Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"A system of capitalism presumes sound money, not fiat money manipulated by a central bank. Capitalism cherishes voluntary contracts and interest rates that are determined by savings, not credit creation by a central bank. It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking." – Former Congressman Dr. Ron Paul

Note from JWR:

Camping Survival’s Wise Foods and Berkey water filter bundle sale ends tomorrow (Tuesday, August 20, 2013,) so order soon.

Seeking Input for My Next Novel: Liberators

The third sequel to Patriots, titled Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse, will be released on October 1st. Meanwhile, I’m already writing the fourth sequel to my novel Patriots, which will be titled Liberators. This novel will be set primarily set near Bella Coola, British Columbia, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord(JBLM) , Washington, and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Anyone who has recently lived in those regions is invited to chime in. I’d really like to add some local color–including local history, flora and fauna, and geographical quirks.

Liberators will also have a strong emphasis on guerilla and counter-guerilla warfare, so I encourage folks with real-world warfighting experience in such conflicts to e-mail me. Please recommend every tactic, technique and trick that you can recall. It will be those tips that will give the novel great realism and that will make it useful as a training reference as well as exciting to read. That will be greatly appreciated! – J.W.R.

Wouldn’t it be Great if Someone Made… (A List of Needful Gear)

I love dropping hints. Wouldn’t it be great if someone made any of the following products? (Some of these might already exist.)

  • A set of stencils designed for camouflage spray-painting rifles and other field gear to replicate popular camouflage patterns, such as Woodland pattern.
  • Custom checkered wooden grips or molded checkered plastic grips at a comfortable Glock/1911 grip angle, to solve a problem that has existed since 1896.
  • A Kydex holster that would fit a HK 26.5mm flare pistol.
  • Kydex belt pouches shaped to fit all of the most popular Leatherman tool models.
  • Kydex belt pouches for FN FiveSeven pistol magazines.
  • Earth tone nylon magazine pouches specifically for those loooong magazines, such as HK93 40 rounders and Galil 50 rounders. (The Vest Guy already makes pouches for Saiga 12 magazines.)
  • Earth tone nylon magazine pouches specifically for FN FiveSeven pistol magazines with +10 extensions installed.
  • Earth tone nylon magazine pouches specifically for Glock 21 pistol magazines with KRISS magazine extensions installed.
  • Earth tone nylon magazine pouches specifically for Glock 33 round pistol magazines.
  • Stereo headphones with extra sturdy (larger gauge) cords and stress-relieved mini-plug that would last more than a couple of years.
  • Replica olive drab canvas skeeter gloves. (Open palm and no finger tips)
  • A soft start power box for radios that use vacuum tubes.
  • AAA, / AA/ C / D / 9 Volt and CR-123 smart battery charger trays with Anderson Power Pole connectors
  • Dewalt and Makita battery chargers with Anderson Power Pole connectors, to operate from 12 VDC power sources.
  • Speedloaders for large frame S&W top-break revolvers.
  • Speedloaders for .41 Colt DA revolvers.
  • 80% complete receiver modules for SIG P250 pistols
  • Waterproof hard shell plastic portage packs in earth tone colors with backpack straps, similar to the discontinued York Packs.
  • True expedition quality four season tents in earth tone colors similar to the discontinued Moss brand tents.
  • Replacement Valmet .223 and .308 magazines that really work reliably.
  • Replacement SIG AMT/SIG-510 .308 magazines that really work reliably.
  • Replacement Galil .308 magazines that really work reliably.
  • Replacement Yugo .308 magazines that really work reliably.
  • Replacement AR-180 magazines (with the thin mag catch slot) that really work reliably.
  • 20 Round magazines for Romanian PSL rifles that really work reliably.
  • 20 Round magazines for HK 770 / SL-7 rifles that really work reliably.
  • 15 and 20 Round magazines for HK USP .45 Compact pistols that really work reliably.
  • 10, 15 and 20 Round magazines for Ruger Scout rifles that really work reliably.

The aforementioned magazines should be taken as hints to the management at MagPul and at Uinta Industries.)

Note to America’s Entrepreneurs: Take all of the preceding as new business venture suggestions. Some of these might be suitable for home-based businesses. – J.W.R.

Pat’s Product Review: Solarbag Water Purifier

Sometimes, I’m just beating my head against the wall, when it comes to trying to explain to some folks, how important it is to have a source of clean, pure drinking water. I have an old friend back in Chicago – we’ve known each other since 1975, and it is just impossible to make her understand that, in due time, the water from her faucets will stop running, and what will she do when that happens? I’ve tried to get her to store a couple of the large blue water containers, that the big box stores carry, all to no avail. I have, at the least though, convinced her to get some freeze-dried/dehydrated foods for storage – so that’s a step in the right direction. However, with a source of clean, safe water, he freeze-dried foods won’t rehydrate…I’m still working on her!
 
There are a lot of different water purifiers/filters on the market, and not all are the same. The local Big Box stores and many sporting goods stores sell some really cheap water filters – and they are not the same as a water purifier – and they are okay, so long as the water source you are using isn’t extremely dirty or contaminated – but how do you know? Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of different water filters/purifiers, and some work better than others. Just don’t go thinking that the water pitcher, like Brita or Pur are actually water purifiers – all they do, for the most part is make you water taste a little better – water from the faucet. I wouldn’t dare put water in my Pur from a small stream on my property, and then think that water is safe to drink – it isn’t!
 
I’ve used the water purification tablets, the type the military issues, or used to issue – any more, they spend millions of dollars to fly-in bottled water to our troops in combat zones. For the life of me, I don’t understand this, doesn’t the military have the capabilities to treat and purify water any longer. Sad! The bad thing with water purification tablets is, the treated water often has a “funny” after-taste. You really need to pour that water back and forth from one canteen to another, to get some air into that water, and make it taste a little better. Still, it’s better than drinking contaminated water.
 
I recently received, from Pantry Paratus an item called the SolarBag water purifier  and to be honest, I was a bit skeptical as to how well this simply little water purifier would work, so I did some research on it, before using it. I learned that it is made right in my home state of Oregon – just outside of Portland. What we have with the SolarBag is a simple, clear plastic bag, that can hold up to three litters of water. There is a specially treated “mesh” membrane on the inside of the plastic bag, that helps purifier the untreated water. The bag also has an attached pre-filter, for use, if the water source you are using, is murky – you don’t want to have sediment or dirt in your drinking water – even though the water has been effectively purified. So, you pour the water through the pre-filer, into the bag, first!
 
The SolarBag water purifier comes with a little bottle of blue liquid. When you fill your bag with water, you add but one drop of this liquid, and when the water is clear, you know your water has been purified. You simply hang the water bag in direct sunlight and in 2-3 hours, your water is purified – on slightly cloudy days, it may take 4-6 hours – still, your water will be purified and safe to drink. The maker says you can treat up to 9 litters of water per day – that is sufficient for a family of 3 or 4 to drink each day. Plan you day accordingly, and don’t wait until the sun is ready to set, to start purifying your water – start early in the day.
 
Here’s the simple breakdown on how to use this set-up. Rinse your SolarBag before using it the first time – that means, rinse it in a clean, safe water source – your home tap, for instance. Now, put your pre-filter over the mouth of the heavy-duty plastic water bag, before pouring the water in. This will remove any sediment, then add one drop of the blue liquid that the company calls Pur-Blue, put the cap on the bag, and hang it in the sun for the required amount of time – and you’ll know when the water has changed from a blue color to clear – then drink the water – can’t be much easier than that in my book.
 
Here’s a list of the harmful contaminants that this set-up will treat: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, pesticides, herbicides, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, arsenic, lead and mercury. It will remove 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses, and 99.9% of giardia and crypto – not too shabby there if you ask me.
 
You can reuse the SolarBag up to 500 times. Now, if the timing process is taking too long, and your water isn’t clear, it will be time to replace your SolarBag. I’d also suggest that, if you are using a really dirty source of water, that you collect it in another container, like a bucket, and let it sit, until the sediment settles to the bottom – then dip that water into the pre-filer – and into your Solar Bag – this way, you won’t be clogging-up your pre-filter all the time.
 
I’m not privy to what the mesh pad has on it, that is inside the SolarBag, but it obviously is the “magic” to purifying the water – along with the sunlight. Also, if your pre-filter gets too dirty, gently wash it by hand. The SolarBag has a dry shelf-life of 7-years. Don’t crush or fold it during storage, either. And, if you’re not going to use the bag right away, after initially using it, drain the bag and allow it to dry then replace the cap – this may take several hours, depending on weather conditions and temperature.
 
The SolarBag is yet another device for helping your purify your water before drinking it. And, there is a rule of three, that many Preppers and Survivalists go by, and that is one is nothing, two is one and three is two. In other words, make sure you have more than one way to treat your water source – don’t depend on just one. If that fails you, then you are “up the creek.” So, the SolarBag is yet another method you can have on-hand, for treating your suspect water source, and it isn’t much easier that to just fill the bag, let it sit, and then drink the purified water.
 
Retail on the SolarBag is $77.99 and when you consider you can reuse it up to 500-times, that’s a cheap source of pure, clean drinking water. I’ve reviewed other products that Pantry Paratus sells, and they only carry top-of-the-line products. Check out the SolarBag, and I think you’ll be impressed, like I was…the darn thing works as advertised. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Rabbits for a Stable (and Staple) Protein Source

Hello,
I enjoyed the recent blog article Rabbits for a Stable (and Staple) Protein Source, by S.F.D. in West Virginia.  With all the rabbits running around this year I have been thinking about giving this a try.  I had a couple of questions after reading though and hope you or S.F.D. can answer them.
 
1. Food pellets won’t be readily available after the stores shut down.  What would you recommend for easily replenishable year-round rabbit food?
2. The temperature swings here in the South between seasons can be drastic.  Is there special care needed in extreme cold or heat?
3. Is there a particular breed that is recommended?  I could easily catch wild rabbits here to start, but they are kind of scrawny.
 
Thanks, – G.S.

JWR Replies: I’ve raised rabbits off and on since the early 1990s. Although feeding hay is more messy than using pellets, rabbits do quite well eating hay. Growing up in California’s Central Valley during World War II, my mother raised rabbits and for their feed simply cut weeds in vacant city lots. Alfalfa is particularly nutritionally dense, but Timothy and Latar Orchard Grass also make good rabbit feed. (Latar is a favorite in the Inland Northwest.) Unless you have a large number of rabbits, you can grow your own and simply harvest it with a hand scythe. If you don’t have room to grow hay, then you can buy it by the bale or more cost effectively by the ton. (Incidentally, Alfalfa bales are heavier than grass hay bales, so there are fewer bales per ton.)

Rabbits can handle cold temperatures well, although they should be sheltered from rain and wind chill. It is heat that kills most rabbits. In hot summer weather, one expedient is providing each cage with a frozen 2 liter water bottle. (Used sodapop bottles work fine.) If you have a double set of bottle sand carefully rinse clean the bottles before refreezing them, it is quick and easy to keep up to a dozen bottles in your chest freezer at all times. Evaporative cooling (using an old terry cloth towel hung vertically near each cage, and kept wet with a dripper system) works moderately well, but only when combined with a box fan.

Don’t try breeding wild rabbits! Not only will the wild does tear you up when you try to handle them, but there is also the risk of endemic diseases, such as tularemia. Most meat rabbit breeders use the New Zealand breed. They were bred specifically for meat production. They put on weight quickly, which makes them economical to keep. If you want a combination breed (for meat and fur), then I recommend Rex rabbits. Rex bunnies are also cute, so you will also have a chance to sell some of your rabbitry’s offspring for pets. But regardless of the breed that you select, be sure to get your breeding stock from a good breeder that has proven healthy bloodlines with does that have a history of large litters and good nurturing instincts. It is better to pay more for your first few rabbits, so that you get started with solid genetics. If you start out “on the cheap”, then you will probably have lots of problems down the road. (Small litters, babies left on the wire to die, and so forth.) You should also swap bucks with other breeders once every year or two, to prevent excessive inbreeding,

Recipe of the Week:

Sunshine Buttercup’s Oriental Green Beans

I make this dish whenever I have a surplus of green beans. Everyone who has tried it says it’s tasty and a great way to liven up green beans.

Ingredients
    1 lb green beans, trimmed
    1 teaspoon sesame oil
    1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
    Crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
    1-1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
    2 tablespoons water
    1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted, garnish

Directions
    1.    Steam beans for only a few minutes, you want them crisp.
    2.    Dash beans in cold water to stop the cooking (do this the day ahead if you wish) Heat the oils and saute over low heat with the garlic & ginger until you can smell that wonderful aroma (the garlic will be golden). Add beans, pepper flakes, soy sauce, and water.
    3.    Cover cook over high heat for a few minutes until the water evaporates and the oils have coated the beans and they are hot .Shake the pan as the beans cook.
    4.    Garnish with sesame seed.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Green Bean Recipes

Storing Garden Abundance: Freezing

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Odds ‘n Sods:

For folks with a large stream on their property, a Pelton Wheel system like this is fantastic: Algonquin Eco-Lodge – 12 kW Micro-Hydro Turbines

   o o o

Why we face grave danger from space: The discovery that a colossal solar flare hit Earth in the Dark Ages reminds us that catastrophe could strike at any time, says Michael Hanlon.

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.50 BMG shooters might find this reference page on specialty military rounds of interest.

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Mike Brown is planning to build a new generation of reliable 8 horsepower steam engines that will be able to run a 5 kilowatt generator.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life and they lost it all – security, comfort and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society, but for society to give to them; when the freedom they wished for most was the freedom from responsibility, then the Athenians ceased to be free." – Edward Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

How to Wake People Up: A Time-Travel-to-the-Year-1970 Gedanken, by Joe Snuffy

Many preppers and survivalists have tried to convince family members and friends about our current predicament, being the long-term collapse of industrialized civilization. As intellectual survivalists, many of us have studied the works of Dr. Joseph Tainter (The Collapse of Complex Societies), Dr. Nate Hagans (Peak Oil / environmental economics), John Michael Greer (catabolic collapse theory), etc. Many of us collapse theorists have performed a form of fusion between these noted theorists, as well as noting significant events ourselves, since the early 1970s, in particular.

How about a neat little Gedanken (a thought experiment) or role playing game during a family get-together or social event? In this game, we travel back to the year 1970, where the traveler (or even a group of people, which would be better, for collective input) is the time traveler to the year 1970, and the rest simply play the parts of ordinary, average people of that time period (not our usual doomer selves, in the modern sense), oblivious, and amazed that this person was able to travel back through time, from the year 2013. Note-taking and illustrations on a dry-erase board could add to the fun, and create more effect.

Here is how a realistic dialogue could go during the role playing between one of our typically uninformed, NFL/NASCAR/Disneyland relatives/friends being the time travelers, and us as the 1970s people:

Us: “Wow, so you’re from the future! Groovy!”

Traveler: “That’s right”

Us: “Wow, so it’s like 2001: A Space Odyssey, in 2013, right? I just saw that movie.”

Traveler: “Uh…no…not really.”

Us: “What do you mean?”

Traveler: “We don’t put people in space anymore. Only the Russians do.”

Us: “What!?”

Traveler: “There’s an International Space Station in orbit, but the Russians are the only ones flying to it. I think American astronauts are getting rides with them.”

Us: “What!? But it’s like that one in 2001: A Space Odyssey, right?

Traveler: “You mean like a big, giant round thing? No, it just looks like the small one that the Russians had in space from the 1980s, to the 1990s. My cousin said he talked to someone who works for NASA, who said that the Russians even built the modules for the newer space station, because they were they only ones who knew how to do it.”

Us: “Well, isn’t the US going to put something like that in space?”

Traveler: “We had a little one of our own called Skylab for a couple of years. I think that was around 1973. But, I mean…nobody has any money anymore for stuff like that.”

Us: “What are you talking about?! We’re the Unites States of America! We’ve got Apollo Moon missions going on! We’re fighting a war in Vietnam! There’s nothing we can’t do!”

Traveler: “Well, I don’t know. When I hear older people talk, they talk about the economy back in the 1970s, with the gas rationing that went on in 1973 and 1979. I also hear them complain about how Nixon took the US Dollar off of the gold standard in 1971, and that it’s causing problems in my time. I also have this loony cousin, who says that US oil production peaked in December of 1970,… whatever that means…I heard this one guy, Schiff,  I think his name is, saying that we ‘went into debt in the 1970s, in order to pay for everything we did back in the 1960’s’.”

Us: “No gold standard?! Well then what backs the dollar? Nothing?

Traveler: “Yeah, pretty much.”

Us: “Oh my God… But we produce all the oil we need. At least that’s what we’re told.”

Traveler: “Well, I think we’ve always imported oil from foreign countries. I think even in your time, we’re importing oil. There’s a lot of talk about something called shale plays in the US, but my cousin says they’re a lie, that they’re actually starting to peak, as they ‘play-out.’ He says it’s like the lie about food in the movie Soylent Green, whatever that means.”

Us: “What’s Soylent Green?”

Traveler: “Some really ugly movie about the future, with Charlton Heston in it that comes out a few years from now…Oh, by-the-way, that reminds me: I think that people were encouraged to kill themselves in that movie. Just before I time traveled, there was a news story about how since 2010, suicide was the number one cause of death in the US and Europe, exceeding traffic accidents. The article said the numbers were actually conservative, with one researcher saying that the real suicide rate was probably 30% higher, because coroners can’t always tell what the motive behind accidental death is.”

Us: “Oh my God…By-the-way, you don’t seem to be recalling this stuff very well. Didn’t you have any schooling after high school?”

Traveler: “Yes, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, but I haven’t been able to find a job, so I work two different part time jobs at the mall.”

Us: “You mean one of those new indoor shopping malls?”

Traveler: “Yeah. I work 30 hours a week at an Orange Julius. It’s a place that serves fruit drinks and hot dogs. Then I work 20 hours a week at a clothing store that sells punk rock and goth stuff to kids.”

Us: “Punk rock,… goth?”

Traveler: “Never Mind.”

Us: “So what do you do when you get home?”

Traveler: “Oh, I waste time on the Internet, chatting with friends, etc.”

Us: “What’s ‘the Internet’?”

Traveler: “It’s this global network of computers that all communicate, and share all of the knowledge of the world that has ever existed.”

Us: “So for a time traveler representing the future of humanity, how come you don’t seem to know much?”

Traveler: “I don’t know…

Traveler: “I then usually watch TV. I like ‘Dancing with the Stars’. It’s my favorite TV show.”

Us: “What’s that?”

Traveler: “It’s this show where celebrities go and have these dancing contests.”

Us: “Oh my God…That sounds stupid. Well…Then again,… we have these ‘variety’ shows on TV, that are probably just as stupid.”

Traveler: “What are those?”

Us: “It’s where these celebrities host their own TV shows, and perform skits, play jokes on each other, stuff like that.”

Traveler: “You’re right. That does sound stupid,”

Us: You know, your future doesn’t give us anything to look forward to. I can’t believe it! There is no way I’m going to allow my kids to have any children of their own. Why bother! They’re just going to suffer. Is there anything else that sucks about the future?”

Traveler: “Oh yeah. One other thing: You mentioned Vietnam. I don’t know much about that war, but I heard that we lose that war a few years from now. Anyway, we had another series of illegal wars in the Middle East, after the World Trade Center in New York got crashed into by some airlines, in 2001. A lot of people compared these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to Vietnam. Also, my cousin said that the attack on the World Trade Center was a false flag by our own government, because of the way they completely came down from a set of implosions. One building didn’t even get hit by anything, and it imploded in on itself, as well.”

Us: “Oh my God…Martin Luther King himself even warned us about this, in his Beyond Vietnam speech, when he protested the war…He said it would continue, if we didn’t stop acting like an empire…” I think I just saw something on 60 Minutes about how the Gulf of Tonkin incident never actually happened. By the way, next time, have your ‘crazy cousin’ do the time traveling. He sounds a little bit better informed…”

Us: Okay, so apart from the fact that our future is totally screwed, how much do things cost in the future, like a home, cars, stuff like that?

Traveler: Well, a decent house, depending on where you live can cost anywhere from $150,000 on-up to a Million. Most new cars are from $20,000 to $60,000. Bread is about $3.00 a loaf. A gallon of gas, last I checked, was around $3.80.

Us: My God! The average price for a new house now is just somewhere over $24,000. A good new car is around $3,500. A gallon of gasoline right now is about 36 cents. Bread is only a quarter. What happened to the value of the dollar? Oh wait, that’s right. You just said that Nixon is going to take us off of the gold standard. And you said we’re already importing oil. How much are we importing in the future?

Traveler: My cousin told me, because of something called ‘demand destruction’ and those shale oil plays, just less than half of what we use each day comes from a whole mix of other countries. Before the economy got really bad in 2008, we imported over half of what we used…

…

I think everyone can see how this can go. Yes, in this example, the time traveler takes some ribbing, to say the least, but YMMV, based on how cooperative and good-natured your friends and relatives are. Just have fun with it. You can even have a large group, divided into two halves, serving as time travelers and as 1970s people. Also, it may work out better if it’s one of us unplugged types who does the time traveling, as some of us might have a deeper knowledge of history, and the ability to convey it.

Some of my inspiration here comes from the ultimate intelligence officer, himself, the character Gary Seven (Robert Lansing) from the old Star Trek episode Assignment Earth. (He was so high-speed, he knew that the Enterprise crew came from the future, as soon as he encountered them. “Humans, traveling with a Vulcan…”) The Canadian documentary Stupidity also came to mind. This particular documentary, narrated by Donald Sutherland, asks the question: In a world where information is more accessible than in any other period in human history, why do people insist on remaining stupid?

As things quickly transpire, like most other doomers out there, I am convinced that it is simply too late to preach to people who want to stay clueless. However, this could be fun, and have a powerful psychological effect (or at least create a serious paradigm shift.)

Economics and Investing:

India Bans All Gold Coin Imports, Increases Capital Controls

Carolina Jim recommended an essay by Paul Rosenberg: The Blow That Killed America, 100 Years Ago.

Dire Consequences Await As U.S. Debt Nears A Tipping Point.

Items from The Economatrix:

That Which Is Incapable Of Reforming Itself Disappears

How To Prepare For An Economic Depression

US Consumer Bankruptcies Jump By Most In Three Years; Third-Party Collections At All Time High

Odds ‘n Sods:

G.G. sent this: Ten Years Later, How Have We Avoided Another Mega Blackout? And this: Failure is Not-an Option Unless We’re Talking About American Energy Infrastructure

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Ban on carrying loaded guns absent a concealed-carry permit is upheld by Oregon supremes. Reading the decision, it appears that it was the court rather than the defendant that was acting “recklessly.”

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Bellingham to pay $15,000 to man who wore gun in park

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A Mikey Bloomberg nightmare: Virginia gun crime drops again as firearm sales soar.

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British-produced food would run out today, farmers warn: Food supplies for the year would run out today if Britain had to rely on domestic goods alone due to a sharp fall in production in the past two decades, farmers have warned. (Thanks to M.P. in Seattle for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” – 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 (KJV)