Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“At the beginning of a 4th Generation civil war, everybody starts with a finite amount of ammunition. The ones who never run out are those who make every round count and thus are able to forage out the ammo pouches of the dead men who didn’t. That’s why marksmanship training matters.” – Mike Vanderboegh, Sipsey Street Irregulars, October 11, 2012

Notes from JWR:

December 13th is the birthday of Sergeant Alvin York. He was quite a guy.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Caring for the Chronically Ill Family Member in a Disaster, by Rebecca H.

Caring for a chronically ill family member takes an emotional and physical toll on the caregiver. Compound this in a time of disaster, civil unrest, social and economic collapse and you might feel there is no chance for survival. I cannot say that. There might be insurmountable odds against a seriously ill family member living in harsh conditions for very long, but it is my goal as a caregiver to ensure I have the tools and knowledge to keep that family member as comfortable; physically, emotionally and spiritually as I can.

As the wife of a recent kidney transplant recipient, I am familiar with all aspects of his care, before transplant while he was on dialysis and now, with a severe regimen of anti- rejection drugs. I have researched and found very little information on varied “prepping” sites as to what to do for those family members that may require medical devices that require electricity, medications that prolong life, such as anti-rejection, anti- viral, chemo, asthma to name a few. These medications are usually very expensive, and generics are few. No doctor will allow you to stockpile these. I have tried. You may only be able to obtain a 3 month supply at best. So you might have a generator to run the dialysis machine, but when the supply chain that brings the boxes of dialysis fluid breaks down, you won’t be able to make it in your kitchen. What do you do when the medications run out, or the nebulizer canisters stop coming in the mail?

How do you prepare yourself and your loved one for the inevitable outcome? Depending on the condition your loved one suffers from, I surmise most people will try to stretch out certain medications in a disaster scenario, such as blood pressure meds, if the ill family member is not exerting themselves. My plan for my husband is to keep him comfortable and hydrated, occupied with low impact activities to keep his blood pressure down when we run out of his meds. There is not much I can do for his anti-rejection drugs other than halve the dose so they last longer. The key is to keep normalcy and good attitude combined with communication. Speaking with your ill loved one and making the care plan together. They might not want to alter the medication schedule, and may just want to abandon it all together. They might not want to be a burden, or might want to face the inevitable head on. They might want to survive at all cost. It is crucial to your survival that you face all outcomes and discuss these with your loved one in detail. Having a Medical Power of Attorney, with a Healthcare Directive in place makes sure that your decisions, directives, and care plan will be followed if the loved one is cared for outside the home in this type of scenario.

It is beyond the scope of many people’s thoughts of having to watch a family member deteriorate in the absence of medical care or medications. In a SHTF scenario, many will be experiencing the same anguish. Many will lose family members quickly, some will watch over a protracted time frame, a loved one wasting away. What you can do in that time frame, is mentally prepare yourself and your loved one for a dignified and comfortable passing.

What my husband and I have decided on, is to allow the meds to run out, treat the symptoms of kidney failure as they come, and live as normally as we can, given the variables that we are faced with. I have come to terms as has he that he will not survive without the drugs. I have always been the stronger, optimistic one, he is my beloved pessimist. Knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses helps you realistically view your action plan and implement it together. I have stocked up on several of his favorite foods, a warm and inviting bedroom with books and a view of our yard and chickens, a photo album, and will surround him with the best attitude I can.

“But who cares for the caregiver?” That is a crucial point. You may be blessed with a large family that can offer help and respite. You may find yourself in a small group banded together to increase your chances of survival, or you may find yourselves isolated with the ill family member. It is your responsibility to maintain the wishes and directives of the ill person to the rest of the group or family. It is up to you as the caregiver to eat, sleep, hydrate, and keep healthy before you can even begin to take care of a chronically ill family member on a daily basis let alone in a disaster. The stresses are numerous, as is the often precarious mental state you can find yourself in if you allow yourself to be run ragged. I always make a feasible list of the daily tasks I need to accomplish. In a SHTF scenario, daily life will most likely end up with an abbreviated list. Food, shelter, water, protection. Daily life in a SHTF world will make that small list 100% harder. Imagine having to start a fire to bake bread, removing waste from your living area, skinning game, chopping wood, pumping water, and bathing your ill family member, all before a cup of coffee in the morning. Imagine having to guard your perimeter from looters, day and night, and making sure your ill loved one eats, or has help with the most basic tasks. I would have to do all of this myself, as my husband is also severely sight impaired.  I am prepared to ask, or barter for help when I need it. I would not be serving myself or my husband if I tried to do everything myself.

I have a vast supply of medical and first aid items from the years of dialysis that I intend to donate or barter should the occasion arise. I also have skills in herbal remedies. My skill set as a caregiver insures my worth in a group. What skill sets do you have that may help you survive in such a scenario? If you haven’t thought about what you’d need to do in this type of situation, or might end up being the one to care for a chronically ill person, it would be of great benefit to take a CPR and First Aid class, or invest in an EMT used textbook. Learn as much as you can about the condition your loved one has, so you are better equipped to handle it. Read about hospice, and yes, read about dying. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote a wonderful book titled On Death and Dying. I suggest it to anyone caring for the chronically ill. Having some foundation to act on will make the journey you and your loved one face together less of a surprise. Ask your health provider about your condition, in the instance of a disaster much like Hurricane Sandy, what will happen. What is the worst case scenario? What kind of symptoms can I expect as my condition worsens? What can I discuss with my spouse or family to make it easier to care for me? Of course, you will be reassured that nothing like that will happen, but at the risk of sounding like a tin foil hat-wearing Doomsday Prepper, a few innocent questions soon after an extremely damaging natural disaster would not seem that out of place.

I cannot place enough emphasis on having a positive mental outlook in the face of illness. In a SHTF world things will look bleak, and you might not want to go on. As a chronically ill person, you might not want to be a burden. You might even think about taking your own life in this type of situation, fearful of succumbing to your condition. This is a time to talk to your family or spouse, or group. Everyone deserves to enter and depart this world with dignity. It is up to the individual, family, spouse and the faith they hold to sustain them in survival. I have no doubt that somewhere there will be drugs that can be bartered or stockpiled that in a large enough dose could end a loved one’s suffering. Although I don’t condone that as a solution, I know that that could and would happen possibly on a larger scale than would be spoken about. I don’t think anyone who has not experienced a loved one’s death can truly say what they would do. It is a deep and personal choice that must be made with compassion, communication and love. It is our duty as families, spouses, communities to make sure that the chronically ill in our homes and neighborhoods are cared for to the best of our abilities, and offered safe and comfortable departures when they pass.

Two Letters Re: Survival Bikes

Mr. JWR:
A suggestion for the old bike tubes when they need to be replaced; cut out the stem and slit them along the inside of the tube curve, all the way around.  Lay it inside the wheel and nestle the new tube inside it.  You now have an additional rubber layer between the new tube and the puncture threats of the road. – Adventane

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I have “lurked” for several months on your site and have learned a great deal from it. Regarding Banjo’s article about survival bikes, he did not mention these solid rubber inner tubes, like these:

Bell No-Mor Flats Bike Inner Tube, 26-x 1.75-Inch to 1.95-Inch

They are available at Wal-Mart online and I have found them in store locally. They should be available at good bike specialty shops as well. I have used them on my garage sale purchase mountain bike for the last 5 or 6 years.

They take a good bit of effort to install but follow the instructions and use a plastic bike “tire iron” and they will pop right on.
I learned of them from a now deceased friend who rode in an area of very abrasive sandy soil which “ate” regular inflatable tubes. He swore by them and he was right. Check them out.
I hope some of your readers find this of use. – John from Texas

JWR Replies: Foam-filled tires and solid rubber tires have been previously discussed in SurvivalBlog. They do indeed have some utility, particularly in situations where you don’t have access to a bike shop. (For example because of living in a remote location or because of economic disruption.) However, the rolling resistance of these tires is high. This makes riding tiresome, especially over long distances. So my advice is yes, do buy a pair of them, but put them on a spare set of rims. That way your can switch back and forth, and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Economics and Investing:

Bernanke’s Eternal ZIRP of Bliss: Fed Says It Will Keep Key Interest Rate Near Zero Until Jobs Come Back. [JWR’s Comment: That may be the goal, but if Uncle Sugar keeps on prodigiously buying its own bonds, then the global market may have other ideas about the direction of American interest rates.]

And QE-4-Ever: The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced that it will launch a fourth round of quantitative easing (“QE4”)

Foodstamps Soar By Most In 16 Months: Over 1 Million Americans Enter Poverty In Last Two Months

Items from The Economatrix:

Startling Look At US Job Demographics By Age

The Fed Is Killing The US Economy

Homebuilders Boom As Lending Masks Uneven US Recovery

US Real Hourly Wages And Hours Worked Analysis

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Adam B. mentioned that the dramatic difference in population density between the eastern and western United States is apparent in this new NASA satellite photo montage. The American Redoubt is largely a dark patch in this photo, which is a good thing. On a similar note, reader Will G. mentioned this zoomable map: NightlightMap.com.

   o o o

Ken B. suggested this article: Thinking about backyard poultry?

   o o o

Reader G.K.C. set a link to a video clip of Senator Durbin (Democrat of Illinois and Senate Majority Whip) recorded last summer wherein he confuses the Right to Keep and Bear Arms with the right to hunt. JWR’s Comment: This requires some clarification. The Second Amendment is about protecting your right to go deer hunting the same way that the First Amendment is about protecting your right to publish poetry.

   o o o

M.O.B. sent: Apple Maps Fail Almost Deadly for Several in Australia

   o o o

Words from the wise, in a recent Charles Carroll Society podcast: How I Found my Redoubt Land. Never buy land sight unseen! (And BTW, Palouse is pronounced: “Puhl-loose.”)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“True, you still have butch T-shirts – ‘Don’t Tread On Me,’ ‘These Colors Don’t Run’ … In my own state, where the Democrats ran the board on Election Night, the ‘Live Free Or Die’ license plates look very nice when you see them all lined up in the parking lot of the Social Security office. But, in their view of the state and its largesse, there’s nothing very exceptional about Americans, except that they’re the last to get with the program…” – Mark Steyn

Notes from JWR:

For just today (12/12/12) Camping Survival is giving away a free 50-foot hank of paracord with each order.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Your Ultimate Survival Binder, by Mia M.

  Most of us are aware that the world is full of “WHAT Ifs.”
  “What if… my house catches fire, and I have to get out quickly?”
  “What if… my purse or wallet is stolen?”
  “What if… my family is separated, and I need help finding them?”
 
One of the most useful items in a well-prepared survivalist’s inventory can help in almost any disaster scenario… and is simple and inexpensive to acquire. We call ours the “Bug-Out Binder,” but you can give yours any name you choose. The best part of an Emergency Binder is that it is completely customizable, and easy to assemble.
 
  We started out by purchasing the following items:
1. A ziploc, cloth-covered, three ring binder. Ours has four interior files, an interior pocket, several exterior pockets and pouches, and a “headphone access” slit. We bought our binder for $13.00 at a popular department store, but prices range from $9-$20.

2. Two packs of 8-count tabbed dividers (These came from the local dollar store). You may need more, or less, depending on how many sections you want to include.

3. Two three-packs of waterproof, zip seal document covers (These also came from the local dollar store).

4. A pack of the binder inserts that hold baseball cards (you will probably only use a couple).

5. A printer, paper, and a hole-punch. Alternatively, you can use notebook paper, if you are willing to do your note taking by hand.

  Once you have gathered the necessary items, you are ready to start putting your binder together.
  Step one: Decide, on a piece of notepaper, what categories you wish to use to organize your binder. Make your list. Afterwards, reread it. You may find that some of your categories can be put together. Others may be too expansive, and you might want to separate those into individual sections. Underneath each category, you may wish to jot notes on the types of subjects each category may cover.
  As an example, here are the sections we chose to include in our binder, with examples of the contents of each one:
  The first section is dedicated to our home files.

1. PRIORITY-
Emergency contact numbers (including work, school, neighbors, poison control, gas leak hotline, power outage hotline, and so on)
Family emergency plans
Shut-off instructions for utilities
Operating/maintenance directions for well pump, generator, back-up heaters and oil lamps, etc.
Wallet contents, with bank and insurance information and contact numbers

2. STOCKED FOOD-
Inventories for pantry, freezers, icehouse/root cellar, and food stockrooms (with exp. dates)
Shelf life/Expiration chart for food items
Dietary guidelines
Recipes/Menu
Shopping list

3. STOCKED NONFOOD-
Inventory of first aid supplies, by location (with expiration dates of medicines)
Inventory of hygiene supplies
Inventory of firearms and ammo, cleaning supplies, and repair supplies
Inventory of tools and gear, by location
Contents lists for EDC, BOBs, INCH bags, etc.
Shopping list

4. GARDEN-
Planting and harvesting charts
Propagation and seed collection/storage
Preservation guidelines (canning, freezing, drying/dehydrating, etc.)
Yield guides and conversion charts

5. HERBS-
Planting and harvesting charts
Propagation and seed collection/storage
Preservation (drying/dehydrating, oils, freezing, etc.)
Culinary/medical/personal care usages, dosages, indications
Recipes for teas, tisanes, salves, etc.

6. POULTRY/LIVESTOCK-
(sorted by type of animal)
Care guides… feeding, breeding, shelter, etc.
Recognizing/treating injuries and ailments
Charts for each animal (birth date, health history, breeding record, date and cause of death OR slaughter date and yield)

7. HOME-
Maps of each room, indicating measurements of room, windows, doors… location of outlets/plugs/vents… fabric and paint swatches
Maintenance/repair records
Fuse/Circuit Breaker box chart
Cleaning supply inventory
List of various info (like the bag and belt sizes for the vacuum, household chore lists…daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal/annual, etc.)
Directions for completing common housecleaning chores, without electricity/running water
Cleaning supply recipes
Stain removal guide
Inventory list of all valuables, with serial numbers, etc.

8. VEHICLE-
Maintenance records
Info on replacement parts (bulb sizes, tire sizes, etc.)
Fuse chart
Auto emergency kit inventory, and expiration dates of any perishable items

The second section is more "survival-oriented." It includes:
1. FIRST AID-
First aid guide (with emergency pages on neon paper)
Dental guide

2. SHELTER-
Several shelter types
"Camping furniture" instructions

3. WATER-
Collecting
Purifying and filtering
Storing/transporting

4. FIRE-
Firestarting (several methods)
Burn index of wood types
Tinder chart

5. HUNTING/TRAPPING-
Tracking
Traps and snares
Processing meat
Preserving meat
Tanning hides/fur
Other uses for body parts (bones, organs, etc.)

6. FISHING-
Bait suggestions and recipes
Water temperature chart for various fish
Fishing knots
Making flies/lures
Line fishing tips
Fly fishing tips
Other fishing tips (nets, fish traps, etc.)
Cleaning and preserving fish

7. FORAGING-
Plant identification and usage guide
Mushroom identification guide
Tree identification and usage guide

8. NAVIGATION-
Compass and map
Celestial
Other

9. WEATHER-
Cloud reading
Weather prediction guide
Cold weather survival
Hot weather survival
Storm/flood survival

10. CORDAGE AND KNOTS
Tensile chart
Making cordage
Tying knots and lashes

11. CRAFTING
Weaving (basketry, etc.)
Pottery
Woodcraft
Blacksmithing/metallurgy
Clothing patterns, sewing stitches
Leathercrafting
Crochet stitch guide

12. TOOLS AND WEAPONS-
Firearm manuals
Making primitive tools
Ax, knife, archery, and sling manuals

13. COOKING-
Constructing ovens, stoves, etc.
Recipes

14. SIGNALS/SIGNS-
Glossaries of codes, signals, etc. (Morse, phonetic alphabets, and such)
Trailblazing

15. HYGIENE-
Soapmaking and saponin chart
Basic hygiene (latrines, bathing/showers, dishwashing, laundry, etc.)
Recipes for toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, etc.
Lice treatment
Communicable disease prevention
Trash and sewage disposal
Burial/cremation

16. SELF-DEFENSE-
Evasion techniques
Hand-to-hand combat
Caching

  Some of these categories may not be practical for your particular plans. Eliminate those, or replace them with topics that suit you and your lifestyle better. Some suggestions might be Pets (Pet supply inventory, pet care routines, pet food recipes, first aid and medicine, etc.), Childcare (Activity ideas, baby food recipes, infant supply inventory, home schooling curriculum outlines), Religious (favorite Bible verses, prayer journal), Sewing (patterns, fabric charts, techniques), Internet (favorite web sites, user names and passwords, Microsoft and Windows certificate numbers), or anything else you find suitable.

Step two: Label each of your dividers, according to the topics you want to include (and in the order you wish to include them).

Step three: Now, it’s time to compile your information.
  For the home sections, this will include taking inventory of supplies, measuring rooms, noting what each of the circuits in your house and vehicle fuse boxes operates, copying contact numbers, listing family emergency plans, documenting the numbers of bank accounts and insurance policies (as well as contact numbers, in case the cards are stolen or a claim needs to be filed), writing down the locations of utility shutoffs (and how to shut each off),documenting the identifying information for household valuables (for instance, the Makes, models, and serial numbers for electronic goods… plus the date of purchase, store, and cost), guidelines for household chores, and so forth.
  You may want to print off copies of  food storage guideline pages, stain charts, and so forth, to finish this section of the binder.

Step four: For the “survival section,” remember that most articles and books on these subjects contain information you may already know, or that is repetitive of other articles, or paragraphs that are better placed in a separate category. If you include all of the material you compile from the wealth of pdfs, online pages, or books out there, you will have a mess. It will be disorganized, and far too bulky. Your mission, here, is to sort through it all and pull out the most important details for your notes. Use your word processing program, and collect these notes (and any relevant diagrams or illustrations). Keep your notes concise, but helpful. When you are satisfied with your material, print it out and include it in your notebook in the appropriate section.

Step five: Print a current photo for each family member, trimmed or sized to fit into the baseball card page’s slots. On the back of each, list the medical and identifying information for that family member. Birthdate, height, weight, hair and eye color, identifying marks, piercings or tattoos, allergies, medical conditions and current medications, blood type, shot records, dates of illnesses/hospitalizations, etc. may seem like a chore to document, but it could make all the difference in the event that one of your family members is missing, or injured in an accident.
  Put each photo into a slot of the baseball card sheet, and insert this in the front of the binder.

Step six: Separate your important documents into the waterproof document holders. Since we have four folders, we divided ours in the following manner-
   FILE ONE… LEGAL
        Family (marriage certificates, divorce records, custody and child support papers, protection orders, current grade cards and school schedules, diplomas, military discharge/I.D.s, etc.)
        Property (Deeds/leases, vehicle titles, and so forth)
  FILE TWO… FINANCIAL
        W2’s, copy of prior year’s tax form, banking account information, retirement/pension information, and other related papers.
  FILE THREE…MEDICAL
         Health (For each member, I included shots records, eye prescriptions, dental records, copies of current prescriptions (if any), and health insurance information)
         Death (information on organ donation wishes, Living Will, Last Will and Testament, life insurance information, letters I’ve written to each family member, etc.)
  FILE FOUR… IDENTITY
       Social security cards, birth certificates, passports
  Again, customize your folders in a manner that suits you.

 Step seven: If you wish, download your favorite files in their entirety to a disk or flash drive. You can do the same thing for favorite movies, books, photographs, pictures of the items in your home inventory list, computer games, music, or anything else you’d like to preserve. Jot the contents of each media storage item on an index card or print the list out, and store these in your binder. Many flash drives, today, come with a keychain attachment which you can attach to one of the concealed key rings, in these binders. Alternatively, you can store the flash drives or disks in a binder pocket, and use the key ring for duplicate keys to your home, car, business, safe, etc.

Step eight: Complete your binder, by adding whatever additional items you desire. You can tuck maps into the back interior pocket. The pouch with the headphone slot can store an E-reader and charger. Another pouch (or, if you have the space, a pencil case made for a binder) can store items like a multitool, firestarter/lighter, compass, first aid items, a mini fishing kit, or anything else you wish to store!

Step nine: A lot of people express concern, at having this much security information in one place. They are justified in their concerns. Consider a safe spot where you can keep your finished binder. It should be secure from theft or snooping eyes, but it should also be easily accessible to other family members. A fireproof safe is an expensive, but excellent, solution. Alternatively, you might want to keep your binder with your Bug-Out Bags. Whatever you decide, make sure that it is easy to grab (or retrieve) in the event a sudden evacuation is needed, but that it is also protected from theft.

Step ten: Update your binder, regularly. Update inventories, replace family photos, add to medical histories, add new notes, reorganize as desired… this is your binder. Practice your family emergency plans, and take notes on what worked and didn’t. You can use these notes to reformat your plan, for the next practice run. Practice the skills, in your survival notes. If something you took notes on doesn’t work, get rid of it! If something works well, highlight it or add a foil star sticker beside it. If you make changes or adaptations, write them down! Before you know it, you will have… the Ultimate Emergency Binder.

Letter Re: Making Our Bug Out Bags Work: Shaving Weight

James,
First, thanks for the great blog.  I wanted to take a minute and let the readers know of a great way to test what it is like to be stressed and carry a load of 40 plus pounds for an extended period of time.  Last weekend I participated in a GoRuck Challenge.  The premise is based on Special Forces type training where participants (max of 30 per event) act as a team to accomplish any task that the cadre gives them.  There are a few requirements, the most notable being that each person 150 lbs or more must cary six bricks, 149 or less four bricks, in a backpack for the entire event.  This challenge is not for the faint of heart or for those that are new to exercise.  My total pack weight was 47 lbs dry at the start.  After many a trips into the ocean and rolling around in the sand, pack weight got to be about 55 lbs.  For those who plan on bugging out, being under stress, acting covert, and taking care of others, this is the ultimate test run you could have.  It goes way beyond putting on your pack and going on a hike.  Think a crossfit challenge combined with a marathon, while wearing a weighted pack.  The final stats for my event were 14.5 hours long (start time was 10 pm, finish 12:30 pm following day) covering 24 miles.  Each event is different and is based on the cadres experience so what we did will be irrelevant.  I will say that after nine months of intense training and diet, I was prepared physically for the challenge.  Mentally I was pushed to my limit.  I drank three gallons of water and lost eight pounds (total kCal expended was 25,000 to 30,000).  If someone wants to know what there body and mind will do in a stressful bug out situation this is the event.  Though six bricks is a minimum, you could add more if you want to get it to the weight of you bug out bag.  It is also a great way to test gear and know what your caloric and water requirements will be to get to your final destination.  The only way you could get this level of experience would be to join the military and do the real thing.  I must warn anyone who takes on one of these challenges, that it is addicting, and you will want to do more!! 

Thanks for your dedications to helping others prepare!  May God bless your efforts and those that seek to be self-reliant. – Scott L.

Two Letters Re: How to Thwart Nigerian Scammers: Demand Proof of Life

James, 
Another variation to watch out for is when the scammer asks you to pay using an escrow account supposedly managed by Amazon or eBay.
 
A too good to be true add is found, you respond, the scammer/seller tells you he sells using an eBay escrow account. The merchandise will ship to you after you send a check to Escrow. The scammer directs you to a link sent in the scammers/sellers email that appears to be an eBay site.
 
The scammer creates the illusion of security using a brand like eBay with some official looking legal contract showing how you are in control of the escrow and the funds will only be released once you get the merchandise and are happy with the transaction.

 
The reality is once the money is in the escrow account, everything disappears and you never see your merchandise. eBay will tell you they don’t operate an escrow service and your options to recover your money are slim to none. 

 
Your basic rules of thumb, poor sentence structure, punctuation, spelling and vaporware merchandise are all tell-tale signs.  When in doubt, push to see the merchandise live somehow. The scammer will redirect you back to the scam or ignore you since you are not taking the bait. Keep up the good work!
 
Regards, – Mark in Michigan

 

James,
I wanted to write and give your readers another word of caution regarding Nigerian scammers; my experience involves a much more sophisticated expression of the scam than is normal.

I had placed an ad in Craigslist to sell some Morgan silver dollars; I was emailed by an out of state party who inquired as to whether I would be willing to ship them. Normally this would be odd for a Craigslist ad, but I’d dealt with this several times legitimately with regards to metals trades so it didn’t strike me as that out of the ordinary. He offered to send a check, which at the time I didn’t mind (now I always require the money to be wired). When the check arrived it was for an amount less than we had agreed on; he told me to go ahead and deposit it and he would send me another check. I deposited the check and waited.

Suspicious about a few things (the email misspellings, the erroneous check amount) I emailed him again and insisted that we speak on the phone. After a little bit of back and forth (he claimed he was deaf) he agreed to let me speak with his lawyer. Soon after an American called from a California area code and assured me everything was ok. This certainly helped set my mind at ease.

During this time my bank (USAA) had confirmed deposit of the check and credited my checking account with the funds. I looked up the depository agreement and found that USAA promised that once funds were in the account for two business days it was a confirmed transfer and the check was good. I’m a bit more cautious, so I waited four business days and then called and spoke with a representative; he looked into the account and confirmed that the funds had transferred from the other bank and that the check had proven legitimate. Now having waited double the amount required by the depository agreement and confirmed from a bank representative that the first check was good and the second check (which had arrived and now been in the account for two business days) was showing good as well; having spoken with an American on the phone who confirmed it was good; I sent the coins.

The next business day USAA notified me that the checks had bounced and withdrew all of the deposited funds from my account; adding insult to injury they tacked on on a small penalty for having deposited fake checks (as if I did it on purpose). Outraged, I spent every business day for the next two weeks on the phone with USAA, demanding that they return the money they had confirmed was in my account; bounced checks were one thing, but once I’d been informed both in writing and in conversation that the money was in my account I expected my bank to stand behind what they had told me. After speaking with two separate resolution managers who robotically repeated: “we don’t cover bounced checks” I finally quit calling.

In the meantime I was contacted by the scammer who offered my coins back if I joined him in his scheme. In an attempt to discover any information that might lead me (and thereby the police) to him, I played along as if I were interested. He outlined his nefarious plan: he scammed people in the United States and then recruited them to actually mail the checks (so they came from the US) and do much of the emailing (making the English more believable) and occasionally make phone calls for him (e.g., the fellow who called me); in exchange for their participation he offered them a scam commission and they slowly “earned” back the money that had been stolen from them as they stole from others. All of this information was obtained via internet chat; I took screen shots of all of it as it commenced. I was also able to obtain a list of the next 25 people he planned to scam, along with their email and mailing addresses.

As I played dumb and required more information I was able to glean the contact information for two of his minions and the name and ID information of another. I put together all of the information I had gathered and made an appointment at the nearest FBI station (the police report I had filed with the local police department had been ignored). When I met with the agent I explained the situation and handed over all of the information, highlighting the contact information for the Americans who had actively participated in scamming me. After thumbing through the information, he looked me in the eye and said: “Since you’re in uniform, I’ll shoot straight with you” (I’m an Air Force officer). “You’ve given us everything we need to catch at least a couple of these fellows. However, it’s your choice,” he continued, “I can tell you I’m going to look into it, walk in the back, file it, and never think about it again, or I can hand it back to you and you can walk out the door with it.” Flabbergasted, I asked for an explanation. He replied: “Our fraud department is so busy that we don’t even look at fraud cases that involve less than $10 million at stake. Your case, as much work as you’ve done on it, will never be examined.” I attempted to explain that with as many folks as this one fellow had scammed it probably totaled $10 million, but he just shook his head and explained it had to happen in a single instance or it wasn’t worth their time. Disgusted, I walked out. My tax dollars pay for the FBI but they’ll never protect me unless I’m worth more than $10 million? In the end, the only effectual change I could make was contacting the 25 people whose information I’d been given and warn them that they were about to be scammed.

Was I foolish? In hindsight, yes. I now take extra precautions whenever I’m not dealing face to face. However, I think it comes down to the old saying: “Fool me once, shame on me…” I trusted my bank to interact on my behalf in the banking system and was only told after the fact (by one of the resolution managers I was eventually elevated to) that banks reserve the right to withdraw funds from their depositors account for the life of the account; it doesn’t matter how much time has passed. I don’t know if this is true or not, but two months after all of this went down I received an email from USAA notifying me that the depository agreement for all checking accounts had changed; when I looked at the list of changes, every single paragraph I had cited for how USAA had failed to hold up their end of the agreement had been adjusted. As far as banks go, USAA is among the best I’ve dealt with, but never doubt that they’ll act in their best interest and leave the customer out to dry if that needs to happen.

As far as Nigerian scams go, they can get pretty sophisticated. Once I start dealing with Americans who know how to exploit at least some of the ins and outs of our banking system and will do the calling and emailing themselves, then most of the common rules of thumb for avoiding these types of scams go out the window.

Lessons learned:
– Deal face to face whenever possible. Accept only cash in small, worn bills. Few of us are intimately familiar with what crisp, brand new bills feel like and could be easily fooled by counterfeits. As the dollar inflates and bills began to get newer and less valuable, this is an added incentive to trade using “junk” silver – this is easily verifiable with a value that’s easily discernible. Avoid larger denominations of metal; even silver rounds can be faked relatively easily.
– If buying long-distance, ask for proof of life like JWR suggested. However, this still doesn’t guarantee they’ll send the item once they receive your cash; try to deal only with businesses or dealers that have a legitimate storefront presence and a vested interest in not cheating you. If you know someone in the local area ask them to pick up and ship the item for you; that’s putting a face-to-face presence in the mix.
– If selling long-distance, only accept cash via wire (think Western Union). Only ship items once you have literal cash in hand.

Consider this a plug for a libertarian mindset: banks may treat you great until they have to put their own money on the line to back up their word. Police may seem great until they’re too busy to help you out. The FBI is great in theory, but don’t trust your welfare to a federal agency. Be careful out there. – J.B.

Economics and Investing:

Peter Schiff: Many Other Cliffs Await the US Economy

Jim W. suggested this from Alasdair MacLeod: Short squeeze ahead? Gold futures market heading for crisis.

Yishai sent this:Insane: Liberals Contemplate $1 Trillion Platinum Coin to “Solve” Debt Limit Issue

R.B.S. sent this from Oregon: Overdue Portland sewer bills to become property tax bills

The World’s Strangest Currencies

Items from The Economatrix:

The Straw That Breaks The Euro’s Back:  Euro Crash Imminent?

Amid “Cliff” Stalemate, Main Street Deteriorates

Triple-digit Recession, AAA Loss Loom For UK

Odds ‘n Sods:

There Are Now Approximately 3 Million Preppers In The United States, Why Are They Hated So Much?

   o o o

Reader Jordan B. sent: US intelligence study sees possible fight ahead over water, food

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Where building codes collide with common sense: Watauga County ‘mountain man’ fighting to keep his nature camp open. (Thanks to James S. for the link.)

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Reader Rodger E. mentioned a new aluminum Side Saddle shell holder is available for Mossberg 500 and 590 owners. They cleverly use a Picatinny-style rail, for mounting.

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12 Days Till Doomsday: 9 Tips To Help You Transition From Pre to Post-Apocalypse Should the Prophesy of the Mayan Calendar Prove True. (Includes quotes from Lisa Bedford (of The Survival Mom) and JWR.

Notes from JWR:

Update: A reader near Fort Sill, Oklahoma should jump on this big lot: Auction for 21 Pallets of Razor Wire. This variety of wire is more expensive (and effective) than traditional concertina wire. The auction ends at 5 p.m. EST on December 12, 2012.

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Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.