Notes from JWR:

Today is celebrated as Memorial Day in the United States, a day when we honor those who have died in combat, defending the nation. We are in their debt.

—

We can also celebrate that the Illinois legislature just voted to repeal the state’s concealed carry ban, with a veto-proof majority. It is now up to the Illinois State Senate, that is notoriously more statist. If they do the right thing, concealed carry may soon be legal in all 50 States! Freedom is on the march. Let ‘s press on to make that no permit open or concealed carry (“Constitutional Carry”), nationwide!

Incendiary Words: Of Detonations and Denotations

I find it curious that the definition of “weapon of mass destruction” has become more elastic and quite geographically dependent in recent years. When it is used to describe events overseas, the phrase still seems to include only lethal chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons. But here in the States, it can mean something as small as a pressure cooker packed with 10 pounds of black powder, or even just a home-made hand grenade containing perhaps eight ounces of explosive. Meanwhile, the Obama administration has ordered laser-guided GBU-38 JDAMs up to 2,000 pounds dropped on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, and Yemen, yet nobody calls those “weapons of mass destruction.” Curious, indeed.

I’d like to emphasize an important point: Words and phrases do indeed have specific meanings. It is troubling when journalists, law enforcement officers, and politicians sling around a phrase like “weapon of mass destruction” when they actually mean “destructive device.” The standards used by prosecuting attorneys should be exacting and scrupulous, but some prosecutors now seem to decide who to charge (or not charge) based on appearances and the relative popularity of those involved. An aside for any readers who might someday be impaneled on a jury or a grand jury: I urge you to show wisdom and discernment. Adhere to the strict definitions of the black letter law, but remember that you have the right to weigh both the facts of the case and the validity of the law itself.

Because so many items are “dual use,” it is important to distinguish the intent of the owners of explosive or incendiary chemical compounds, and their precursor chemicals. Nearly every household in America at any given time contains three items: gasoline, Mason jars and rags. But that doesn’t mean that we intend to make Molotov Cocktails and burn down the White House. Nay, 99.99% of Americans use those items in peaceful ways–like fueling our cars, and for canning peaches. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of recreational shooters own some Tannerite or Sure Shot exploding target powder. But that doesn’t mean that we intend to contain it in cookware and position it at the terminus of marathon races. And there are tens of thousands of pounds of Thermite in private hands, but that powder can be used for both practical welding and for burning a hole in an APC‘s engine block.

In the past decade the distinction between connotation and denotation has been blurred by politics. The definitions of words should not change with every shift in the winds of public sentiment. Our society has already suffered from four decades of Situational Ethics. Heaven help us in this new era of Situational Definitions. A rocket scientist or military engineer can teach you about Sympathetic Detonations, but it is 21st Century television commentators who have introduced us to the era of Sympathetic Denotations. We now live in an Orwellian world where a semi-auto rifle is arbitrarily called an “assault rifle” if it has black plastic furniture, where a standard capacity magazine is called a “high capacity” magazine, where the confiscation and redistribution of wealth is dubbed “fairness.” This is also a new age when folks who are given free health care, HD televisions, free cell phones, free housing, and enough money to be able to afford air conditioning are deemed to be “living in poverty.” The fluidity of our language is evidence that America is sliding into oblivion.

Hold fast to the true meaning of words and phrases, or we are doomed. – J.W.R.

Tornado Survival Tips, by Mat Stein

NOTE: This article is adapted from my book When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival.
Who could not be shocked and saddened by the images of massive devastation left in the wake of recent tornadoes that struck in Oklahoma and Texas? Though nothing can guarantee absolute safety in the path of a tornado, outside of a shelter with reinforced concrete and steel walls, understanding something about the nature of tornadoes, safety tips for surviving a tornado strike, and which common folklore is to be trusted or ignored, will improve your chances for making the right decision when confronted by a tornado.

Tornado Facts and Myths

• It is commonly believed that tornadoes happen mostly in the spring, but the peak of tornado season varies with location, and tornadoes can occur any month of the year. For example, the peak of tornado season in the northern plains and upper Midwest is June or July but it is from May to early June in the southern plains, and even earlier in the spring for the Gulf Coast.
• There is a myth that tornadoes can only spawn and strike in relatively flat areas, but they have actually occurred in high areas of the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and Appalachian Mountains. Though more frequent in the flatter areas of the plains states and the southeast, tornadoes have been spotted in such varied locations as Vermont, upstate New York, Nevada, and one hiker spotted and photographed a tornado at 12,000 feet in the Sequoia National Park of California.
• A common myth is that trailer parks attract tornadoes. They certainly do not attract tornadoes, but due to their light weight and lack of heavy-duty anchoring to strong structural foundations, trailers are extremely vulnerable to damage from tornadoes.
• Another common myth is that you should open your windows to allow the pressure to equalize should a tornado strike your home. Do not waste your time opening windows. If a tornado strikes, it will blow out the windows, and the last place you should be is near a window, where there is the greatest danger from flying debris and glass.
• There is a common myth that owing to the direction of rotation of tornadoes in the Northern Hemisphere the southwest corner of a building is the safest place to be. This myth is totally false. Corners are areas of buildings that are most prone to damage. The safest areas are in the center of the building in a windowless room or closet, and on the lowest level (in the basement if there is one).
• There is a common myth that highway overpasses provide protection from tornadoes. In fact, the underside of a highway overpass often acts as a wind tunnel, channeling high winds and debris, and there are a number of reported deaths of people who parked under an overpass while seeking shelter from approaching tornadoes.

Tornado Prediction and Warnings

A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) when they have determined that local conditions are ripe for generating tornadoes. Once a tornado watch has been issued, it is advisable to stay tuned to your local radio and television stations for further updates. If you live in tornado country, the use of a NOAA weather radio is highly recommended, especially those models that have a battery backup and can emit an audible warning whenever a severe weather alert is issued. This is the time to turn on the audible alarm switch on your NOAA radio to alert you if the watch is upgraded to a warning. Once a tornado watch has been issued, stay alert using your eyes, ears, and other senses to watch for signs of an approaching tornado, and make sure you have access to a safe shelter. Watch for unusual behavior on the part of pets and animals that might be an indication of an approaching tornado.

Once a tornado has been spotted visually, or on weather radar, a tornado warning is issued. Once a warning has been issued, you should take immediate precautions and seek shelter. If you live in a mobile home or other poorly protected building, you should seek shelter elsewhere, if possible. Bring your radio with you to listen for status updates and an “all-clear” signal when the warning is over.

Note: Sirens and severe weather alerts may provide advance tornado warnings, but tornadoes can occur in any season and without warning!

Tornado Survival Tips and Strategies

• If you are at home, seek shelter in the bottommost floor, and innermost area, such as an inner hallway, bathroom, or closet. Stay away from windows, outer walls, and building corners. Do not waste time opening windows.
• If you have a “safe room” (a specially constructed room protected by reinforced concrete and/or steel), a basement, root cellar, or storm cellar, those are the safest places to be. In the basement, the safest place is under a sturdy table or mattress, and in a position that is not directly below heavy items on the floor above, such as a refrigerator or piano.
• Protect yourself as best as possible. Wear a bicycle or hockey helmet, if you have one. Crouching in a bathtub or shower stall can provide improved protection, as can lying under a sturdy table or overturned couch.
• If you are in a car, do not try to outrun a tornado as it can travel at speeds in excess of 70 mph. However, it is worth taking a moment to watch the tornado closely, comparing its motion to a fixed object on the ground, so as to gauge its direction of travel. If you see it moving to one side or the other, and can travel in the opposite direction, then do so. If it does not appear to move to the left or right, it is headed straight for you. In that case, you must make a decision. If you have the option of traveling to the right or left, then do so, but if you are stuck in traffic, or the tornado is very close, you must abandon your vehicle and seek shelter, since tornadoes can easily pick up cars and even tractor trailers, sometimes throwing them hundreds of yards. If possible, pull your car to the side of the road and do not park in lanes of traffic, since with the heavy rains that often accompany tornadoes, a driver traveling at high speeds might not see your car parked in the middle of the road.
• If you are stuck in your car with an impending tornado strike, crouch down as low as you can, with your seatbelt buckled, staying away from the windows, and shielding your head with your arms and hands.
• If you are in the open, perhaps having abandoned your car, seek shelter in a building or culvert, or lie down flat in a ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Not a pleasant thought, but people have survived tornadoes by doing this! Stay away from cars and trees, since they will become heavy flying objects with the power to kill and maim.
• Do not park under an overpass, since these tend to act as wind tunnels funneling debris and magnifying winds.
• Avoid shopping malls, theatres, gymnasiums, and other buildings with large open interior spaces where the roof might easily collapse. If inside of such a building, with no time to seek shelter elsewhere, seek shelter under a doorjamb or next to an interior wall that may provide some structural support and protection in the event of a building collapse.

About The Author: Matthew Stein is SurvivalBlog’s Back Country Editor. He is a design engineer, green builder, and author of two best-selling books: When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival(Chelsea Green 2011), and When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency (Chelsea Green 2008). Stein is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he majored in Mechanical Engineering. Stein has appeared on numerous radio and television programs and is a repeat guest on Fox News, Coast-to-Coast AM, Alex Jones’ Infowars, Vince Finelli’s USA Prepares, and The Power Hour.  He is an active mountain climber, serves as a guide and instructor for blind skiers, has written several articles on the subject of sustainable living, and is a guest columnist for the Huffington Post.

Pat’s Product Review: B.A.S.E. Ultimate Survival Kit

I hear from SurvivalBlog readers on a daily basis. I hear from a lot of you. I take the time to answer each e-mail I receive, too. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m ignoring them. Many times, I hear from readers, just thanking me for a particular product I reviewed, and they purchased, and found it to be exactly as I said it was. A lot of e-mails are “fan” letters of a sort, and I’ve made some new friends because of these e-mails. Although I don’t consider myself as any sort of celebrity, and I’m certainly no expert – in anything. I consider myself a serious student in a lot of different areas. While I hold Black Belt ranks in several different styles of martial arts, I don’t consider myself an expert in the martial arts. If anything, when I earned Black Belt rankings, I considered it a jumping-off point, to really start to get serious about serious defense.

For more than 45 years I’ve been shooting firearms, and while I consider myself an excellent shot with a rifle, and a better than average shot with a handgun. Once again, I’m not expert. And, many folks believe that just because you are a gun writer – and I’ve been writing about guns for more than 20 years now – that I’m an expert. Once again, I’m a serious student. There are some gun writers out there who would lead you to believe they are the best shot who ever lived – however, when you actually see them shoot, it’s quite a different story. But their magazine articles would lead you to believe they are a legend – well, they are – in their own minds. There’s only a few out there like that, though.

The only thing I ever earned the moniker “Expert” in, is when I took the US Army Jungle Survival School training, in Panama in 1971. And I received a badge that proclaimed me a “Jungle Expert.” However, I didn’t feel like any sort of expert at all – I considered it another jumping-off point in another field of interest. Many folks believe I’m some sort of survival expert, because I write for SurvivalBlog, and nothing could be further from the truth. While I enjoy the outdoors and spend a lot of time in various activities, I’m not an expert. My late friend, Chris Janowsky, who ran the World Survival Institute, in Tok, Alaska was an expert in fieldcraft and especially in cold weather and rural survival. 

So, it puzzles folks when I respond to their e-mails, with questions about “survival” in general. Sometimes the questions I get simply don’t have a correct answer – some things are not black and white, as some believe. I’ll get a question like “what is the best handgun for survival?” Well, I can’t honestly give a pat answer to that, without having more information, and then, I’m only expressing my humble opinion on the topic. And, I’ve received questions as to “what is the best 4-wheel drive rig for a BOV?” Again, I can’t give you a firm answer on that – it depends on many different things. Are you looking for a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck, or an SUV? Will you be towing a trailer, and how much gear do you intend to haul, and how many people? You see, I can’t give a firm answer to some questions. It’s impossible from my point of view.

I get questions all the time about “What should I put in a 3-day BOB?” And, this is a fairly easy one – just pack some food and water, maybe a knife, a small tent, a flashlight, a firearm – things like that. And, we all have different needs, so you pack accordingly. Which leads me to a great little package of survival gear called the B.A.S.E. Ultimate Survival Series 3.0 Kit – which is sold through US Tactical Supply. And, no, this isn’t the do-all of survival gear. However, it is a very good starter kit – and this is the complete one of the ones they sell – they sell smaller kits – not that this one is very big. It depends on your needs and requirements and how much money you want to spend. Again, this is a great little kit to toss into your day pack, a butt pack, a BOB, in your car, or in your hunting pack.
 
Speaking of hunters, I couldn’t tell you the number of hunters I’ve run into, who had no survival gear with them at all – and I mean, nothing, zip, nada – not even a bottle of water. And, I’ve run into some hunters who had their 4-wheel drive rigs bogged-down in mud, and I’ve helped pull them out of their mess – they didn’t even have a tow strap – and were miles and miles from the nearest road. Never ceases to amaze me, how stupid and unprepared many hunters can be.
 
The B.A.S.E. 3.0 survival kit is just some very basic gear that can help save your life if you are out in the wilderness and can’t get home, or are lost. First up is the Sparkie Fire Starter, and my friend Chris Janowsky, used to teach that “fire is magic” and it is. It provides light, warmth and sense of tranquility – things can will save you if you are stuck overnight in the wilderness. Even the summer months, you need a fire at night to keep you warm – many people have died from hypothermia when the air temperature was 60 degrees F. at night – it draws your body warmth away and it can and will kill you. You need to learn how to build a fire using a flint/steel method, and I’ve taught my wife and daughters how to do this. I won’t go into that here, as there are a number of resources you can find that will teach you this important skill – it’s not as hard as you think, once you practice it. The Sparkie Fire Starter is compact, one-handed operation and will last through 300 strikes, and even more if you rotate the flint.
 
WetFire Tinder Cubes are included in this survival gear. And, you only get a few, so use them wisely – like if you are in a driving rain or snow – where starting a fire is more than a little difficult with tinder, a fire starter tinder cube will get a fire going for you in short order. You can even float one on water and it will burn!
 
Next is the JetScream Floating Signal Whistle. And, if you’ve ever been out in the boonies and wanted someone to hear you, this is the way to do it – yelling all day long will only lead to you losing your voice. A whistle can be heard farther away and you can blow it all day long. At 122 decibels, this whistle can be heard over most natural and made-made noises. And, it is a “pea-less” design, so there is no pea inside to freeze-up. I could be completely out of sight, and when I’d blow this whistle, my dogs took note of where it was coming from.
 
You need something to carry your survival gear in, and a backpack or fanny pack is nice, but a lot of people just don’t think it’s important enough to carry some type of pack. Well, the B.A.S.E. 3.0 kit comes with a waterproof storage bag, in which, you can actually pack all the important survival gear you get in this package. And, if you need the waterproof bag for actually carrying water, you can put the gear in your pants pocket. Or, if you are crossing a stream, you can put your gear inside the waterproof bag to keep it safe and dry. A plastic bag can also be used for gathering berries and other food you might find along the way. A good waterproof bag, and this is a good one, is a very important piece of survival great to have, and this one is waterproof to 60-meters.
 
You get two Chlorine Dioxide Water Purification tablets, and these are also a great lifesaver. If you drink from any surface water source, you are sure to get sick – and perhaps even die, from some of the little bugs that are in surface water. Remember this, no surface water is safe to drink without first treating it in some way! These tablets will treat one liter of water – that you can put in your waterproof plastic bag – see, I told you a good waterproof bag comes in handy. It kills at least 99.9% of bacteria and viruses and 99.9% of cysts within 4-hours. Now, if it were me, I’d add a few more water purification tablets to this kit – just in case you are stranded more than a day or two. I don’t want to die because I drank some contaminated water and some microscopic bugs got in my stomach and intestines – making me too sick to move or even die. I’ve said this many times in my articles, that you must have a safe source of drinking water – period!
 
A small, liquid-filled compass is included in the 3.0 kit, and don’t knock it because it is so small, and a bit crude. It beats wetting your finger, and sticking it up in the air, to see which direction the wind is blowing – usually west to east in North America- but not always. You can attach this little compass to your equipment straps or a watchband. However, to my way of thinking, if I’m going to depend on a compass, I want it safe and sound, so it would be in my pants pocket – so I don’t have to worry about it getting broken or falling off my gear and getting lost. And, if you go out hiking, camping or hunting – you should have a map and some idea which direction “home” is – then even this little compass can help you find the right direction to take.
 
A small Tag-It Signal Light is part of this neat little survival kit, and you can use it with a steady “on” or a flashing mode – which is great if you are lost at night – if there is a search and rescue unit out there looking for you, a flashing light catches their attention quicker. However, the steady “on” position is helpful if you are walking at night (not advised) and trying to stay on a trail or road. This also has a built-in carabiner for attaching to your gear or clothing.
 
Last up is a SaberCut Razor Saw. To be honest with you, at first I didn’t think this piece of kit was all that great. Outwardly, it appeared to be cheaply made. I was wrong. It does have it’s place. The SaberCut Razor Saw has 24 teeth per inch, and they claim you can cut through a 3/8 inch rebar in just 25 minutes. Okay, I didn’t  have any rebar around to test it on, and I wasn’t interested in getting thrown in the local jail, to see if I could cut through the cell bars. However, I did test it on some sheet metal and other metal scraps around the homestead, and that little saw cuts very well.
 
I went to my local big box store, and checked out their camping section, and they have similar products, that are included in the B.A.S.E. 3.0 kit, and if you purchased them separately, they would cost you a lot more than what you’d pay for in this kit. And, some of the products at my big box store appeared to be identical to the products in this kit. Again, you’d pay more.
 
No, this is not a long-use survival kit, as some of the products are only meant to be used once or twice – like the fire tinder cubes, and the water purification tablets – one you use them, you need to replace them. For those looking for a basic start-up survival kit, that they can carry in a fanny pack, or in your pocket, or a BOB – or even your vehicle, this is a great piece of kit to start with, and you can build on it. It would make an excellent piece of kit for a military troop to carry, especially if you are behind enemy lines, working covert ops, or a helicopter or jet fighter pilot – if you had to land your aircraft in an emergency – this little kit could help save your bacon and get you home safe and sound to friendly territory.
 
One thing I would include in this kit, is some type of emergency food – and you can decide what to pack yourself, be military-style MREs, freeze-dried foods or just some trail mix – but I’d add some sort of food to the B.A.S.E. 3.0 kit – you don’t need a lot to help you survive for a day or two, but I’d pack something. Once again, I’ve run across hunters who were out all day long, and they had no food or water with them – and they were miles from their vehicles, and they were grateful for a drink of water from me, and some directions on how to get from where they were to where they wanted to be – back to their rig or back to a main road.
 
US Tactical Supply has the B.A.S.E. 3.0 kit in-stock, as well as some smaller kits, if you don’t need everything that the 3.0 kit offers. However, for my money, I’d go with the 3.0 kit and then build on it. Price on the 3.0 kit is $49.95. Check out the link I provided above, and see if the 3.0 kit isn’t something you should consider for your BOB, or for carrying in your vehicle.

If you are new to prepping, then this is about as basic of a kit as you should start with – and like I said, build on it, add more stuff – a good folding knife would be my choice for one of the first things I’d add to this kit. I’ve seen other ready-made survival kits, and they weren’t nearly as well thought out as the 3.0 B.A.S.E. kit. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week:

Pamela B.’s “Goat Gurt” Yogurt

In response to your call for recipes, here is my recipe for home made “Goat Gurt” or “Yo Goat.”  Of course, yogurt can also be made from cow’s milk or sheep’s milk, soy milk, or even from dehydrated non fat dry milk, using this method.  We prefer the goat’s milk because it seems to provide that perfect tang.  We usually eat it plain with sweetener.  I have also included some other dairy products that can result if your goat gurt “fails.”

Excellent Goat Gurt Ingredients:

7 Cups goat’s milk

2/3 Cup powdered milk (optional, but it adds thickness to the final product)

One 6 oz. container of Greek yogurt containing active culture (check the label)

Directions:

Whisk together the powdered milk and the fresh milk in a clean pot.  Heat the milk slowly and just barely to the boiling point.  Allow it to simmer for 3 minutes.  Place the whole pot in a cold water bath in your sink to lower the temperature of the milk quickly.  Use a thermometer to gauge its decline, which will happen quicker than you think it will, so monitor it carefully.  Make sure that the thermometer’s tip is not touching the bottom or sides of the pot.

Turn on your oven to its lowest setting and turn it off as soon as it reaches the lowest temperature.  Turn on your oven’s light and leave it on.

While the milk is cooling, scoop the Greek yogurt into a glass bowl or wide jar big enough to hold 8 cups of liquid.  I use a jar that once held garnish cherries from a local bar.

When the milk reaches 118 degrees F, pour about one cup of it into the glass container with the Greek yogurt.  Whisk the milk and yogurt until well blended.  Add the rest of the milk and whisk again. 

Place your mixture as close to the oven light as possible and forget about it for six to eight hours.  Remove the yogurt to the refrigerator where it will continue to thicken.

I do not know how long goat gurt keeps in the fridge because it is gone in a hurry around here.  I can say that nothing was wrong with it after three weeks.

Remarks and Other Dairy Products:

The methods of applying gentle heat over a long period of time are numerous.  You can use a commercial yogurt maker or you can put the yogurt into a Styrofoam cooler with an electric light bulb inside (cut out a little sluice for the cord to go through).  You can use a cooler and put bottles of hot water in with the yogurt, but you must change the hot water bottles every few hours to make sure they stay warm.

For sweetened plain yogurt, I add sugar or sweetener at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 6 oz serving, but you should just add sweetening to your taste.

If, for some reason, your goat gurt does not “make” using this method, all is not lost.  Turn your oven on to 170 F and put the pot back in for about four hours.  Check it frequently until you achieve the desired thickness. 

Or, for an easy hard cheese, leave the yogurt in the 170 degree oven for 12 – 24 hours, until you have achieved a break between the curds and the whey.  Then drain the whey through a cheesecloth and mash the resulting cheese curds together.  Apply an 8-to-16 pound weight (I use a 2 liter soda bottle filled with water) to force out more liquid and further compact the cheese at room temperature.  Turn the cheese over twice a day and add a sprinkle of Kosher salt to each side.  Keep the weight on it and keep turning it twice a day for three days.  Then make a brine by adding 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2/3 C Kosher salt to a quart of water.  Store your hardened cheese in the brine in the fridge.  It will last indefinitely and can be used as a grating cheese similar to Parmesan.

Further Uses:

1.  Cream cheese:  Additional thickening can be had by draining more liquid from the curd through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.  Use this very thick     product like cream cheese, especially in cheesecake recipes.  Add herbs and spices to make a nice cheese spread.

2.  Buttermilk:  If you stir the yogurt vigorously, it will become less thick and can be used as a substitute for buttermilk. 

3.  Sour Cream:  Substitute plain yogurt for sour cream in recipes.

Chef’s Notes:

Do not discard all that good whey!  It contains a lot of protein and your dogs, cats, chickens or pigs will love it.  Or use it instead of water when you make pasta or rice. 

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

How to Make Yogurt

Yogurt flavor recipes

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

Odds ‘n Sods:

KI4U.com has announced their new NukAlert-ER “Extended Range” radiation detector that uniquely provides continuous coverage from background 1µR/hr through to dangerous 600R/hr!  It’s a sensitive Geiger counter, high range survey meter and personal alarming dosimeter, all in one unit. This new detector appears to leapfrog the competition, with dose and rate meters alarms that you can set yourself. It is also Blue Tooth enabled and can be USB cable-networked.

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Attaching yet another Lilliputian line, to bind us: “The immigration bill, sponsored by four Republicans and four Democrats, would immediately require the government to scan visas and passports for those leaving the nation.”

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Reader Wade J. sent us a link to one man’s approach: The Survivor Truck Bug Out Vehicle. [JWR’s Comment: I can see the need to have commonly available parts, but I wish there was an American-made four wheel drive truck with a better suspension and high ground clearance–more like a Unimog–to use as a starting point. The multi-fuel variant of the M35 “Deuce and a Half” with a shop van would be my choice–despite the scarcity of some parts in civilian wrecking yards.]

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H.P. sent: Inside the Military’s Secret Terror-Tagging Tech. H.P. asks: “How hard would it be to tag items likely to be purchased by preppers, patriots, or militia? Books? Backpacks? Gun cases? How would we know?” JWR’s Comment: It might be prudent for groups to invest in an infinity RF detector. Also, beware of GPS tracker devices, which are getting smaller every year.

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C.D.V. sent a link to a map of declared disasters from 1964-2007. You will surely notice the inverse correlation with the American Redoubt region. Coastal regions have great scenery and generally mild climates. But they also have an non-proportionate number of disasters. (“A great place to visit, but…”)

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I just heard that Infidel Body Armor is now certified at NIJ Level III and it just barely missed being certified at Level IV. (They are slightly modifying the design so that it will pass the Level IV rating).

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 46 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), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) 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.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, 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 46 ends on May 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.

A Different Perspective on Investing, by D.W.

I’d like to offer my thoughts on wealth preservation, investment and insurance for the modern prepper. In terms of qualifications I’m a Fee-Only Financial Planner and Registered Financial Consultant who owns his own business and services clients with millions of dollars down to just a few thousand dollars. Several of my clients would qualify as preppers and have engaged me on these issues. I’ve been an avid SurvivalBlog reader for several years now and I have been modestly prepping for most of that time. Allow me to begin by stating my presuppositions on the state of the economy and the chances of economic collapse. I probably fall outside the mainstream of the average reader as I don’t necessarily believe the current economic issues our country is having will result in all out collapse. I consider it one of a number of risks that face productive people who wish to store and increase the value of their labor in investments.

If a number of outcomes are possible, how does one chart a course to not only maintain wealth but to actually grow it? Without getting into the most technical trappings of good asset allocation let me just say that the key to dealing with risk is diversifying. In a traditional investment portfolio such as an IRA or 401(k) I would recommend a mix of assets to deal with volatility. The asset classes I recommend can be roughly broken down to stocks, bonds, commodities and real estate. Different mixes of these four asset classes can produce portfolios all along the volatility spectrum from high volatility/high return to low volatility/low return.
If your life and everything you own is a portfolio that you have to allocate I would recommend keeping your intangible wealth such as IRAs and 401(k)s in a mix of stocks, bonds and commodities index funds managed by a qualified professional. Consider it diversification for the possibility that the world does not end. Personally I consider that plan A but depending on your perspective feel free to consider it plan B. It is the wealth you possess in tangible, non-traditional forms that I want to encourage you to allocate in a similar way to a professionally managed portfolio.

Diversification in this area of your wealth can save you from the same headache and heartache that those who loaded up on tech stocks in 1999 or real estate in 2006 had to deal with. Diversification can allow you to
protect wealth as well as grow it. Here is a general framework for allocating the assets of your life from a pepper’s perspective.

Stock Equivalents – In the traditional investment world common stock represents a tiny slice of a business, an enterprise focused solely and exclusively on creating and increasing the value of goods and services. It is by definition intangible as you can’t call in a “chunk” of Microsoft or Wal-Mart. I love the concept and function of the stock market as it allows anybody to be a participant in the miracle of the American economy. That being said, I’m not so naive to believe that market is completely “free” or clean as the wind driven snow and it is of course intangible. If the SHTF a share of Wal-Mart stock will be worth $0.

Preppers have a chance to participate in an entirely different stock market that exists to create and expand value of goods and services and individual preppers can be the sole owners of 100% of the shares of any given business if they do just one thing… start it themselves. Creating a side business that focuses on meeting the most basic needs of people is a fantastic way to create, grow and maintain wealth for every prepper. People will always need food, clothing, heat, security, clean water and energy solutions. They need these things today and they will need them if the economy collapse’s. I think of Pat Frank’s novel Alas, Babylon wherein, after a 1950s-era nuclear war, the main character transacts business with a bee keeper who before the war was considered lower middle class and bees were a sideline. Now in the aftermath of a war and societal collapse he was considered fabulously wealthy with an army of, essentially, slave labor producing continual additional wealth for him.

Obviously the SHTF key to this wealth growth and maintenance strategy is to focus on “basic needs” businesses. Start a farm stands, learn to weave, buy a loom, start a hobby farm, cut firewood, learn how to butcher animals or start a hobby blacksmith shop. You’ll need time to learn to efficiently hone your business practices and develop your markets. Even if you only do a very small amount of business you can acquire the necessary hardware and get your name out in the community. Each customer becomes another layer of protection from economic downturns. I tell people all the time that I’d rather have 100 clients who pay me $1,000 a piece then one boss who pays me $100,000 a year. Job security is a myth if your boss is nuts or doesn’t mesh with you personally or is just bad at his job and has to fire someone because he’s driving the business into the ground (boss’ will never fire themselves in these circumstances).

Your business represents the exact same asset class as Wal-Mart or Microsoft stock represents in your investment portfolio. Business will always exist in some form or another no matter how bad things get. You will position yourself to create and maintain real wealth in a SHTF scenario if you have a business that functions and creates essential value for people before things get lively.

Commodities Equivalents– In an investment portfolio, commodities play the role of black sheep. Because they zig when everything else zags they tend to reduce average risk while still historically providing relative high returns. They also provide some protection from inflation since the numbers you read on your monthly account statement represent physical goods held somewhere, even if it’s still in the ground. They are in reality still intangible since most people are entirely unlikely to take delivery of 100 barrels of oil or a thousand head of cattle. It’s simple to translate these benefits to tangible assets with in the peppers’ asset allocation.

In all actuality, commodities are one of the most popular and most discussed investments in the prepper community already. If you’ve got a years’ supply of food, gold and silver and guns and ammo you’ve already invested in commodities. Congratulations part of your asset allocation is in place. These things represent physical items that will maintain or grow in value in an inflationary setting. However, I believe that within this asset class you’ve got items that should qualify as insurance and some that should really qualify more as growth investments. For example your food supply is insurance against a disruption in food distribution, not an investment. Think about it this way, under what circumstances would you sell your food preps for profit? I’m guessing you wouldn’t. It’s an essential cornerstone of quality prepping and it should be a priority before you invest for growth. So where do you go when your food preps are essentially complete and you wish to build commodity based, tangible wealth to compliment the other wealth building asset classes such as your home business?

The universal answer for this in prepper communities seems to be physically held gold and silver coins. Obviously enormous amounts of information have been disseminated on this and other internet sites about precious metals. They are tangible, conveniently small and universally recognized. They obviously have a place in wealth preservation. However, they are also easily stolen or lost due to their small size and they can be forged. The integrity of the supply affects you even if your gold and silver is pure since it casts doubts on the totality of the supply. How will the buyer know that your gold and silver is pure? If you were a government entity that wanted to discourage people from owning gold would it not be in your best interest to flood the market with counterfeit gold and silver or at the very least turn a blind eye? The risks that come with owning gold and silver are more diverse than just spot price volatility. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t own it but it does mean you should diversify by owning other commodity investments.

One of the best tangible investments that preppers can purchase is livestock. The synergy (sorry to sound like a business guy but that’s who I am) that comes with this purchase can be perfect when applied to a farm as a home business. You end up with a money making enterprise (I hear the snickers from the farmers out there) that is filled with tangible commodities that reproduce, create food and other valuable bi-products and meet your need for food production and wealth preservation. Even if you start with minor purchases like chickens or rabbits you are further ahead in this area then 95% of the people in the USA.

Another high quality investment which I consider almost guaranteed to grow faster than inflation is collecting surplus firearms. Surplus firearms are generally military firearms from the last 100 years or so. They come in many different grades of quality from the highest end antique investments to beat up, almost non-functional examples. You can own firearms from all over the world and many historic time periods. The reason why they can be great investments is simple supply and demand. Take for example the Mosin Nagant. This is generally a Russian bolt action rifle that can be obtained for around $100 in decent shape, typically 60 or 70 years old. Even though many millions of these rifles have been produced in the past they are no longer produced for military use. The supply is capped. Now I know these things are basically a dime a dozen right now but how many of them are being modified, broken, lost to neglect and house fires? The demand can only grow as population grows. The rifles, though ugly, tend to be fully functional. You have a commodity that is useful, historic and tangible with a capped or even slightly declining supply. I’ll take that as an investment opportunity any day.

I’ve been following the price of Mosin Nagants for several years now. Prices are obviously relative to the quality of the piece being sold but generally I’ve found prices to have risen in my area from around $90 to about $120 for decent examples of the rifle in roughly the last three years. That is a return of around 10% a year. That’s growth I think you can count on in this market for many years to come. Buy an M1 Garand and M1 Carbine, an Enfield, a Mosin, a SKS and any number of other rifles. Enjoy them, store them well. In a SHTF scenario you’ll have a functioning tool for your security but if things don’t get lively you’ll still have a great investment that is nearly certain to make you money, assuming you can bring yourself to sell them someday. On second thought you may want to buy multiples of your favorite rifles to pass down to the kids.

As a qualifier to the above, let me say I’d encourage people to purchase their functional everyday firearms first. Get them and their ammo needs squared away first before building your surplus firearms collection. Also, don’t forget ammo for your surplus collection and various sundries like clips, slings and bayonets.

People make money in markets based on what they know. Before you buy surplus rifles educate yourself. Even the most beautiful rifle can be a poor investment if you pay too much for it. This simple truth argues against buying online if another opportunity is available. If you can’t handle it and stare at it and ask questions about it you’re at the mercy of the seller.

Real Estate- Within a diversified investment portfolio real estate can take a number of forms, everything from Real Estate Investment Trusts which function similarly to stocks to buying rental properties and acting as a land lord. Real Estate can be a great investment for a number of reasons but one of my favorites is the simple fact that most real estate is not priced minute to minute like the stock market. You really only know the value of your Real Estate the day you buy it and sell it. Because of this and the fact that it’s a real process to sell Real Estate most people hold it for the long term.

Within your tangible investment portfolio your home probably makes up the bulk of your real estate and that is fine. If you’ve paid a good price for it and you are not deeply upside down on your mortgage you have probably fulfilled this portion of your tangible portfolio. The question may be not whether you own Real Estate but do you own the best possible investment quality Real Estate for your situation. Investment guru’s like Jim Rodgers and experts like our own Jim Rawles have encouraged people to consider investing in productive farm land. I believe this to be an excellent choice for those looking for their first Real Estate investment or for those looking to trade out a house in the suburbs for something more rural. Specifically I like this choice within the frame work of your own home business. Running a small business on a piece of property you own is a great way to increase the overall value of the parcel. For instance, if you fence the land for a few head of cattle you have all three of the investments mention so far in this article; the farm as a home business, the cattle as a commodity and the land as real estate. Even if you don’t run a farm, for many people other businesses are available such as making maple syrup or leasing for hunting purposes.  Showing that you can run a money making venture on a piece of property significantly increases its value when it comes time to sell.

For those of you unable to come up with the money to buy productive farmland, consider unproductive land. You may be able to get a poorly located plot or hilly countryside on the cheap and then improve it as your time and finances allow. This is another great way to get into the game with a little sweat equity and what I’ve found is that many of the most interesting pieces of property out there are ugly ducklings that someone invested their imagination and perspiration into and now are very compelling investments. If I could impart just one bit of wisdom towards this suggestion it would be this; don’t pay too much for the land.

Bond Equivalents- Traditionally bonds have formed the “conservative” corner of most retiree’s investment portfolios for decades. Today treasuries and to a lesser extent corporate bonds have had their prices pushed so high by the Federal Reserve’s actions that they have lost much of their “conservative” reputation in the secular world, and amongst the true believers of the prepper community they are anathema. A bond is really just a loan you give out to someone you reasonably trust to pay you back with the agreed upon interest included. You aren’t guaranteed anything and the higher the anticipated risk the borrower won’t be able to pay you back the higher the required interest rate.

In the world of the prepper I like to think of bond equivalents as good will deposited and built up amongst people you have everyday relationships with.  A lite example would be your neighbor who feels like they owe you for loaning them your push mower when theirs broke down. Now admittedly this is not a tangible investment but in the world of relationships I consider it the second most compelling currency, just behind love (with the right heart attitude they are one in the same). In reality that good will translates often to tangible benefits.

The relationships you build before a SHTF event may be the best investment you make towards not just surviving but thriving in difficult times. Those relationships will thrive and build good will most often when you are seeking to be a blessing to others. Not specifically with the idea that you are going to “cash in” on these acts of kindness but when you aren’t going to. That genuine care for others will be reflected back on you in the most difficult times of life. Often concepts like OPSEC and population density are discussed in settings like this and for good reason. But they are not to be interpreted as isolation from relationships. Our lives are enriched by relationships so get to know your neighbors. Be a blessing to them and build yourself into their lives. The last thing you want is to be in a situation where you are just meeting your neighbors for the first time when things are very bad. You will be considered an outsider in their circle of trust with little chance of breaking through that for your benefit or theirs. If you build up good will now, similarly to loaning money to a government or corporation, you will see the goodwill flow back to you with interest during times of trouble.

Until that time comes you’ll find enriching relationships with people who may well buy the products of your home business, sell you their property and feed and water your cattle while you vacation.
Conclusion- If you believe deeply in one particular outcome and you bet your life savings, all of your possessions and your labor on it, in investing terms, you are aggressive. If you’re right you win big but if you’re wrong you could be in trouble.  If you invest in a number of asset classes that all historically go up but do so at different speeds and under different circumstances you are considered diversified. Diversification means you win no matter the ending circumstance.

If a prepper commits to building these four general categories of tangible investments I’m confident that they will not only insure themselves against high inflation, economic tumult and time periods of social disorder but also find their wealth increasing should things stay on a level playing field.

Letter Re: Repairing and Refurbishing Traditional Optics

Hi James,
   I just want to pass on a “good job” referral.  I was having difficulty with my Optolyth spotting scope’s coarse focus ring.  It was almost frozen; very hard to turn.  There are several companies in Britain that work on optics, but I wanted to find someone here in the USA, and eventually located Cory Suddarth’s company, SuddarthOptical.com.  Cory is a Navy-trained optical man with 38 years’ experience working with all types of optics.  Located in Henryetta, Oklahoma, he offers very affordable service for practically any make or model binocular or scope.  Families are now finding WWII binoculars in their grandfather’s possessions when they pass away. (I just lost my father-in-law, who was a Corpsman on Iwo Jima), and want to keep them functional.  Cory can completely refurbish old optics, including dismantling [and cleaning] the prisms and re-gluing the lenses to like-new condition.  Even the exteriors are renewed.  Truly fine work.  Check his site and contact him for further info and estimates. – D.A., DVM

Letter Re: When Bugging Out is Not an Option: Hunkering Down with a Quadriplegic

JWR:
I was contemplating writing an article for the current round of your competition, but after reading the “hunkering down with a quadriplegic” bit, I don’t think I’ll bother. I’d personally vote for his to win.

I have a cousin who at 17 was paralyzed from the neck down. Now, 20-odd years later, I’m an EMT and I frequently see people (whether grievously injured or not) who must be removed inert and intact from a house that is near-complete inaccessible in its normal condition. Just last night I had to deal with a situation like this — hauling someone out of a house I could barely squeeze into even when I wasn’t holding a stretcher.

Ramps, wider doors, removing carpet and other clutter: I’ll easily agree with these. Firearms and wheelchairs on hand: Absolutely

However, to me the most striking part of the aforementioned article is the danger of bed sores, or pressure sores. To someone who has never dealt with them, a pressure sore might sound no more serious than a mosquito bite. And for some people, in certain situations, that analogy is apt. Some pressure sores can be dealt with by using nothing more than a Band-aid and some Neosporin. For other people (like family members of mine) mosquito bites are an invitation to MRSA–an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that can kill. In my job, I recently had to take a non-verbal, semi-conscious quadriplegic to “wound care” 50 miles away from his nursing home. The nursing home has qualified nursing staff on hand. I honestly respect them for the work they do. But they weren’t equipped to deal with a somewhat serious bedsore.

We delivered this patient to wound care for more than six months, at least once per week, until finally, yesterday, he was pronounced healed. I haven’t personally seen the wound this week, so I can’t really comment on the prognosis.

This may be read as a comment on inadequacies in our healthcare system. That is not my intent. Rather, I’m saying that even trained healthcare providers can fail to stop an incipient killer such as MRSA or other infections. Also, treating injuries/wounds in the long-term involves much more than Neosporin and a Band-aid. If you anticipate or can imagine any serious injuries (by animal, axe or enemy), you must be willing and able to treat them aggressively both in the short-term and in the long. That means prevention, treatment and follow-through now, or debridement, further treatment, and … well, I think you get it.

Not all wounds can be treated with one of the extremes of healthcare — a small bandage or a blow-out kit. To be truly prepared, get ready for those wounds that don’t heal as soon as you stop the bleeding. And some of those more serious wounds might be caused simply by sitting still. – J.D.C. in Mississippi

Odds ‘n Sods:

K.T. suggested: I Built This AK-47. It’s Legal and Totally Untraceable. And speaking of do-it-yourself guns: F.G. sent these items: NSW Police issues warning on 3D printed guns and CNC killed the gun control star.

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Historic vote: Boy Scouts to allow gay youths to join. Sadly, the Boy Scouts are history. I recommend withdrawing your sons from the organization, and instead joining a morally straight group.

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J. McC. sent this: Terceira: China’s interest in strategic Lajes Air Field unfolding – Azores. J. McC.’s comment: “This is not your Grandpa’s Geostrategic Template, Boy.”

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I noticed that Camping Survival just revamped their web site. BTW they have extended the coupon code “survivalblog” for 5% off with every order.

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Video: Pro-Second Amendment speaker at New Jersey hearing hits home run! And speaking of eastern gun politics, some consider themselves slightly “more equal” than others: Retired N.Y. LEOs seek exemption from SAFE act.

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Several readers sent: Swedes Take to the Streets to Defend Their Neighborhoods. Note that the polisen are busy arresting “vigilantes” instead of the rioters. Typiska nonsens!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” – Romans 5:1-9 (KJV)