Delivered to Safety, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

I have delivered my sheep to safety, and you may soon be called on to do the same.

Almost five years ago we started our own little flock of Katahdin sheep in order to be able to raise our own healthy, drug-free organic meat. Through the years we had 23 lambs, two rams, and many tough times (lambing in winter) as well as hilarious, joyful times (lambs frolicking and snuggling). We had read that in large flocks sheep have a mob mentality, but we discovered that one-on-one sheep had their own personalities and were much more complex than we ever imagined (kind of like people!)

In our main pasture they had things to climb on and jump off, big red exercise balls and Jolly Balls to play with, and more. We watched them try to figure out how to open the gate carabiners with their mouths. We watched lambs perform circus acts on the backs of their mothers under our floodlights at night. We gave them the best life we could, protected them in many ways, and gave them a quick and humane death when the time came (well, Katahdins are meat sheep).

One thing we tried and failed at was improving our pasture. Three years in a row we planted pasture seed and three years in a row we got skunked. A lot of work and money down the drain. Our property is just too dry and we couldn’t irrigate. So our sheep were on hay 7 months out of the year and required much higher quality (and correspondingly more expensive) hay than is typically fed to horses and cattle. When the collapse comes there would be no way to raise or buy / transport three tons of hay for over winter!
No hay, no sheep.

Buying that much hay wasn’t working for us, but equally we realized that we were too close to Spokane for the coming collapse. We couldn’t move the sheep on short notice and we couldn’t defend them against looters and rustlers. Our plan was actually to shoot our own sheep before bugging out rather than trust them to the “mercies” of hungry, desperate, violent people. But having to do that would not only take time and alarm the neighbors, but be enormously disturbing at the very time we needed to be focused and high speed.
They would just have to be moved to safety in advance.                  

Don’t misunderstand: I loved the idea of being a “shepherd” – that identity was special, manly, challenging. It was an opportunity to learn many, many carryover skills. I took my responsibilities very seriously, learning from my sheep as well as from the Bible about what a good shepherd does and does not do (and the Bible has a lot to say).

“Yahweh is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing.” (Psalm 23:1)
I learned that the shepherd/sheep metaphor is used throughout the Bible and applies not only to the relationship between God and his people, but between human leaders and the people depending on them.

“When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
Sheep need shepherds. Guard dogs are important and minimize predator losses, but sheep dogs are not a substitute for a shepherd.

When all the details miraculously came together it was a long drive to Montana to deliver my precious flock to their new home, but God guided me through the whole process. There were valuable things to learn and new equipment to purchase so that even the sheep sale and move was a prepping lesson. And it was a lesson in faith as much as anything.

The 12 hour drive there was grueling for me and my sheep, but it left me with a lot of time to think and pray. I know my sheep must have been wondering why I was doing this to them! And the answer was, This is what real shepherds do. They do what’s best for their sheep, even if it’s hard on the sheep, and even if it means the shepherd sacrifices and suffers too.
I spent half my profit on gasoline, replacing a tire, and a hotel room before the trip back. It was costly.
But it was worth it.

“Even if I go through a ravine as dark as death, I will fear no harm, for you are with me and I’m comforted that your shepherd’s crook and club protect me.” (Psalm 23:4)
Why would a shepherd take his flock through a dangerous area? To get to good pasture. It might be hard on the sheep, it might be dangerous, but the shepherd was with them, and that was enough. He could rescue them and he could defend them. The shepherd was prepared.

Many of us have adopted the “sheepdog” identity as so eloquently described by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman in his book On Combat. God has put people in our lives who need protecting – our family and friends, perhaps neighbors or citizens in harm’s way when we’re in public going about our business. We must have sheepdogs!

But I want to propose that some of us have been called to be shepherds. “Shepherd” is not just a defensive role, not simply a spiritual role, it is a visionary leadership role. Someone who knows people, who cares personally for those God has put in his/her life, and can motivate, encourage, and equip people. The shepherd is someone who knows where to go (sometimes literally), how to get there, and can lead his people to good pasture and still waters.

There’s a negative example in Zechariah 11:15-16 that illustrates a shepherd’s rightful duties: A shepherd is to care for those who are dying, look after the young, heal the injured and feed the healthy.

Sheep dogs are essential, but they’re no substitute for a shepherd. What sheepdog can do all that?

Is that what God is calling you to do? Then welcome that calling, embrace it. It’s not all up to you! Don’t be afraid to step up. He will guide you as you guide them.
Even shepherds have a Shepherd.

He’s proven he’s a worthy shepherd: Our Great Shepherd, Jesus, delivered us from death at great personal cost. He suffered and sacrificed for his sheep, and led us from spiritual hunger and darkness to life and safety. And he will lead us home one day through the valley of the shadow of death to his great and joyful Pasture in heaven.
After all, that’s what a real shepherd does!

The Sovereign Lord is coming to rule with power,
bringing with him the people he has rescued.
He will take care of his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs together
and carry them in his arms;
he will gently lead their mothers.
– Isaiah 40:10-11

Be prepared. Trust God! And take heart, brothers and sisters. Isaiah 43:2 promises that He will see you through. – ShepherdFarmerGeek

Letter Re: Woodstove Chimney-Mounted Ovens

JWR,
I don’t know about the Baker’s Salute Oven (that another reader asked about), but there is a man in Springville, Utah that makes a similar one that can be mounted on a wood burning stove or on a expedition tent stove.  They are much less expensive as he makes them from repurposed propane cylinders and they are called Grover Chimney Ovens.   They cost $205 instead of $539 like the Bake’s Salute Oven but they are not as large inside.   They are a double-walled oven, so the heated gases from the chimney stack surround the oven itself.  I am not affiliated with, or have any interest in these products other than to say that I want one.  He also makes one that will fit on top of a wall tent stove and he also makes a rocket stove using repurposed propane cylinders. – Brad M.

Economics and Investing:

The Dread Pirate’s Cash Stash is Still Safe

U.S., Switzerland Export Largest Ever Amounts Of Gold To Hong Kong And Investors Should Take Note

G.G. suggested this piece: What’s happening in the Treasury bill market today should terrify you

Items from The Economatrix:

The “D.” Word, again: Boehner says U.S. on path to default if Obama won’t negotiate

Governments Will Start Panicking As Chaos & Crisis Accelerates

Peter Schiff Warns Yellen’s Nomination Means Any QE Taper Expectations Are “Delusional”

Obama Offers Two Choices: Unconditional Surrender Or Default

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Jan S. forwarded novelist Matt Bracken’s mention of a upcoming fit of generosity: “‘I’m going to put each of my Enemies trilogy novels into the Amazon Kindle free download deal, starting with Enemies Foreign And Domestic next Monday, October 14. Then Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista on Monday the 21st, and Foreign Enemies And Traitors on October 28th.” For anyone who has not yet read Matt’s novels, I highly recommend them! Jan S. notes: “You can download the Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac free to your computer, even if you don’t have a Kindle reader.” Mark your calendars, folks! And be sure to order Matt’s other books. As I’ve mentioned before, his latest novel Castigo Cay is excellent!

   o o o

Reader H.L. sent a a link to a news article with some important lessons: The Guys Who Grabbed Six Semiautomatic Rifles From a Competitive Shooter’s Home May Not Have Expected a Security Camera That Does This. [JWR’s Comments: Security cameras are great. Webcams that stream to your own remote server are even better. (If you don’t have your own server, then I recommend the bundled day/night camera systems packaged by Lorex Technology.) Storing guns in racks or glass cabinets at an unattended home is foolish. Gun vaults are a must and concealed gun vaults provide better protection. I recommend the combination of concealed vaults and web cams.]

   o o o

Pitiful situational awareness: San Francisco rail commuters on phones didn’t notice gun before killing, police say.

   o o o

The Big Man returns to The Big House: Kwame Kilpatrick (one of Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s gun-grabbing mayors) has been given a 28 year sentence for extortion and other corruption charges. If he were to serve his full term (which is unlikely, with “good behavior” guidelines,) he would be 71 years old when his “term in office” ends in 2041. Although he is not eligible for parole, he will probably be out of prison in just 23 years, in 2036. At age 66, he could still pull a Buddy Cianci or Sheila Dixon maneuver, and start a new career in politics.

   o o o

Speaking of Mikey Bloomberg: New lawsuit seeks communications between Bloomberg, MAIG, and Joe Biden. “We have good reason to suspect that New York taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for Mayor Bloomberg’s anti-gun group.”

   o o o

Pierre M. sent: Soon, Drones May Be Able to Make Lethal Decisions on Their Own.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“O God of earth and altar, Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter, Our people drift and die;
The walls of gold entomb us, The swords of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us, But take away our pride.

From all that terror teaches, From lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches That comfort cruel men,
From sale and profanation Of honor, and the sword,
From sleep and from damnation, Deliver us, good Lord!

Tie in a living tether The prince and priest and thrall,
Bind all our lives together, Smite us and save us all;
In ire and exultation Aflame with faith, and free,
Lift up a living nation, A single sword to thee. Amen.”

– O God of Earth and Altar, Hymn 521 in the Anglican Hymnal. Lyrics by by G. K. Chesterton (1906.) In England, this hymn is most commonly sung set to a tune from Gustav Holst’s The Planets. In modern times, it is perhaps best remembered as being sung at the funeral of Princess Diana. (Skip forward to 7:28) It is also a favorite at a well-known American Redoubt church and college, in Moscow, Idaho, sung to a different tune.

Notes from JWR:

I heard from my editor at E.P. Dutton that my novel Expatriates hit the New York Times Hardcover Fiction bestsellers list this week at #21. Thanks for making the release such a great success!

—

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and 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.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

A Practical Plan for Survival–One Man’s View, by C.L.

When I was very young I would sometime spend rainy days at my grand-mother’s house going through sporting goods catalogs and the Sears catalog making list of items that might be needed during disasters or emergencies. I have no idea why I am wired in such a way that I give a good amount of thought to being prepared. I am no longer a young boy but now I believe making such plans are more important than ever before. The economic situation in our country can only be described as terrifying to anyone who will take the blinders off and look. It is said that there is nothing new under the sun and if one looks back at other countries and civilizations that followed a similar path you can see the possible outcome. If one prepares for a disaster that never happens he is no worse off but if unprepared when disaster strikes there is no remedy. 

Each family’s needs and security situation is different so there is no cookie cutter plan for being prepared. Use available learning tools and make your own plans. The reason I am writing this letter is to share some resources I have found. I am by no means prepared for all possible events. I am working on my own plans as I am able to. If we encourage each other and help each other than if a disaster ever does occur then we will all be better prepared. I will list some resources I have found that others might find useful.

1. Water
    I believe that the first item everyone should try to plan for is a source for safe drinking water. If a well is available consider installing a solar powered well pump. Since most of us don’t have a well I strongly recommend Lifesaver brand water filters. The Lifesaver jerry can filter will make 20,000 liters of safe drinking water from most any source of fresh water. The lifesaver jerry cans are available at Amazon.com. There are other good filters but try to plan for months, not days.

2. Food
   You gotta eat! For short term food storage we should all have a supply of canned goods and basics such as rice, beans, oats, pasta, and flour. Don’t worry too much about storing these foods for long term. As they age just donate them and replace them. One of the best resources for food storage is the Latter Day Saints food facilities. We are lucky to have one of these nearby in Slidell, Louisiana. The Mormons encourage their members to be prepared and set up regional facilities to pack food items for long term storage. Dry food items sealed in #10 cans can have a shelf life as long as 20 years. This facility is at this time open to people that are not associated the the LDS. The LDS web site has a great deal of information about disaster planning and food storage.
 
Storing food will feed you during most conceivable emergencies. We should also plan for an unconceivable emergency that doesn’t last days or weeks but instead last months or years. We should all have on hand a good supply of heirloom non-hybrid seeds for gardens. Using heirloom non-hybrid seeds allows you to save seeds from your gardens for future gardens. Most hybrid or modified vegetables do not reproduce well naturally. Emergency seed packs are available at many sources. Here are a couple, Sportmansguide.com, item wx2-222028. Type in emergency seeds on Amazon.com and you will many choices. Keep in mind that you will also need to keep fertilizer on hand. As you use the stored fertilizer replace it. You do have hand tools for gardening don’t you?

3. Warmth and cooking
   We are lucky to live in an area with mild winters but we still need to plan on heat sources to keep warm. For short term generators or even simply extra blankets will suffice. For long term situations we will all end up burning wood in some form or fashion. Make sure you have hand tools such as ax, splitter, and saw. For cooking most of us have camp stoves or grills that we have used after hurricanes. But what if the fuel for these becomes unavailable or so expensive it might as well be unavailable. Buying some type of wood stove or making a jet cooker now and storing it will give you peace of mind. You can look up plans for home-made wood cookers on you-tube and on several prepper web-sites. I will list some helpful sites at the end of the letter. The Dollar Tree store sells candles that are about 8 or 9 inches tall in a glass jar that will burn for about 80 hours each. The candles cost $1 each. The stores are often out but you can order them by the case from their web site and pick the candles up at the store. You should have a at least couple of dozen of these candles.

4. Shelter
    This is a difficult topic because this is one area that everyone will have different needs and desires. Most everyone would want to stay in their present location but there are several items to consider. You must be in a secure location and be able to defend yourself at that location. Having a weapon is not enough. You need to consider what is required to set security watches and defendable perimeters. Some people might think that they will not resort to violence to defend their shelter and there supplies. When unprepared people decide to take what you and yours need to survive most people will fight. Your location must have a reliable water source. Many people will find it necessary to join with other friends or family members for support and security. These topics should be discussed with others before there is an emergency at hand. If people decide to plan on joining up together than it would be wise to preposition supplies at the planned location. It is also wise to have a back-up plan in case the planned location is not useable for some reason.

5. Medical supplies
    Most of us end up taking some type of daily meds as we get older. There is only so much of these meds that we can obtain and hold. However there are sources for other medical items that we all need from time to time. Many people that are called preppers these days have been buying antibiotics from vet supply resources. www.calvetsupply.com is one I have used. The antibiotics are usually labeled for use in aquariums or for animals. The antibiotics are exactly the same as the ones you receive from Wal-Mart or Medco. I have documentation from doctors that state that the meds are the same and that the shelf life if stored out of intense heat is measured in years in most cases. There is talk that the government wants to stop the internet sales of vet medicines because people are buying them for human use so I would get a supply as soon as you can. We should all have several types of antibiotics and other medical supplies. There are sites that describe which antibiotics are best used for different medical ailments. You should have basic first aid supplies for stopping blood loss from major injuries. Keep QuickClot or Celox packets to stop major bleeding. Israeli pressure bandages and tourniquets are must have items. Steri-strips and sutures are also needed. Also alcohol and Betadine needs to be on hand. Have a supply of forceps and other tools. Buy a good supply of otc medicines, especially imodium, tylenol, and ibuprofen.

6. Power
    As you can tell from this letter we are discussing long term emergencies instead of a couple of days without power after a storm. It would be prudent for us to look at solar power systems to provide some electrical power. This would not only allow you to have a couple of lights but could also power a communication device to talk to people on guard duty or could power radios for communication. We should all definitely have a good supply of rechargeable batteries and a solar recharging device. The more batteries you can obtain now the better. Remember that the day after the emergency is too late to find batteries, radios, or solar devices. If you decide to look into setting up a solar power system you will need deep cycle batteries. The better the deep cycle battery is the more expensive it is and none of them are cheap. A very good book to have on hand is The 12 Volt Bible, it is available on Amazon.

7. Transportation
    We should not only have at least one bicycle but it should be maintained. We should keep spare tires, tubes, and tire patches for the bike. It would be great to have an extra chain. Don’t overlook having a hand powered pump

8. Clothing
    Buy a few pairs of jeans and other sturdy clothes and store them in a vacuum bag to protect them from moths. On www.sportsmansguide.com there is available Guide Gear brand jeans. You can get them with or without a double layer of cloth on the front of the legs for extra durability.

9. Security
  This is too large a topic to cover in a letter. The most important thing to say is to learn and plan. There are many books available to order or borrow. Everyone learned a few months ago how quickly ammunition can disappear from store shelves. We should all have a couple of good weapons and plenty of ammunition. There is no such thing as enough ammunition. In a real long term emergency ammunition will become the preferred barter item. Ammo will become the basic currency along with pre ’64 silver coins if we ever experience a real long term disruption. A couple of weapons and a good supply of ammunition are required but from there a person is only limited by his own resources. In a true long term disruption the man with a night vision device will be much more secure than those without. These devices are very expensive for good 3rd. generation models. At least get good night sights such as Trijicon brand night sites for your primary weapon. Trijicon night sights for an AR-15 cost less than $100 and will be invaluable if you ever need them. You won’t be very effective if you cannot see your sights. A similar item is body armor. It seems like a complete waste of money in normal times but would be worth everything if it saves you from being shot. I will share some information from books I have read. It sounds basic but you must know the difference between cover and concealment. Concealment can prevent someone from seeing you but cover can stop rounds headed your way, don’t confuse the two. In times of trouble a weapon is useless in a safe. During a real time of trouble you should be armed at all times.

Trying to be prepared is a project that never ends. All we can do is the best we can but even that will be more than the majority of people. I will list some items we should stock up on and a few books that can be helpful. I should say that these books should be acquired in paper form and not on an e-reader.
 
| Stock up items for your own use and for barter: bug spray, storage food, ammo, water filters, jeans, t-shirts, batteries, pre-1965 silver coins, otc medicines, skin lotion, towels, blankets, fertilizer, seeds, food grade pails with lids (find a restaurant that will give you mayo and dressing pails), hand gardening tools and wood cutting tools, toothbrushes, 1st aid supplies, candles, reading glasses, bike tires and tubes, tire patches, multi-vitamins, matches, baking soda, sugar, vinegar, propane (propane will store long term), bleach (dry pool tablets store well but must be pure bleach), bar soap, surgical mask, latex or vinyl gloves.
 
Books:
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It by James Wesley Rawles
Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook by David Werner
Where There Is No Dentist by Murray Dickson
Wilderness Medicine Beyond First Aid By William W. Forgey M.D.
Emergency War Surgery (NATO Handbook:- Third United States Revision, 2004) by Dr. Martin Fackler, et al.
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition by Abigail R. Gehring
When There Is No Doctor: Preventative and Emergency Healthcare by Gerard S. Doyle,
Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse by James Wesley Rawles (a great novel but it is full of useful information)
Ranger Handbook an Army field manual. (There are many other useful books and military field manuals).
 
Useful web sites:
http://mspreparednessproject.org/,
https://survivalblog.com/,
 http://jrhenterprises.com/PVS14-3rd-Gen-on-SALE-PVS14SALE.htm, night vision sales
http://blog.emergencyoutdoors.com/
http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2010/01/31/updated-cannery-food-storage-price-difference-sheet/food-storage-recipes
http://rainydayfoodstorage.blogspot.com/ food storage
http://realgoods.com/
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/woodgas-camp-stove wood gas stove
http://www.tilapiadepot.com/ raising fish at home
http://www.knowstuf.com/basementaquaponics raising fish at home, aquaponics
http://aquaticpharmacy.com/eshop Vet Supply
http://www.calvetsupply.com/ Vet supply
http://www.cdc.gov/ Centers for Disease Control
http://www.truthistreason.net/guide-to-veterinary-drugs-for-human-consumption-post-shtf Medical info
http://www.firstaidweb.com/ First aid training
http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/Main.aspx?kwtid=239433 Sportsman’s Guide
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=24&Ntt=wood%2Bstove Northern Tool
http://www.rddusa.com/ military surplus equipment
http://www.natchezss.com/ Natchez Shooter Supply
http://www.brigadeqm.com/default.asp Brigade Quartermasters
http://www.armslist.com/classifieds/mississippi Armslist MS. classified firearms sales and trade.
http://www.wilderness-survival-skills.com/wilderness-first-aid.html wilderness first aid
http://www.gunbot.net/ ammo search tool
http://www.zahal.org/ Israeli Tactical gear
http://www.luckygunner.com/ ammo sales
http://www.midwayusa.com/ gun parts and magazines
http://www.sgammo.com/ ammo sales
http://www.underwoodammo.com/ ammo sales
http://www.trijicon.com/na_en/index.php night sights
http://www.firstoptionmedical.com/ medical supplies
http://www.backyardchickens.com/ raising chickens
http://codegreenprep.com/ prepping info
http://homesteadsurvival.com/ general homesteading info
http://www.backwoodshome.com/ general homesteading info
http://www.goldandsilveronline.com/ pre-1965 silver coins

Letter Re: Where To Park Some Funds?

James Wesley,
I read your blog daily for news and inspiration. I just sold my house and have equity that we want to purchase a new home with…debt free, pay cash.We will be looking for a home in Texas, and hope to be settled in in the next 18 months. My question, what do I do with $200,000 in the mean time?  I’m terrified to put our earnings from the sale into a bank.
Thanks – Stacy D.

JWR Replies: In my opinion silver bullion (pre-1965 “junk” coin bags or 100-ounce serialized Engelhard bars) are your best bet, for an 18 month time span. With the recent dip in silver prices, you will at least break even, and might come out ahead. If secure storage space is at a premium, then you could opt for gold American Eagles. (Gold is presently 61 times more compact, per dollar.)

Economics and Investing:

Until October 15th the documentary An Inconvenient Tax will be available via streaming to Netflix subscribers.

Economics Professor Laurence Kotlikoff: Oh, and By the Way, Our Government Is Totally Broke!

A useful primer: Rehypothecation of Collateral

G.G. flagged this: Five Alarming Facts About Entitlement Spending

Items from The Economatrix:

The D Word, again: US default seen as disaster dwarfing Lehman’s fall “Among dozens of money managers, economists, bankers, traders and former government officials, few view such an event as anything but a financial apocalypse.”

Peter Schiff Warns of Martial Law

Where Did The Gold Go?

Odds ‘n Sods:

Billy R. sent: Portable 12V power supply in an ammo can

   o o o

James W. liked this: Why use suppressors in combat, illustrated by a “ruined” video

   o o o

Reader P.W. wrote to ask if any blog readers know who makes the [woodstove chimney-mounted] Baker’s Salute Oven that is sold on the Lehman’s web site. (“They say made in the USA but Lehman’s will not tell me who the manufacturer is.”) A lot of the products sold by Lehman’s come from Amish cottage industries.  Many of these families don’t have telephones, so it might be hard to track down. Does anyone know?

   o o o

J.S. recommended this fascinating piece: What Happens When Cities Fall Apart?

   o o o

Weekend Attacks on Arkansas’ Electric Grid Leave 10,000 Without Power; ‘YOU SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED U.S.’

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“They say it got smart—a new order of intelligence. Then it saw all people as a threat, not just the ones on the other side. Decided our fate in a microsecond: extermination.” – Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese, The Terminator.

Notes from JWR:

October 10th is the birthday of my old friend who was the basis for the “Cadet Doug Carlton” character in my novel “Patriots.”

—

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and 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.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

A Written Plan for Your Preparedness, by M.B.

I am an active prepper. I do not have a retreat or bug-out vehicle (yet), but I do what I can for bugging-in and preparing for emergencies. I have extensive food and water preps, tactical supplies, and all of the other trappings of modern-day prepping. Although my family is aware of my prepping, and support my efforts, they are not “in the loop” with how to do what, when to do it, and what to do it with. I have come to realize that many of my preps will be useless if anything happens to me. A good example of this is my emergency comm gear. It’s good gear, easily accessed, and will work well, but there are no user-friendly instructions on how to use the gear. Another example would simply to list where everything is located, as my preps are spread throughout the home, vehicles, and remote locations. There are many, many things that I can do with the gear, but might be a stretch for my wife and children, simply due to the lack of instructions.

To this end I have begun documenting all of the needed information regarding our preps. This is being done in plain text, and then a printed copy will be hidden, and a copy given to my wife. Digital versions on the thumb drive are encrypted with a password that we all know well. The docs begin with a detailed inventory that gives location, quantity, and a short description. After the inventory I have started writing how-to docs for each area of need, and the level of detail is just deep enough to get the job done. As is the case with most such articles on preps, bug-out-bags, etc., I begin with water, food, shelter, protection, safety, communications, and lastly, comfort. I have kept the technical jargon to a minimum, and intend to solicit feedback from my family to clear up any points that need it.

With regard to each are of prepping, in some short discussions with my family that safety and security are two areas where considerable discussion was required before writing my docs. The reason is very predictable, my family consists of my wife and two teenage daughters. While they are all very sharp, and quite capable, some aspects of safety and security are difficult for them to accept. An example is the need to hide the bulk of our preps, while leaving a substantial quantity of food and water out in the relative open. I think this is needed because looters WILL come, and they can more easily dealt with if they are not coming up empty-handed. The other reason may be obvious, they might give up looking once they think they have taken all they can find, so the bulk of our preps will be secure. My family thinks that there will no looters, and that if I think there will be, then we should hide all our preps. Another example is dealing with strangers. My family of females is not as callus as I am, and will want to lend aid much too readily. After having lengthy discussions with my family, I was careful to re-state my concerns for security in the related docs. Mainly, be cautious and suspicious at all times. We should always be ready to lend aid and be charitable, but individual safety comes first. My rules are simple, in an emergency situation, no one outside the family is allowed in the house, and if we are providing any sort of aid the recipient will remain at least twenty-five  feet from the door until it is closed and locked, no exceptions.

In creating my docs, I have tried to write instructions as I perform a task, at least mentally. I have found that when I describe how to do things, I leave out small details that I take for granted. Don’t do this! Be exacting when it counts. We don’t want to bog-down anyone with too much detail, but overlooking a small but critical detail could be disastrous. A prime example is the fact that my gun safe key must be turned before dialing-in the combination or it wont open. It’s a key feature of the safe, and a detail I have long since just taken for granted. Although a tiny detail, this could easily hinder my family in my absence. I’m sure you can all think of dozens of small things similar in this respect.

Another aspect of preparing these docs is the printed version. Digital copies are valuable, I store mine on a pair of thumb drives, but printed copies are mandatory. If there is no computer to read the docs, they are useless. I have started printing my docs on waterproof paper, using larger than normal (14 pt) bold type font. They are then placed in zip-loc bags with moisture absorbers  and stored in a predetermined location, high above the water line of any potential flood. My wife thinks putting a copy in a fire safe is a good idea, I may agree with her. (it’s so hard admitting she’s right!). I have read articles about encoding printed docs, but it seems to be a dangerous practice, except maybe for very sensitive information, and the need for that kind of secrecy is far outweighed in my mind by the need to get the information quickly in an emergency situation. We’re talking about how to start the generator here, not nuclear launch codes!
I believe that the digital copies of these docs should be written and saved in a simple .txt format whenever possible, even if encrypted. You never know what sort of device or program you might have to open them on. The more universal the format, the better. If you have diagrams or pictures, consider using a PDF format for those. The PDF format is widely supported on computers, phones, tablets, just about any digital device available. If you will be printing docs that must contain actual photos, try and use high-contrast black and white in all of your images. In the long run, these images will last longer and will maintain readability better under adverse conditions, and the high contrast will make them easier to read under low-light conditions. Regarding storage of the printed docs, I found some surplus Army signal flare tubes that seem to fit the bill perfectly for this task.  I also put a chemical light stick in the tubes with the docs. This way we have a ready light source if needed to read them in the dark. I found the tubes at a local gun show, but I bet there are millions of these things out there on Ebay and military-surplus outlets. Another idea would be just to make your own tubes with PVC pipe and screw-on caps. If the tube does not fit your docs, there are countless waterproof containers out there. You might even consider fireproof containers in addition to waterproof containers.

So far my family has been supportive in giving me feedback on my docs and it’s going well. I expect that will change some as we get into more sophisticated activities like setting the channels up on a 2 meter hand held radio, or setting the bait hook on a small game trap. In the end, I believe that my preps will be complimented well by a good set of documents and procedures. My original thought was to provide the needed information to my family in the event that I was not here, for whatever reason. After several weeks of typing, I am keenly aware that there were some things I needed to brush up on as well. Now more than ever, I think it’s true: you don’t know how to do anything well until you can tell someone else how to do it. I strongly suggest that you use this opportunity to use and test gear and practice using tools and techniques, having found many times that some things were much easier to do in my memory than they currently seem to be. It can also be a great opportunity to get your family more involved in the practical side of preparation. We live in the deep south east where hurricanes are quite common, and I love the thought of my family knowing how to take care of themselves in the event of any emergency. It also gives me a chance to spend more time with my kids, and that’s always good.

So to recap my thoughts here:

  1. Make a good inventory of all of your preps.
  2. Write a detailed how-to document for each prepping item.
  3. Make no assumptions, where needed be very thorough.
  4. Store digital copies in an encrypted file.
  5. Use a safe but easy-to-remember password on your files.
  6. Make printed copies on waterproof paper.
  7. Store multiple copies of digital and printed versions in safe locations.
  8. Review the docs with the people that will be using them.
  9. Use the docs to practice using tools and techniques.
  10. Setup a periodic review and update schedule for updating your docs.

I hope others find this informative, good luck with all of your preps, I hope you never need them!

For more in depth information on encryption, see the Wikipedia page on encryption software.

And this link will take you to the free encryption software that I use:
http://download.cnet.com/TrueCrypt/3000-2092_4-10527243.html

Some really good sources for waterproof paper can be found using these links:
http://geology.com/store/waterproof/paper.shtml
http://www.igage.com/mp/wpp/igage_weatherproof_paper.htm
http://www.waterproofpaper.com

Or, you can waterproof your own paper.

Two Letters Re: Basic Mechanics Skill and Knowing Vehicular Limitations

JWR,
RE: basic mechanics & vehicles, specifically more on tires/wheels, etc. Make a jacking platform to support the jack in soft soil. I used 2 thicknesses of 3/4″ plywood Gorilla Glued together. I’d suggest at least 12″ square, but there is an advantage to making it larger. I made mine as large as would fit underneath the passenger seat in my truck, which was 14.5″ X 16″.

Inflate the spare to 15-20% over the regular running pressure in the other four. That won’t hurt it, and it’s easier to let air out than to force it in .[JWR’s Comment: If you do this, for safety be sure to prominently tag it “Overinflated!” add also pack a tire pressure gauge.] Since people rarely check the spare for air, the 15-20% adds a margin. Use your spare as part of a regular 5-tire rotation maintenance plan (every 5,000-to-6,000 miles is about right); that keeps its wear about the same as the other four, and adds at least 20% to the overall life of the set of tires over a 4-tire rotation schedule.

Get a spare wheel, or two if it’s in the budget (used wheels for almost all vehicles are available on the Internet, inspected and guaranteed to be true). Before your running tires are worn out, buy same-size replacements – including the spare – and put the best old two on the spare wheels. Now you have three spares instead of just one (same-size matching is important, especially if your vehicle is a 4WD). Tread punctures can usually be fixed, but not sidewall punctures, and rock cuts will instantly ruin a tire.

Get extra lug nuts at a junkyard, and test them for proper fit. Find places to secure them two at a time. I used .041″ stainless safety wire to secure pairs in various places around the truck where they won’t get rusty but are still accessible. If your wheel mounting lugs are long enough, put 1 or 2 on each wheel, backwards, with the 2nd nut flat face to and already-installed nut’s flat face, torqued tight enough to keep them from coming loose (if the lug nuts don’t have flat faces, this won’t work. Non-flat faces on the lug nuts will damage each other and possibly the mounting lug threads.)  I also wired a pair to each “extra spare” wheel and tossed several in one of the pouches of my “in truck” tool bag, along with a few spare wheel mounting lugs, purchased new from the auto parts store (verify the fit – your front and rear studs may be different). If you have a cross-type lug wrench, wire a couple nuts snugly at the center cross. – Nosmo King

 

Hi James,
All of the insights on tire changes have been welcome, and I wanted to add my 2 cents. On top of the 4-way lug wrench, tire plug kit, jack, properly- inflated spare. and DC-powered compressor, and the knowledge from practice on how to use them, you should also carry spare lug nuts and lug studs, a Ball peen hammer and a decent sized punch.

Having had a stud shear off while 4-wheeling is disconcerting and each time a lug shears off it puts more load on the remaining studs. I would encourage all readers to become familiar with all aspects of this most important piece of round rubber we all take for granted sometimes.  I have been stuck in the middle of nowhere with no spare and no way to fix a tire, and no cell service. I was very fortunate to have another  “wheeler” come along and offer assistance, otherwise the buzzards may have started circling overhead.   when the grid goes down that help may be a long time coming. – T.C. in the Pacific Northwest

Economics and Investing:

John E. sent this: Russia to Grab Pension Money, Temporarily

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) spotted this: Obamacare’s winners and losers in Bay Area. (One confused Dem resident of the People’s Republic of California commented, after learning that his insurance rate would jump to $10,000 per year: “Of course, I want people to have health care. I just didn’t realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally.”)

The bond funds are still getting hammered by just rumors of Fed tapering: Gundlach’s Fund Had Its Biggest Redemptions in September.

Items from The Economatrix:

U.S. Treasury Warns Of What’s To Come: “Catastrophic Effect… Could Last For More Than A Generation”

Shutdown doesn’t hurt us? That’s bull

It’s Official:  No Jobs Reports