, we can remain strong—and keep the positive attitude that is so necessary.
Those of us who believe in the founding principles of this nation, who understand the purpose and the cost of liberty, know we have a target on our backs.  We have no illusions about what is coming.  But we prepare.  We learn.  We teach.  We persevere.  Because morale, at its core, is survival.

Who Shall Protect Us?, by Shepard Humphries

Imagine you and your family are asleep in your home and at 2am you hear a downstairs glass window breaking.  You hear voices laughing and cursing, saying that they are going to F-Up you and your family.  Based on the historical length of violent encounters, you know that this whole violent situation will likely be over in 1 to 3 minutes.

This is not a pleasant scenario, but I am setting the stage for you to do a mental exercise.  I will not give you solutions; rather you will.  As Gavin DeBecker describes in his must-read book, “The Gift of Fear” you already have within you much more knowledge than you might first think.  Join me as I lead you along a train of thought and as you consider my ideas, I ask that you challenge them, all of them; you are in charge.  From these ideas and your own, I challenge you to develop potential solutions.

Who Shall Protect Us? A professional team of warriors would be a good choice, perhaps a military Special Forces group, a team of private “security” contractors or perhaps your city’s SWAT team.  These men with their High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) gear, training and mentality would be an excellent choice.  They will happily respond if your situation warrants it; how close in distance and time do you think they are to your home?  Let’s assume they have just been executing search warrants and are all geared up, mobile and ready to go.  In another stroke of good luck, they are working only five minutes away from your home!  Yeah!  Let’s keep this as one of our options!

Another choice would be your local government law enforcement responders, a group of men and women that shoot an average of 200 qualification shots with their pistols each year, do not know what you or your family looks like, are not friends with your dog, have never been inside your home or studied its layout and are at least 2+ minutes away.  (Contact your local law enforcement agency and inquire about their average response time to emergencies, it is probably at least double what I assumed above.) 

Most of these nice folks have received between 20 and 160 hours of training on dealing with emergencies like yours, and 2% or so regularly practice martial arts, paintballing, shooting and tactical maneuvers; perhaps they will be the ones that respond.  These people will also collect evidence and write a report of what happened, including detailed descriptions of your family’s blood splatter patterns.  Consider how much time an average cop spends gathering evidence and writing reports compared to actively using their hands and tools to counter active and dynamic violence.  I do not aim to disparage cops, I do however suggest that we remove our romantic movie-based views of them and consider what their true capabilities are.

A third choice would be for you and your spouse to respond tactically to the situation.  What good can you do though?  You don’t have a police uniform or a star or shield to pin on your chest or access to criminal record checks.  You have not been to a 6-month police academy. What could you possibly do?  You are helpless, right?

Perhaps you are helpless, but I suggest that you are not.  I propose that if you and your spouse spend even an hour each week developing your skills, within one year, You will be the best of the three options above.  Depending on how much preparation you and yours are willing to do, this will require a lifestyle change. 

What kind of “training” can you do without a level 1-alpha security clearance?  What can you do to prepare?  Following are some suggestions, not all are necessary and the list can be as big as your imagination allows.  I suggest making all of these fun!  If you are having fun doing them, you are more likely to continue and will think of your training as fun recreation rather than a chore.

Take your spouse on a date to play paintball every few months!  Spending an hour learning from the school of hard balls to use concealment to observe and record in your subconscious your adversary’s movements and pre-motion indicators along with many other tactical skills will be of great value.

Take classes in hand-to-hand fighting.  It is prudent to evaluate your personality before beginning.  If you habitually start diets and don’t stick to them or join gyms on New Year’s Day with big plans for the year, then drop out by the end of January; perhaps you don’t have “ideal” self-discipline.  Yes, this is a weakness, and one that I share with you.  Until we fix this weakness, we should be realistic in our training.  Studying Taekwondo or Judo might not be the best option for a person lacking in discipline.  These take many years of dedicated study to turn one into a tough guy.  Mixed martial arts, boxing, and many other styles dispense with the “extras” and focus on fighting immediately.  Hiring a private tutor for a monthly or twice-monthly lesson who is an active or retired MMA fighter that is able to communicate well with you and your spouse and comprehends your goals might be an excellent option.  To be competent, you will absolutely need to practice on your own.

Watch some felony fights on YouTube and search for real street fighting videos.  These show how things really happen in a real fight.  Use these graphic and perhaps upsetting videos to make up your own scenarios, “What if I walk into a gas station and a drunk guy shoves me in my chest and I fly backwards and hit the store shelves, what could I do?”  If someone has your spouse in a headlock, what exactly would be a good way to respond?  Consider many scenarios and think about responses.

Learn the defensive tactics that cops and security personnel use.  If you have someone “proned out” at gunpoint and police are 20 minutes away, how should your spouse handcuff and search the man for weapons?  If you are alone and have someone proned out and police are nearby, should you approach them to handcuff them?  How do you put someone in a position of disadvantage to search them and handcuff them?

Investigate personal protection dogs.  Contact an expert like Ridgeback for advice on solutions for all budgets.  Dogs can serve not only as protectors in a fight, but more importantly can help prevent the fight from ever happening.

When you and your spouse dine out, select restaurants that allow you to “people watch.”  Come up with your own secret codes for evaluating people.  Perhaps “nice lady” means a person that a criminal would likely target for robbery, so when you see an affluent woman in furs with a thousand dollar purse walking with a slouch and ear buds in her ears you can say to your spouse, “She looks like a nice lady.”  Look for “victims” through the lens of a predator and look for predators with the lens of an astute observer.  Doing so will help you learn not to be a victim or appear to be potential one.

Read Terry Vaughan’s entertaining book on reading body language, “A Dad’s Guide to Screening Your Daughter’s Boyfriends.”  Read “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin DeBecker and “On Killing” or “On Combat” by David Grossman.  Play poker with friends or at local tournaments, focusing on improving your ability to read the subtle “tells” of others.  This important skill set can help keep you safe.

Find local IDPA and USPA matches and compete frequently.  While the stress of a timer and a handful of observers does not exactly replicate the stress of a home invasion robbery, it is a good substitute.  Be humble at these matches and identify the nice folks that shoot well.  Ask them to watch you and give you tips.

Find a good shooting instructor and learn some basics of tactical shooting.  Be careful in selecting an instructor, of the more than 100,000 instructors in the US, few are “excellent.”  3 Hours of private instruction with Gabe Suarez, Clint Smith or another Top-25 Shooting Instructor will cost the same as a 40-hour class at a certificate-mill academy, but some believe that you get more bang for your buck.  Admittedly, I am biased, and do agree.  J

Use your local instructor for a 1 or 2 hour tune-up every few months, and if your budget allows, use your shooting instructor much like a personal trainer in a gym.  They will be able to guide you through great drills and help ensure that you are doing things properly.

Visit your local shooting range and practice shooting as much as possible.  Buy a Dillon reloading machine to make this practice much less expensive.  Set a goal of 500 or 1,000 or 4,000 rounds per month of practice. 

Dry practice at home!  You can practice the most important fundamentals without live ammo.  Your draw stroke, front sight focus and trigger press can be practiced safely thousands of times.  Many Top 25 instructors suggest that 90% of one’s practice be dry practice.

Take the NRA’s Personal Protection Inside the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home or other similar courses. 

Practice safety drills with your family.  Make this a fun exercise and include your children.  Make your practice age appropriate, but I suggest you push the envelope to make it as realistic as possible as you and your family play your, “Defending Our Castle” game.  Does everyone know where the safe room is?  Does everyone know the 4 keys to punch to call 911 on your cell phones?  What other tactics are appropriate to teach and practice?  Perhaps you might also play a game rehearsing roles of each family member if you witness a serious vehicle collision right in front of you or if your house catches fire.  It is important not to frighten your family into thinking that a violent threat is imminent.  

If you have a friend that is a cop, go over scenarios with them, keeping in mind that your goals are not identical.  Good cops will happily share tactics with you if you are a normal peaceful person.  If you have a friend that just returned from a war zone and has experience performing violent home invasions, ask them to help with your defensive plan.

Play a sport at least twice-monthly that requires fast reading of your opponent’s body movements.  Basketball, boxing, soccer and many other sports will help you not only in understanding and predicting body movements in others but are also a great way to stay fit.

Send a Christmas card to the patrol division of your local law enforcement station, they will probably put it on their bulletin board.  Have it include a picture of you and your family in front of your home with the caption, “Happy Holidays from the Doe family at 1234 Elm Street.”

Build a few gear bags or gear vests.  If you shoot one intruder and the other is being held at gunpoint by your spouse, do you have a way of securing the intruder with handcuffs, zip ties or duct tape?  Would a flashlight and maybe your old cell phone (charged) be handy?  (Remember, cell phones without active plans still work for 911.)  What else should be in the bag?  Pepper spray, an extra car key, a key to your neighbor’s house…?

Evaluate your neighbor’s mentality and coordinate with them appropriately.  If they have their heads buried deeply in the sand, at least hint that if anyone ever starts a neighborhood watch program, your family would enjoy being involved.  If they are more savvy and trusted, perhaps they would allow you to hide a laminated simple floor plan of your house in the middle of a magazine hidden on their property.  Might you do the same for them?  Might this be of use to a responding cop, “There is a floor plan of our house under the South end of the camper shell at 1254 Elm Street.”

Learn about use of force standards and relevant laws.  Recognize that you will be sued if you ever shoot someone, even if you were absolutely justified in doing so.  Recognize that it will cost tens of thousands of dollars for you to “win” and get rid of the ridiculous lawsuit.  Consider that you are not only morally better off, but also financially better off if you can solve problems peacefully without seriously harming anyone.

Multi-tasking practice is a great way to improve your skills.  Why not practice your draw stroke while sitting on the toilet, and perhaps throw a few punches and do a few parries.  Each time you walk through your house alone, pretend a bad guy is playing hide and seek and is hidden somewhere.  Use your imagination to develop drills, perhaps connecting them to tasks that you will do anyway.  Perhaps each time you urinate you practice American Kenpo inward and outward blocks five times.  While brushing your teeth with your strong hand, practice eye gouging moves with your weak hand.  What else?
 
I hope the above ideas have helped get your brain wheels get turning.  I hope you have already decided that some of the ideas are really dumb and are not right for you and yours.  I also hope some of the ideas will serve as a foundation on which you can improve and implement.  Every single idea has pros and cons, and it is up to you to weigh them.  I will make the bold and controversial suggestion that if you train better than cops and know your equipment, know your home and your family better than cops, that you are pretty darn capable!

Objections?  I promise that if you show this article to a police officer friend, they will advise that most of it is ridiculous and that you should not try to “play cop” and handcuff and search people; after all you are not as highly trained and practiced as they are, are you?  They will likely advise that you plan to call 911 and let the professionals do their job.

I will not argue with those that disagree, I was once a cop and would have taken their side knowing what I knew then.  I still recommend that one of your first steps in a violent emergency should be to call “911 SEND!”  My suggestion is not that you eliminate government law enforcement’s response, I only suggest that you prepare to handle the situation until the cops arrive.

About The Author: Shepard Humphries is a former Police Officer, having served in Investigations, Patrol and SWAT as a sniper team leader. Shepard resides in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where he operates several small businesses including an executive protection and security consultation firm and two firearms related businesses, the Jackson Hole Shooting Experience  and Counter Violence Institute. He provides shooting instruction, consultation and public speaking services in Jackson and elsewhere.

Economics and Investing:

From SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate G.G.: U.S. Mint’s Silver Coin Sales Hit Record High

Jim Rickards: Gold: Declining Prices Versus Skyrocketing Demand

Items from The Economatrix:

Going Under: Over One Million Lose Unemployment Benefits – Will Hit Five Million By End of 2014

Comparing The Inflated Cost Of Living Today From 1938 to 2013: How The US Dollar Has Lost Incredible Purchasing Power Since 1938

“The Biggest Redistribution Of Wealth From The Middle Class And Poor To The Rich Ever” Explained…

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Pierre M. sent: Break Up: Will California splinter into six states? Voters, Congress could soon decide. [JWR’s Comments: Looking at the way their proposed state lines are drawn, it would appear that three of the new states would be libertarian/conservative while the other three would be statist/liberal. California’s present two senate seats are currently held by ultra-liberals. They would be succeeded by 12 senators — and presumably that would mean six libertarians/conservatives and six statists/liberals.] While the plan might seem like giving inordinate political power to the populace of what is now the single state of California, this fragmentation would very likely pave the way for the eventual partition of many other states. These might include: Western New York, Northern Arizona, Northern Wisconsin, Northern Minnesota, Northern Michigan, Southern Ohio, Northern Pennsylvania, Northern Colorado, Northern Nevada, Eastern Oregon, and Eastern Washington–most of which are more conservative and freedom-loving than their parent states. All in all, I’d call this a Redoubtable proposal.

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How Many Constitutional Rights Have Americans Lost? (Thanks to Brian H. for the link.)

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T.P. suggested this amazing story: From USA to South America on a 250cc Motorcycle

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R.B.S. spotted this: European Commission To Ban Heirloom Seeds and Criminalize Plants and Seeds Not Registered With Government

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Camping Survival has launched a new Canned Foods section, with very competitive prices.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The majority of Americans get their news and information about what is going on with their government from entities that are licensed by and subject to punishment at the hands of that very government." – Neal Boortz

Notes from JWR:

For those who are waiting, be advised that the updated and expanded SurvivalBlog 2005-2013 Archive DVD should be available for ordering before the end of January. It will include even more bonus content than previous editions.

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Today is the birthday of several notables: Senator Rand Paul (born 1963), Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003), and Bent Faurschou-Hviid (born 1921, died October 18, 1944.) “The Flame” was a red-haired Danish resistance fighter in the Holger Danske Group during World War II. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron.

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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.

Building Your Own No-FFL AR From an 80% Complete Receiver, by Nomad

We live in very uncertain times. For some people, myself included, those times of uncertainty include anything from some financial hardship, to total economic ruin. In knowing this simple truth, I am inspired to share my knowledge and expertise concerning firearms preparedness: in particular, the AR-15 platform and a truly inexpensive option to owning one that is on-par with buying a much less versatile bolt-action rifle.

For many of us struggling to make ends meet, an entry-level AR-15 is priced far beyond anything we can hope to afford. Starting at around $800 before background checks, taxes and licensing fees, the total might as well be a million dollars. Add to that the burdening need to oftentimes add some type of reliable optic or sighting system that many entry-level rifles do not include, and most of us are priced right out of the building.

Of course, the Saiga AK74 clone, chambered in 5.56×45 NATO, starting at around $675 , is the more attractive financial option at first blush. But again, taxes, background checks and licensing fees will still put you well in excess of $800. Further, this entry-level rifle’s supplied magazine is limited to ten rounds, with the inferior thirty round magazines from ProMag costing an average of $10 than Magpul’s thirty round PMag for the AR-15. And believe me, if you have ever compared the two, there really is no comparison! So in the end, you are not saving very much money, if any at all, by opting for an inferior Saiga rifle.

So, where do the desperate and perhaps even destitute turn? We know that the engineered financial collapse is starting to really rear its ugly head and unravel before our very eyes, false flag events are coming in rapid-fire succession, and we are desperate to protect our families and ourselves.

Years ago, I would have been terrified. Today though, I do have the answer…

First, before you start on the path I am going to recommend, please check your state and local laws! I cannot begin stress just how important it is that you do so! It will be very difficult to protect your family if you are behind bars. Research and informed decisions will save you a potential felonious headache. So act accordingly, responsibly and proceed at your own risk.

And though I will recommend companies and products by name, I do so not because I am trying to receive free stuff from them, but because I own and trust their reliability with the lives of myself and the lives of my family. I would not mention them if I felt for even a moment that the following products would fail you or yours! And since survival is key to our way of life, and every human life is precious to me, I would much rather point you directly to products that just flat-out work, as opposed to some generic brand that may fail you at the penultimate moment.

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The Gun Control Act of 1968 classified the frame, receiver, or lower receiver of any gun — be it handgun, rifle or shotgun — to be the actual “firearm”. It is that portion of any store-bought gun that requires a serial number for registration. The only way around that law, and the BATFE offers clear language on their web site to prove my claim, has been to manufacture your own frames and lower receivers for personal use. Those of us with small machine shops and a machining background have been doing so, legally, for years, but it required extensive knowledge and very expensive equipment.

But now there are 80% complete AR-15 lower receivers…

Traditionally, these lower receivers were 80% complete aluminum castings or forgings that required jigs, a milling machine, a drill press, sometimes a lathe, and perhaps anodizing or painting to complete. If you did not have the aforementioned equipment on hand already, the entire process would have you paying more for a finished entry-level rifle than you would otherwise pay by going through any FFL dealer. The only real benefits were the pride you took in seeing your own creation putting bullets on paper or into game animals, and the anonymity that goes along with not having to register your manufactured firearm.

These days, however, technology has given us the option to go with a jig-less design 80% lower receiver made of polymer over the traditional aluminum, and a set of hand tools that, if you do not have them on hand already, will run you about $75 . That set of tools includes a $10 rotary tool kit that can be purchased from Harbor Freight tools, a $20 3/8” hand drill — also easily purchased at Harbor Freight — a small $25 bench vise from Harbor Freight; a few drill bits and the bur bit needed for fire control pocket shaping.

Honestly speaking, I’m a skeptic by nature, so I have to admit that I balked at polymer lower receivers at first. Why on earth should I choose what I had deemed to be an inferior plastic material over an aluminum casting, when I already had a very nice milling machine, lathe, drill press and the ability to anodize my own aluminum at home? With my equipment, completing aluminum AR-15 and AR-10 lower receivers has always been a cinch. And with a new jig and an 80% aluminum lower averaging out to what I considered to be a very reasonable $175 , why would I even consider switching from a time-tested method?

Well, what made me change my opinion toward polymer was not just its jig-less $65 price tag. True, saving $110 is certainly appealing, but if for instance the buffer tube broke off of the lower, I would have nothing but a piece of busted and worthless junk in my hands.

No, what made my thoughts about them radically change was after watching a torture test video featuring a polymer lower receiver versus aluminum. I gotta tell you, I was impressed! Not only did the polymer variant match its aluminum counterpart in tensile strength and rugged durability, it actually outperformed it. And with the cost of that jig-less polymer lower being the $65 I just spoke of, out the door and delivered to your door, not to mention the light-weight design and extreme ease of the machining process, the transition was an easy one for me to make.

Which brings us to the available options of jig-less polymer lower receivers, of which there are currently two that I can personally vouch for, each costing $65 before shipping: the Poly80, available at poly80.com, and the EP80, available at EPArmory.com. I have personally completed both designs. The finish on both of them is excellent, and they function flawlessly. There really is not much difference to speak of between them and they are both a superior option to any aluminum design AR receiver on the market.

Moving on to the completion phase…

Completing one of these lower receivers is really as simple as removing the white plastic from the fire control pocket, smoothing the ridges to blend with the walls; drilling a 5/32” hole for the trigger and hammer pins; and drilling a 3/8” hole for the safety selector switch. Lastly, widening the trigger slot by 1/4” toward the front and a 1/4” to the rear of the lower receiver to match the trigger base is all that is needed to have a stripped lower receiver, ready for assembly.

Should you have questions or doubts, many Youtube videos are available that will give the layperson key visual completion instructions and tips to seeing the project successfully through. So if you are inexperienced, watching a few of them will certainly help ensure that your finished lower looks professional and performs flawlessly. If you just remember to take your time, you will not only likely enjoy the project, you will also take pride in seeing its completion through to actual service.

I would be remiss if I failed to add that a drill press will aid in drilling the hammer, trigger and safety selector holes straight, but by using an inexpensive level — which almost every hand drill of today already has embedded above the trigger grip, saving you a couple of bucks — a hand drill will more than suffice if you are steady and patient.

(As a side note, I strongly recommend getting a set of number and letter stamps, which can also be purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for an additional $10 , to stamp your own serial number on the completed lower. Though the BATFE does not require a serial number on personally manufactured firearms, some police officers are ignorant to this simple fact. Should such an officer demand to inspect your rifle, you can avoid a whole heap of inconvenience and awkward questions with the simple expedient of adding a serial number. Trust me, I have been there! So this is your chance to learn from my mistakes.)

Now that you have a completed and anonymous lower, the only thing left to do is to select a carbine or rifle kit. Palmetto State Armory (PSA), DPMS, CMMG, J&T Distributing, Del-Ton, and a whole host of other companies have good quality entry-level parts kits available. Naturally, some are more expensive and of marginally better design.

But since we are pinching pennies, every ounce of copper is at a premium, and reliable function is of paramount importance, I strongly recommend going with Del-Ton. I own Del-Tons, and not only would I stack them up against any rifle kit on the market, I would and have stacked them up against much more expensive rigs and handily outperformed a number of them. And since Del-Ton is one of the least expensive and best designed kits of the list of quality options, it is a no-brainer as far as I am concerned.

The fit and finish of Del-Ton’s kits are outstanding, and the form and function is no-nonsense and flawless. The upper receivers are already fully assembled and head-spaced. The lower parts kits include quality components. The buttstock and buffer tube are mil-spec and snug-fitting.

If you are looking for an excellent and very inexpensive option for a rifle that can not only feed your family should the need arise, but surely defend the lives of you and your family, you really need look further than del-ton.com! I do not work for Del-Ton, I just recognize rugged quality when I see it and am not afraid to advocate for it…

(Another side note: Del-Ton currently has a 4-6 week lead time on their rifle and carbine kits, with some of them being currently out of stock. But trust me, their price and quality are definitely worth the wait.)

Now, the only addition we need to make to have a very serviceable rifle or carbine is an AR-15 multi-tool to assemble your chosen rifle or carbine kit — Tapco features one on Amazon.com for around $10 — and the addition of a removable rear sight or carry handle.

As far as the rear sight goes, E-Bay has many flip-up and carry handle options for under $20 every day of the week. But be warned: some of the rear sight solutions on eBay are very cheap, flimsy, and will not take a whole lot of abuse, so upgrading to a Magpul M-BUIS rear sight for another $30 is something I think you should strongly consider, if you can find the extra cash in your budget. If you simply cannot spare the extra $30, the [mainland Chinese-made] NCStar flip-up is less expensive and suitable alternative at an average price of $25, compared to the $50 Magpul sight.

(Note: If you are unsure about assembling your rifle, Youtube is again your friend, with a countless array of instructional and how-to videos. It really is a very straightforward process and valuable knowledge can be gained by watching them if you lack AR-15 experience).

So for a quick recap: we have spent about $75 on tools and drill bits, if you did not have any one of them before, $480 on a base-model Del-Ton rifle or carbine kit; $65 on an EP Armory 80% lower receiver; $12 dollars on a Magpul 30 round PMag magazine; $20 for a rear sight and $10 for an AR-15 multi-tool. This brings the grand total to $662.

Keep in mind that your $662 is for a complete rifle that also guarantees your anonymity by avoiding tedious, expensive and unnecessary background checks. In addition, should the illegal violations of our Second Amendment rights through gun registration and confiscation continue to spread from Connecticut, California and New York, you will be completely — and legally — under the radar. Remember to thoroughly research your state and local laws!

I know that almost $700 is a heck of a stretch for folks struggling to just put food on the table in these wickedly uncertain economic times, believe me I do. But if you value your lives and the way you and your family live those lives, it is something that everyone should try to fit into their survival budget. You have to ask yourself not if you can afford to take the plunge, but whether or not you can really afford not to…

Letter Re: Diabetics in Disaster

Mr Rawles,
I read Meir L.’s “Diabetics in Disaster,” and I found the post very thorough and informative. I just wanted to add a few tips:
1) Cinnamon and Cranberries are a natural way to lower your blood sugar level. Additionally, there is an over the counter supplement called Cinnergen that is a mix of the two in a liquid form.
2) Remember artificial sweetener. Coffee and tea can be bitter and undrinkable without sugar. Also, growing sorghum is a great alternative to sugar, and it can be replaced after the SHTF. Read more at The Mother Earth News and WikiHow.
3) Insulin dependent families should maintain a schedule even after TEOTWAWKI, because going to long without insulin or giving too much insulin can become a disaster without a doctor or EMT around. So make sure to practice a prep before these things can happen.
4) Since diabetics have to watch carbs, a diabetic prepper’s food will be different than a regular prepper’s. Plan on eating more protein (beef jerky, canned meats, cheese), and less carbs (potatoes, pasta, rice). Also, many protein filled foods also have a lot of carbs (think:beans), so make sure to plan your diet.

– Michael L.

News From The American Redoubt:

I heard about a company in Rexburg, Idaho with a clever spin on working around magazine capacity restrictions: Maghack.com. (Note: Folks who live in self-defense oppressed states should consult their state and local before ordering.)

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Meanwhile, in Wyoming, the law of averages catches up with them: Woman shot at Lowe’s after gun drops from holster. (Or at least, that was their story…)

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Idaho’s version of “reindeer” more elusive than ever

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New Year Likely To Bring More ‘Megaload’ Fights

Economics and Investing:

The latest video from Peter Schiff: We Have A Phony Economic Recovery

More hilarious commentary from Richard Daughty: Cosmically Timeless Mogambo Monetary And Investment Wisdom (CTMMAIW)

H.L. sent: Portugal’s Baby Bust Is A Stark Sign Of Hard Times

Items from The Economatrix:

How Will The Economy Improve In 2014 If Almost Everyone Has Less Money To Spend?

The Great Income Divide: IRS Data Shows 50 Percent Of Households Make Less Than $35,000 Per Year. Top 10 Percent Pay 68 Percent Of Income Taxes.

Market Crash In the Works: “A Canary May Have Just Keeled Over”