Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The great virtue of a free market system is that it does not care what color people are; it does not care what their religion is; it only cares whether they can produce something you want to buy. It is the most effective system we have discovered to enable people who hate one another to deal with one another and help one another." – Milton Friedman

Notes from JWR:

A news item of particular note: Effort To Create New State Called ‘North Colorado’ Grows. Some 10 counties are now involved! Needless to say, if they succeed I will expand my definition of The American Redoubt!

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Today we present another entry for Round 47 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 and F.) 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.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 ends on July 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Dehydration and Rehydration Solutions, by M.A. in Washington State

I would first like to thank you and all of the previous posters on this blog. I have been an avid reader for a few years now and I have learned immeasurably from you all.
Dehydration can be a problem for individuals in the first world today, and a massive problem for those in the third world. In a post collapse situation, life for us in America and the rest of the first world countries could look more like the latter. There are many causes for dehydration, from working outside in the heat and sweating out fluids to a serious illness causing severe nausea and vomiting. Severe dehydration could lead to death, called Terminal Dehydration.

Before I really delve into this subject, let me give a brief summary of my experience. I spent six years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman serving with both the Navy onboard ship and at a hospital and also serving with the Marines as a field corpsman. I was charged with the care of sailors and marines, at times on my own. It was a very large responsibility for such a young man as I was. I took my charge VERY seriously. One thing that I was continuously on the lookout for was heat injuries and signs of dehydration, especially in the desert. This carried over from my training at the fleet marine service school. It was repeated constantly throughout my military training. The military is acutely aware of the seriousness of heat injuries and the toll they take. Since I have gotten out of the navy, I have worked in the hospital setting in differing acute care areas such as emergency rooms. I have a love of medicine and a drive to learn as much as I can. Even though I am no physician, I have had providers ask me for my thoughts on certain areas that my previous experience has given me with regards to treating their own patients. I truly love working as a member of the healthcare team. I am taking college courses to become a flight nurse. Now, I am no doctor and I am only writing this for informational purposes. If it is possible, if you or a loved one shows signs of dehydration, you should seek the treatment of a physician.

Now, back to the matter at hand, dehydration in a collapse scenario. Let us first look at dehydration. It not always simply a lack of fluids that needs to be replenished. There are actually three different kinds of dehydration: 1) hypotonic or hyponatremic (referring to this as primarily a loss of electrolytes, sodium in particular), 2) hypertonic or hypernatremic (referring to this as primarily a loss of water), and 3) isotonic or isonatremic (referring to this as equal loss of water and electrolytes). The most commonly seen is isonatremic dehydration. This loss is mostly due to profuse sweating and/or vomiting and diarrhea. The loss of electrolytes, while seemingly insignificant to some, can be very serious. Sodium in particular serves many roles in the human body. Sodium helps the body maintain fluid balance in the body down to the cellular level. Sodium also helps the body regulate blood pressure, as many may already know. Sodium also helps facilitate nutrient transfers at the cellular level. These functions of sodium in the body are done primarily through the process of osmosis. Sodium is just one of the essential electrolytes required by the human body to maintain homeostasis. Both sodium and potassium help carry electrical signals from cell to cell over the entire body.

Now dehydration can have a number of causes. I cannot go over them all, but I can focus on some. One of the most common causes in the third world is unclean drinking water that causes waterborne illnesses such as Cholera, E. Coli, Typhoid, and Salmonellosis. These can be particularly fatal to children and the elderly if not treated properly. In a post collapse situation, clean drinking water will be difficult to come by for most folks once the grid goes down and illnesses such as these will become common in America once more. Another cause of dehydration in a post collapse scenario will be simply due to overexertion and sweating. Even here in the beautiful and comparatively mild climate of northwestern United States, it gets hot enough in the summer months to cause heat injuries. And in a post collapse scenario, we will all be required to do much more work outside in the heat to simply survive. The signs and symptoms of dehydration can be headaches (similar to hangovers or “caffeine headaches), thirst, dry skin, moderate to severe muscle cramping or contractions, rapid heart rate, concentrated dark urine, dizziness or fainting, decreased blood pressure, and at the extreme delirium and death. Now, there is a simple test that can be done at home, in the absence of medical laboratories and the ability to look at blood serum sodium levels and similar testing, that can help determine if a person is experiencing dehydration or not: postural/orthostatic blood pressure and pulse measurement. The procedure is simple, all one needs is a blood pressure cuff and sphygmomanometer, a stethoscope, and the ability to feel the pulse of the patient. The procedure I have used is to have the patient lie down for approximately 5 minutes and measure their pulse and blood pressure, then have the patient stand for another minute and repeat the pulse and blood pressure. What you are looking for is a drop in the measurement of the systolic (top number) of at least 20mm/Hg and/or diastolic (bottom number) of at least 10 mm/Hg, and a significant increase in the heart rate from laying to standing may also show that the heart is trying to compensate for decreased fluid levels in the blood.
 
If the patient is indeed dehydrated, there are treatments that can be done in a post collapse scenario that are similar to those we use in hospitals today. Now, IV fluid rehydration may be indicated but could not necessarily be available. In that case, oral rehydration therapy may be indicated as tolerated by the patient. The history of oral rehydration therapy goes back thousands of years. There is evidence of an Indian physician named Sushruta using a solution of rock salt and molasses in tepid water in the 6th century BC to treat dehydration.  If there is significant vomiting and there are not anti-emetics available such as Ondansetron, there is a delicate balance of reducing vomiting and yet helping the patient replenish fluids that needs to be struck. If the patient simply chugs down the Oral Rehydration Solution/Salts (ORS), they may proceed to vomit it back up. The key is to let them sip some every few minutes as is tolerated. Now, just throwing in a bunch of salt and some arbitrary amount of sugar into some water is not recommended. Just as the body needs to strike a balance in electrolyte levels, so must the solution we are making. There are differing recipes of ORS out there, I will be using the World Health Organization’s recipe since they are the ones who go into the third world countries and encounter such severe dehydration without the benefit of hospitals nearby. The ingredients are easily obtained at even the local grocery store and are most likely already on your list of lists to keep in stock.

The ingredients are 3/8 tsp salt (sodium chloride), ¼ tsp table salt substitute (potassium chloride), ½ tsp baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), 2 tsp-2 tbsp sugar (sucrose) to taste; add these dry ingredients to a 1 liter bottle and fill to the final volume of 1 liter. This solution is best when chilled, but is not exactly great tasting at any time. As a rule of thumb, it should taste similar to tears. It is recommended that the solution should be discarded after 24 hours. The concentrations of electrolytes in the ORS allow for quicker absorption of fluids and reducing the need for IV fluids (if your retreat has the ability to administer them post collapse). These concentrations improve the ability of the body to absorb it in the small intestine and replace vital electrolytes lost. It is recommended that with diarrhea alone, ORS is administered to adults and large children after every loose bowel movement and should at least be 3 liters a day until they are well. For children under 2, the amount should be between a quarter and a half of a cup after each movement. For older children it should be between a half and whole cup after each movement. Do not let the patient chug away at the ORS. Doing so may cause the brain to swell and possibly cause permanent injury because it tries to pull too much fluid into the cells. A simple way to tell if a dehydrated person is well is to check the color and frequency of urine, the urine should be optimally between pale yellow to clear. An average person urinates about 5 times a day. With vomiting, the patient should wait approximately 10 minutes after vomiting before they should be administered the ORS again. The body will retain some of the water and electrolytes even though vomiting is present. The ORS will not treat or stop either vomiting or diarrhea; these will have to run their course. Both are the body’s response to either an illness or poison that it has detected and is trying to flush out.  Diarrhea, for instance, usually resolves after three or five days.

As is the case in most medical conditions, and I am sure many have heard this from their physicians before, the key is prevention. Make sure that the proper precautions have been taken to prevent waterborne illness and your water has been sufficiently treated.  Keep an eye on you and your group for the signs and symptoms of dehydration, the easiest is to watch the color of urine. Again, clear or pale yellow is optimal, a dark/amber color isn’t. Dehydration can occur in both the heat and humidity of summer and the cold dead of winter. The dry cold can zap out moisture just as effectively as the heat; do not get complacent in the winter months.
God Bless and Semper Fidelis

Letter Re: Old Military Physical Fitness Manuals

Hello,
I’ve been lurking around your blog for a while now and I love it!   I’d like to share this link with you: the Iowa Health and Physical Readiness Alliance web site.
 
This online library has several old military physical fitness manuals (dated 1892, 1914, 1917, and 1946).  I think that your readers would really love the 1946 manual, FM 21-20.  Not only does it have an extensive calisthenics routine, but also has guerrilla drills on carrying wounded comrades, running and swimming instructions, and even brief sections on wrestling, boxing, and hand-to-hand combatives.  All are in PDF.
 
Enjoy! – Tom R.

JWR Replies: Those manuals can be quite useful. But I must forewarn readers: Old School methods of “warm-ups” provide insufficient muscle stretching to prevent injuries. They also emphasize “bouncing” stretches rather than slow stretches. It is the slow stretches that are much safer. (Bouncing can tear muscles and ligaments.) I recommend doing some slow Asian martial arts stretches before doing calisthenics workouts or running.

Also, keep in mind that these older manuals often depict running in boots. That too can lead to injuries. Be wise and minimize any regular running in combat boots!

Economics and Investing:

The global derivatives bubble continues to inflate. According to the BIS there are now $564 Trillion in over the counter derivatives, which includes $441 Trillion in bets on small moves in the direction of interest rates. If and when interest rates spike (and they will!), the counterparty risk will be huge, and spectacular derivatives implosion could bring down the global credit market.

Vince W. wrote to mention a new vehicle that is going to be made here in the U.S. at an old GM plant in Louisiana. They claim it will get 84 mpg, and have an 8 gallon gas tank. Also has a complete roll cage, three airbags and will only cost $6,800

Items from The Economatrix:

Approaching The End Game:  “A Domestic Hyperinflationary Environment Should Evolve…Before The End Of Next Year

41 IMF Bailouts and Counting–How Long Before The Entire System Collapses?

19 Reasons to be Deeply Concerned About the Global Economy

Wall Street Flat After Fed Minutes, But Bernanke Lifts Futures

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Brian M. sent this: Couple discover 7,500 machine gun, shotgun and pistol bullets in their back garden while weeding their pond. Now, to illustrate a world of difference: Last year one of my consulting clients discovered 5,500 rounds of .22 ammo and six boxes of shotgun shells stored in dusty ammo cans in the crawlspace of the house that he had bought eastern Oregon. He called the previous owners and asked if they wanted the ammo. (They had moved to Arizona.) They told him to just keep it. He expressed his heartfelt thanks. Note that he did not become apoplectic. Nor did he call the police and the newspapers and turn it into an international news story. His kids are now enjoying lots of target practice. It amazes me how these Brits got so spastic over ammunition that has been rendered inert by being submerged in water. They considered the find horrific. I just found it sad to to see ammo go to waste.

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Reader H.L. sent this: U.N. urged to consider drones, gunships for South Sudan mission. [JWR’s Comments: Of course any large UN presence would come with strings attached. Please pray for peace and liberty in South Sudan. Organizations like C.R.O.S.S. Ministries are deserving of support. Please donate generously!]

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H.L. sent: Permits Soar to Allow More Concealed Guns. These easterner editors sound surprised that concealed carry is so commonplace, and just plain shocked that no permits whatsoever are required in some states.

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Anyone looking for a top-notch compound bow should look at Concept Archery.com. They have fantastic quality bows with 80% to 99% let-off that feature billet machined risers made of 6061T aircraft grade aluminum and Gordon Composites diamond-sanded fiberglass limbs. Their bows are sought after by both competition archers and big game bow hunters.

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Andre D. sent this: Spy agencies fear terror groups could get chemical weapons in Syria

Notes from JWR:

Today, July 10, 2013, is the last day of Freeze Dry Guy’s extended 25% Off Special on All Mountain House #10 Cans.

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This is also the birthday of British novelist John Wyndham. He we was born in 1903 and died March 11, 1969. Harris was a good friend of fellow novelist Samuel Youd (1922 – 2012), who wrote under several pen names, including John Christopher. Both men were famous for writing what are often called “cozy catastrophes.” Several of Wyndham’s novels and short stories have been adapted to film, with varying degrees of success. One of the best of these was a parallel universe story called Random Quest.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 47 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 and F.) 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.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 ends on July 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Lessons from Hiking the Grand Canyon, by Andy in New England

A successful trek is “won or lost” before it even begins. Having the right quantities of food, water, and first aid, proper gear and adequate physical fitness will determine if a hiker is able to complete a trip as planned, and respond to the unexpected along the way.

This past June, my wife and I hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. Over the course of this four day, thirty-mile hike, we learned many valuable lessons that can be applied to a grid-down scenario where long-range foot travel is needed to bug-out, explore, or patrol large land areas.

I’m thankful to have learned such lessons in times of plenty, they are as follows:

A Hiking System
Just like how an infantryman’s kit works with him to create a “weapons system,” a hiker and his gear turn into a “hiking system” while on the trail. Working together, the components form a gestalt that can accomplish more than the sum of its parts.
A good pair of trail shoes or boots is the foundation of the hiking system. Footwear that has been broken-in and conforms to the hiker’s foot before the hike begins will be the most comfortable and cause the fewest problems along the way. Wearing footwear a half-size larger than street shoes allows room for the foot to expand as blood flow increases during exercise.
Wool socks wick away moisture during use, keeping feet dry and happy. I had expected wool socks to be like a wool sweater – scratchy and uncomfortable in the heat. In reality, Merino wool is much softer than cotton, and wears very comfortably.

Underwear that fits tightly against the body reduces chafing and irritation compared to looser styles. Anti-microbial fabrics inhibit the growth of micro organisms by using silver threading in the weave. While not a replacement for good personal hygiene, anti-microbial material allows for rather more extended use on long trips, when a fresh pair of drawers may be some time away.
A water bladder in the backpack allows a hiker to carry two or more liters of potable water for easy access while hiking or breaking on the trail. Carrying water on the back keeps the added weight centered on the body and out of the way.

A waist strap supports weight from the backpack at the top of the hips, allowing the hiker to carry a substantial portion of the pack’s weight on the lower body. This greatly relieves weight borne by the shoulders compared to packs without a waist strap, increasing endurance and overall weight capacity.
Trekking poles act like outriggers, providing stability on uneven terrain. Poles also help to keep the upper body in rhythm with the legs, so that the whole body is working together. In addition, trekking poles can be used as a bipod to support the weight of the backpack while pausing on the trail.    
Wearing a hat will keep the sun from beating down on sensitive skin on the face and neck, shield the eyes from glare, and help keep the head cool. Wearing headgear with a distinctive color can also help to identify a person at a distance.
A pair of sunglasses keeps eye muscles from tiring quickly in direct sunlight. It also helps with seeing details in washed-out vistas, and protects fragile eyes from branches and trail dust.   

Drink and Eat Plenty
A hiker may expend twice his normal number of calories while on the trail. Our guide told us that he has yet to see someone run a calorie surplus on a multi-day hike in the Canyon. By taking time to stop regularly for snacks, a hiker can keep his energy up throughout the day to keep moving.
Snacks that are high in sugars and fats convert easily into energy on the trail. Fruits, nuts, seeds, and energy bars make a good source of healthy energy. Candy can also be a ready source of quick energy.
Irritability can be an early sign of dehydration. Taking a drink of water at the first signs of pessimism or negativity can often head-off a hydration issue in its early stages.
Keeping enough water on hand ensures a hiker does not need to run a hydration deficit. A water bladder in the backpack, combined with water or sports drink in a bottle, is a good combination.

Using the Day
The body expends energy to maintain a healthy internal temperature while hiking in hot climates. Heat from direct sunlight and high external temperatures can force the body to work harder and expend more energy to stay cool.
Early and late hours of the day are ideal for hiking in hot temperatures. A good hot climate hiking schedule starts before sunrise (4:00AM) and stops before the sun reaches its highest point in the sky (10:00AM), then resumes hiking after the heat of the day (4:00PM) and stops at dark or when a campsite is reached.
Soaking or submerging in water will cool the body very quickly. Nearby streams or pools can be a great place to wet clothing and headgear for ongoing cooling while wearing them on the trail.

Group Hiking
The group can only move as fast as its slowest member.
People with longer legs tend to move more quickly over distances, due to their longer gait. Physical fitness, to include muscle tone and cardiovascular health, also plays a big role in determining how quickly a hiker can move.
Removing weight from the pack of a slower hiker and adding it to the pack of a faster hiker will tend to equalize their speeds.
Distributing shared items like food, cooking, and camp equipment, spreads weight around and keeps any one heavy item from falling on a single hiker unnecessarily.  
Children are capable of hiking distances, but their physiological needs are different. Generally speaking, children do best when they are carrying very little gear and supplies.
Staying within sight and hearing of the next person in the group ensures that nobody will get lost.
When people are tired and under stress, personalities can rub. By assuming positive intent from other people, and being slow to get angry with them, group members can bypass emotional flare ups. Often, frustration will pass quickly if not given full vent. Looking for unmet needs while upset may reveal the real source of those hard feelings.

Other People
Many day hikers do not bring enough water, food, or first aid supplies. Consequently, many overnight hikers still do not bring enough of the same. Unprepared hikers are most likely to get into trouble with dehydration, metabolic issues, and first aid emergencies because they cannot adequately prevent or address small problems early to keep them from becoming bigger problems.
Extra supplies can be used to help a hiker in distress. Providing a fellow traveler with food, water, or first aid from extras makes a world of difference to them, and mercy like this rewards the giver.
Foolishness stands out. Perfumes, booming voices, and fashion-over-function type clothing draw attention in the deep outdoors, and usually not the good kind. Being a mile from camp in the middle of the desert without a water bottle paints a person as a potential liability.

A Training Vacation
Vacation is an important part of life. More than just recharging the body, getting away from everyday life provides a valuable sense of perspective, often bringing the “big picture” into relief and offering insights that will enrich the very situation a person is vacating.

By taking a vacation that tests personal limits, teaches valuable skills and wisdom, and involves good clean fun, a person can enhance his preparation and promote personal growth while having fun and getting away from it all.
Many of the lessons illustrated here are drawn directly from particular experiences in the American Southwest, but they can be easily adapted or extrapolated to apply to other climates, under more austere circumstances.
Whether bugging-out by foot, reconnoitering an area, or doing long-range patrolling, the principles mentioned here will apply to, or be enhanced by, a grid-down type of scenario.

Letter Re: Advice on Travel to California

Captain Rawles,
I have to go to the Socialist Republic of Kalifornia later this week to rescue my sister and her husband (helping them move household goods) and in doing so must surrender my right to be able to defend myself due to their draconian gun laws.  Living in Utah I know that my permit is recognized only as far as the Nevada border, but I can transport and possess my Model 1911 albeit in a separate locked container from the corresponding ammunition.  I was wondering what advice or opinions you could offer as I leave on this little trek.  Any input would be very much appreciated.
 
Respectfully, – Brad M.

JWR Replies: I can sympathize with you, since I still have a few relatives in California. Parenthetically, my Rawles ancestors came to California via covered wagon in the 1850s. I also have two relatives by marriage who were participants in the Bear Flag Revolt. (Henry Beeson of Boonville and William B. Elliott of Geyserville. The red stripe on the original Bear Flag was some red flannel that had been purchased to make new underwear for William Elliott and a new petticoat for his wife.) If these pioneers were to witness California’s current web of draconian laws, they wouldn’t just chafe–they’d start another revolt!

Getting back to the 21st Century: Under California’s absurd laws, by most common interpretations you can transport a gun into the state only if you have a target shooting session or hunting trip planned. You need to be able to document that planned event–whether or not it ever takes place. (A printout-out of an e-mail exchange between you and yours relatives discussing that shooting session should suffice.) But then, once you are in California you would only be able to have the gun loaded while you are target shooting or hunting, or perhaps while you are inside your sister’s house. (I’m not an attorney, so don’t quote me on that.) Furthermore, even though it must be unloaded and the ammunition in a separate locked compartment of your vehicle, you would not be able to carry your unloaded pistol on any “in and around” trips while you are in California. That would only be allowable when traveling to or from the shooting range, or of course on your final trip out of the state.

Oh, and FYI, though it is not applicable in your case, if you were to stay in California, the pistol would have to be registered by mail within 60 days.)

I urge all of my readers in California to vote with their feet and move out of that doomed Mickey Mouse state! (I say doomed because the political remedies and recourses have been exhausted. The leftist-statists are too deeply entrenched and they have a solid multigenerational voting bloc. It is time to bail!)

Economics and Investing:

E.S. suggested this at Zero Hedge: A Historic Inversion: Gold GOFO Rates Turn Negative For The First Time Since Lehman

Marc Faber: China Puts Global Markets at Risk. (Dr. Doom discusses China’s credit bubble and recommends selling stocks and buying gold, citing $1,222 as a quite reasonable buy price.)

Mike T. sent us this: Here’s how much your carrier makes selling your data to the Feds. No wonder they are so consistently complicit, when implementing tyranny is a profit center…

Items from The Economatrix:

Too Many Workers Hate Their Jobs, And That’s Hurting The Economy

Sequestration Forces Cuts To Long-Term Unemployment Benefits For Millions

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Greg S. sent us some news of Nanny State hand-wringers, run amok: Geolocating “Dangerous” Guns and Gun Owners. Wait! I can make it easier for them: Click here. (Each tiny green pixel dot represents a privately-owned gun. And yes, they are “dangerous”–dangerous to criminals and dangerous to would-be tyrants.) We also have some of the lowest crime rates in the country. I wonder why…

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G.G. sent some news from the Land of Lincoln Obama: Elderly man who picked dandelions for food gets $75 ticket. And speaking of Chicago: More than 1,000 shootings so far in 2013. And lastly, some good news: Illinois enacts nation’s final concealed-gun law. (It is noteworthy that the Illinois legislature was forced to enact this law, by the court. (Without a deadline, they would have dragged their feet for years. They could care less about Constitutional rights.)

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G.G. also suggested this in The Wall Street Journal: Cargo Bikes: The New Station Wagon

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An interesting American expat community in Chile: Freedom Orchard

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Growing Food Hidden in the Forest

Notes from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 47 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 and F.) 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.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 ends on July 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Prepping Through Yard Sales: by DCN in Washington

Having been brought up under unique circumstances I hope that I can bring yet another perspective to the world of survival.  My mother as a single mom, a real taboo in the day, chose to go to Mexico chasing after a life that was difficult and unrealistic; however for me it was the beginning of survivalism to say the least.  I have learned that no matter what life tosses your way it should always be kept as a learning moment.  If it is a bad experience you will learn what not to do and hopefully overcome, and if it is a good experience you will learn what works. 

Because I did go hungry as a kid I quickly vowed that this would never happen to my children, and I have succeeded in that department.  No matter how poor I have been I always managed to have at least a couple of week’s worth of food in the house.  It’s amazing what vows you will make when hard times hit.  So now that I am older and hopefully a little wiser I can share my now working plan for those with very limited income.

I have a small space at an antiques store; I sell a bit on eBay and purchase items for myself and for prepping mostly through yard, garage, and estate sales.  Obviously most of you are probably already aware of the value of these sales.  I do mine with a friend, we trade driving days and the one not driving will be the co-pilot so as to have the shortest route possible and to reduce gas usage.  It is much easier to have a partner in this endeavor because it will become so tedious you will quickly get discouraged. 

Yard and garage sales are abundant in my city, you have to go to a lot of them to find just a few items, estate sales on the other hand are the best, one location and a houseful of stuff. 
Estate sales are usually done because some dear soul has passed on or needs to go to a nursing home.  They like the rest of us like having a lot of stuff, some are hoarders, others have specific hobbies, and yet others are preppers themselves.  Just imagine walking into someone’s home and all that you see is for sale, admittedly some are better than others in my city many a good deal can be had.  I have my own system of items that I need to concentrate on in order to turn some kind of a profit and be able to get a good portion of my preps for free.  In order to know what these items are is of course life experience but no matter how much life you have had there is always much to learn.  SurvivalBlog is the perfect place to do this learning, not only with what they publish but also the links that go with it.  I have read some of his books and of course all that I can on the blog.  One item that he published was the barter list, and his tips on nickel investing, boy I thought this is right up my alley.   

There is so much to be had for so little you just have to view it in a different light in order to find it, you will have to overcome that felling of horror when  there is a huge mess to look through for the purpose of finding a treasure, so don’t forget your hand wipes.
So here we go, I will use a nice round number of one hundred dollars per week, you of course work with what you have.
 
Go to the bank, I prefer the drive up window, less people to see what you are getting.  Ask for your one hundred dollars and at the same time request that ten dollars be in nickel rolls, I have done this long enough that the teller once asked me if I wanted nickels because she had them in her drawer.   Note; my husband has not really been on board with prepping, however I devised a way to show him materially that it is not a loss, for example the nickels.  I explained to him they will be devalued due to the impending change of the material they are made of and that they are now worth more than their value.  I also told him that if worse comes to worse and they are not devalued they are still worth a nickel and he could consider it a very small savings account and can still be spent when needed, sometimes those that do not see the light need to be aimed toward it. 
 
Proceed to your planned sales, by planned I mean that they have been previously researched through the throw away papers like Nickel Nick, the Exchange and so forth.  Don’t forget the regular ads in your local newspaper and of course the mother lode, Craig’s List.  This one really needs research because so many will state the basic items that they are selling.  For example if you are not in the market for baby items then of course you would not attend, unless of course you are in that market, that is the place to go, yard and garage sales can be a crap shoot, some are stellar and others are duds.  This research will also help decide distance to save your gas.
 
Don’t forget to start your mileage counter prior to leaving your house; (should you ever need to produce some kind of a record) also keep some kind of record of how much you are spending just in case you need it in the future.
What to get, remember I told you I have a small space at an antique store and sell a bit on eBay?  This is how I can get some preps for free. 
At every sale I try to get items for my space that I feel reasonably sure will sell and for how much, this of course makes a profit that will go directly to preps. 

Example: 
At an estate sale there is that house full of items, the kitchen and basement are the favored spots that equal food and preps.  Apparently old ladies feel it is their duty to feed an army, they always buy more than they need, and I am one of them.  Always check the dates on the products; a ton is new and unopened and is always the first to go.  Don’t forget that there will be a lot of pouch items, seasoning, flavoring, cocoa, coffee and so forth.  The basement will of course also hold all those canning supply items, I have seen people running up the stairs with a box full of canning jars as if they had just found a long lost treasure, that very same person will have a partner standing by the rest in order to hold them prior to transport.  It used to be that you couldn’t give away canning jars, now you can’t find them.  This is not only good for your needs but also great for the barter area.  The list is too long to describe how much I have gotten through this method.  The bathroom, for your medical tub, here I have gotten bandages, supports, (ankle, knee, wrist etc), pain killers, supplements, toothbrushes and paste.  I am talking about new and never opened; also in this list are all those hotel sized samples of soaps, shampoos, rinse, lotions name it.  Naturally if this is a man’s house, you will also find tools and equipment for their favorite hobbies, like hunting and fishing.  I have acquired a nice lot of hooks lines and accessories for my barter list.  At most estate sales there will be jewelry, most is vintage costume and is what I will be after for resale.  So here is how I see it.  I buy a few pieces of jewelry and collectibles for the shop plus all the items I consider for prepping, let’s say the bill you pay is $25, the items for resale should sell for a minimum of three or more times the total you spent, (don’t forget rent fees), your preps are now free.  At any sale always do your best to have an item for resale to cover your initial cost.

At the end of the weekend, you will probably have money left over from your $100, save the small denominations under $20.  This small stuff will accumulate and become $100 at that point I use a seal a meal bag and seal it, now you have another savings account ready for that day when only cash will do and in small denominations.   I like to call myself penny Annie, yes I save small amounts but discipline and consistency can really make it add up.

Yard and garage sales can be better at getting those items for your re-sales because usually someone is cleaning out a bunch of their stuff and a lot can be a good for re-sale  the quantity is smaller and easy to look through.  However, they will also have unusual items, like I have purchased or have gotten for free half melted candles, if they have a lot of them, I simply collect the ugliest ones and then ask how much?  Usually the pile looks so bad I can get it for free or almost free.  I use these for re-melting and dipping pine cones for fire starters in my wood burner; I really hate wadding up paper for that purpose.  You can also fill small jars, use the wick of some of those candles and you now have emergency candle light.    They may also have pouches of coffee and cocoa that came in some mug gift.  If you are very lucky you can find jewelry that may be good for re-sale but better yet may contain some silver or gold.  Now I have in the past looked at someone’s jewelry pile and examined it, hopefully there will be a piece or two for the shop, and some silver pieces, I will make an offer for the entire pile, it should not exceed what you can sell the shop pieces for.  I save the silver and gold ones and when silver and gold is up I take it to my coin dealer and trade for silver coin. 

Note:  I prefer not to sell silver or gold jewelry in my shop space, It is not worth having someone smash a $200 case so they can take a $10 piece of jewelry.  Speaking of coin dealers, when you are in the market of finding one, go to your local shops, talk to them and buy something small, like a few dimes.  Their attitude should tip you off if you should do business with them in the future.  I did this and found that many seem rather snobbish especially with a novice like myself.  I found one that was patient and instructive and always treated me fair.  When I closed a small retirement account, (operative word is small), I purchased my silver with him and made sure he knew my reasoning for choosing him first.    Unless he drops dead, I will not give my business to anyone else. 

My entire system seems to be "trading this for that" so I can then get the other.  Study as much as you can, everybody does not know everything about every subject so get a good collection of how to books, many from you guessed it, yard and estate sales.  Also, there are some things you will have to simply have to suck up and buy new, like a really good canner, water filter and so forth, but of course it should be on sale. This is not to say that you won’t find it at a yard sale, like when I saw a woman buy a seemingly new Berkey water filter for $20, I almost choked. 

Always be on the lookout for a pile, just yesterday, with permission, at an open and undeveloped area owned by a cemetery, the workers had done some grave site cleaning, they hauled all the flowers, plants and do dads that are left by family members and tossed them in a pile that would later be hauled to the dump.  Because I walk my dogs there upon arriving to this pile I instantly notified my neighbor and we got to work with the dig.  We got at least three pickup truck loads of plants that had much life left and would all go in our yards for color and landscaping fillers, it also went to her daughters yard and to an aunt and a friend that had recently lost his job but loved planting flowers, in total they went to five separate yards, included in the haul were vases and those flower holders people use at a grave site, (my neighbor visits one regularly).  All for free, which reminds me don’t forget those free piles in Craig’s list you might find a good resale or personal item and don’t forget your gloves.
 
So, you spend your limit of set aside monies, purchase items for sale to make a profit which in turn helps you buy your preps that you purchase at the same sales.  It’s also a good way to get equipment.   At the end of the month after all has been paid for including my rents and fees, I will have made a profit which can then be turned in to pay bills or of course purchase those higher end prep items.  I don’t just break even, I always make a profit.
 
Tips: 
*-Always carry hand wipes.
*-Have gloves handy, it can get dirty.
*-Use a large Costco-size shopping bag to carry items around at estate sales.
*-On that same bag, have some 3”-4” masking tape strips stuck on the outside with your initials and the word “SOLD” you can drape it on a larger item that you can pay for and then have someone help you carry it.
*-A small magnifying glass can be handy, just don’t make any issue of it when looking at jewelry, you won’t get a deal that way.
*-eBay right now is a buyers market, so if you really know your product line then listing it.
*-I carry a laundry basket or two, or boxes to put stuff in the car for easy unloading when I get home, include wrapping paper or some pieces of bubble wrap for those fragile items.
*-A small box or paper bag for your jewelry is easier to hide.      
*-Have fun with it.