Notes From JWR:

One last reminder that a Self Reliance Expo will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 18th and 19th. There will be several SurvivalBlog advertisers there, including:

  • Backwoods Home Magazine
  • Pantry Paratus (they are offering a free gift for any readers of SurvivalBlog)
  • Project Appleseed
  • Shelf Reliance
  • LPC Survival

Please let them know where you’ve seen their ads.

—

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

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

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

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

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Exposed Backbone: The Risk of Cyber Attack by LockedGate

Computers are the exposed backbone of America’s infrastructure. They are new technology with big holes that is under attack from very skilled and motivated people who mean our country harm.  Yet, we trust them to provide almost every service our modern life requires.

I’ve spent the last 13 years as a computer security expert for a large telecom, and I would like to convince you that today your family’s ability to survive is dependent on fragile and over-trusted systems.
Preppers have historically had distrust for computing technology. Y2K was a real risk, but since it seemed to be overblown, a catastrophic computer-centric risk has fallen off the radar of many.  A cyber attack should rank up there with many other potential Black Swan risks (solar flares, economic collapse, etc).

Today, most everything the average American depends on to sustain life is run by some computer or another.  Some examples:
• Wal-mart or your local grocery store cannot provide just-in-time food delivery to it’s stores without complex computerized logistics systems.
• Your municipality cannot pipe water to your house or sewage from your house without computer-controlled pumps.
• Your bank cannot issue you paper money or process credit card transactions without computerized accounting systems.
• Your electrical and gas provider cannot provide power or heat to your house without computer controlled generation and distribution systems.

It’s important to know that there are no manual backups to these systems.  In a race for efficiency, businesses have gotten rid of any real redundancy to the automation offered by computers.  85% of “critical infrastructure” is privately managed by businesses that have no economic incentive for manual backups to these automated functions.  Simply put, if they massively fail, society massively fails.
Today, these important computer systems are under attack.  I’d like to let you know what the view is from my front row seat. First, let’s start with a brief history of cyber risks in three short acts:
1. Cyber Fun: All early attacks on computing systems seemed to start with some one saying, “Gee, I wonder if I can do that?”  Curiosity drove early floppy-net based viruses, internet-based malware like the Morris Worm, and even famous early hackers like Kevin Mitnick or Steve Wozniak. That’s not to say these hackers were right or these viruses the didn’t cause harm.  The Blaster virus may have knocked out the power grid in 2003, and the I Love You virus may have caused $5 Billion in global economic damage.   That harm seemed to be accidental, though, not motivated by profit or malice.
2. Cyber Crime: Somewhere around 2000, we started to see wide-spread malicious software written for profit.  It might be spyware that causes pop-ups, trojans that hijack your computer to send spam, or it could be more serious.  They organize these hijacked computers into massive groups called botnets that they can remote control to steal identities and empty bank accounts.    There are serious criminals and organized gangs stealing billions every year this way. This is scary stuff, no doubt.  However, you need to remember two things about attacks for profit: 1) The losses are generally covered by your bank or credit card company, and 2) hackers motivated by profit have every incentive for everything to stay up: if they crash your computer, your bank or the whole internet, they can’t make any money.
3. Cyber Attacks: Not to say that stealing is not malicious, but the for-profit hacker probably has nothing against you or your country personally.   There is an emerging type of attack in the computer security world that is much more scary.  Some call it cyber-warfare or cyber-terrorism, but I find those terms muddy the issue more than clarify.  Let’s just say they want to do bad things solely for the purpose of hurting you or hurt your country.  

We have clearly moved into a era where there is an increasing likelihood that this is a serious threat to our county’s security and your personal welfare.
We are now in the age of Cyber Attacks.  Recently, we saw the Chinese breach RSA, then leverage what the grained to break into Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications, and Northrop Grumman.  These attackers used a  personally targeted attack called an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT).  Instead of casting a wide net to get as many computers as possible, they will write an attack to go after a select set of people an a certain company.
An APT is very hard defend against because it can be malicious software no one has ever seen before, making Anti-Virus software largely useless.   Today, most companies are largely powerless to stop an APT without radically changing how they do business.

Most of these attacks are not trying to take out infrastructure… yet.  However, the massive botnets of computers that have been built for profit could easily be used for more malicious purposes, or an APT is obvious vector of attack to critical infrastructure. It get it’s worse though. In the same race for efficiency that got rid of manual backups, companies have gotten rid of separate networks that keep critical infrastructure separate from the average employee checking his email.  This puts the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and other systems systems built decades ago and never patched on the same network as machines connected directly to the internet.  Even worse, this researchers found 10,000 PLCs directly reachable from the Internet.

Stuxnet was the shot over the bow and a wake-up call for to expect from this new era of attacks.  There has been much reported about it (including here and on 60 minutes), but here’s the important details about Stuxnet:
1. It was light years more complex than malicious software we’ve ever seen before.  It’s now “in the wild” for others reverse engineer.
2. It was written by a nation-state targeting another nation-state.  It was probably written by US or Israeli intelligence, and was definitely meant to (and probably did) cause substantial harm to the Iranian nuclear program.
3. It’s purpose was to destroy things in the physical world.  It targeted PLCs, which control everything from power plants to pipelines to dams.
From my experience and what experts are saying, we are utterly unprepared for something like this to attack America.  If something like Stuxnet was targeted against the right systems in our country, the outcome could be catastrophic.
Some people are demonstrating what can be done: one security researcher was able to unlock prison doors remotely, another with no experience with PLCs was able to cause explosions after accessing one. There is good evidence to suggest the US critical infrastructure is already being targeted.   Targeted attacks against utility providers are on the rise, with at least some “nation-state actors that have unlimited funding available and conduct espionage as they establish a covert presence on a sensitive network.”

Let me be utterly clear about one thing: the reason that America’s critical infrastructure has not been knocked out is not because it is well protected, it’s because the proper mix of motivations and capabilities has not been realized yet.  Similarly, in 1939, the reason French had not been overrun by the Germans was not the Maginot Line, it was because the German Army wasn’t quite ready to do it.
The capabilities to mount a cyber attack are spreading exponentially.  Many counties of the world are turning out very capable and very underpaid computer scientists. Motivations to hurt America don’t seem to be on the decline.

All of this leads me to agree with Brian Snow, Former NSA Technical Director, when he says he believes we are in a “Trust Bubble” (6:03 in the video) much like the Credit Derivative Bubble that recently burst in the financial markets.  This requires a little explanation.  For example, let’s think about the people and systems you trust every time you buy a book on Amazon:
• The company that designed and manufactured the parts of your computer and any computer with which you are communicating.
• The army of programmers that wrote the operating system and applications you use.
• The companies that manage the networks that all your communications traverses.
• The companies that issue certificates to encrypt your data and “sign” applications to be safe.

The problem is there is an amazing lack of analysis on the actual trustworthiness of any of these things.   Just like we trusted Wall Street with to understand the risks of CDO Swaps, we today trust computers we don’t understand designed and run by people we know nothing about to run our whole society.  This blind trust is what Director Snow calls the Trust Bubble.   He expects this bubble could burst in the next 18 months to 5 years.
Now, I don’t take a Skynet-like approach to this.  The computers aren’t going to take over.  I fear people evil people will use computing technology to hurt other people on a mass scale.
So what do we do? While there are some good things you can do to protect your personal computers and privacy, there is nothing you personally do to protect the systems that provide you phone service, generate your electricity, or deliver your water or sewer services.

Should a properly motivated and skilled attacker decide to take those out, I assure you that your bank or utility provider is not prepared to stop them, or perhaps more chillingly, recover from the attack.  How many spare generators do you imagine your power utility has on hand?  How long would it take to repair an exploded gasoline refinery?
Here’s a few things the answer is not:
• Filter everything on the internet in the name of national security.  Iran did that.  It is guaranteed not to work, and guaranteed to reduce our personal liberty.
• Patch the holes.  Patching is good, but no where near enough.  It’s is always reactive to known holes and too slow (Microsoft recently patched a 17 year old vulnerability), and many of the PLCs weren’t even built to be patchable.
• Put up more separations. Firewalls quickly turn leaky and even separating (air gapping) their computers from the Internet didn’t help the Iranians.
• Trust a government program to fix it.  Regardless of your political views, even the government agrees they are bad at this. Do you really want the TSA of Computer Security?
The only answer I know is personal resiliency.  Resiliency for your family that shouldn’t have to be reliant poorly managed computers running poorly written software to drink clean water, flush a toilet, buy something, or stay warm.   Don’t rely on your bank, utilities or government for your families survival.

What if you spent the next $20 or $200 or $2,000 you would normally spend on technology (computer, phone, car, power tool, etc) and instead invested it in things that can’t be taken away from you by a skilled hacker?
• Stored food
• The ability to heat your home while the grid is down
• Stored water and the ability to filter dirty water
• Guns and other tools to protect your family
• First Aid supplies

I’d like to close with a few words of spiritual reflection for my Christian bothers and sisters: I like technology.  I’m a geek who believes all technology from the cotton gin, to cars, to iPhones to be a gift from God.  However, I’ve learned a truth about God’s gifts, including technology:  the better a gift from God is the easier it is for it to become something we trust in more than God. I am reminded of the Psalmist when he talked about that great technology of his time, the chariot:
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7 ESV)
There is no technology that will save us — not a chariot or a computer.  Our hope is Jesus and following His wisdom and plan for us.

How to Get the Most from Your Appleseed Experience by Louie in Ohio

Introductory Note: I am not an employee of RWVA, Appleseed Project or any company I might mention in this article. I am however a volunteer Instructor in Training for Appleseed. I receive no remuneration for my service.

My introduction to the Appleseed Project was different, than for most SurvivalBlog .com readers.

I have had an avid interest in firearms from the time my uncle came to live with us during my high school years. Uncle Dick had several rifles, shotguns and pistols (of which I have since inherited). My first after school job was at a hardware store that just happened to have the largest gun display in our little town of 20,000.
I spent as much of my paycheck on firearms and ammunition as my parents would allow, while still saving for college and paying for my own personal expenses.
Early in 2010 I was thinking of how I could take a Ruger .22 rimfire Model 10/22 and make it look like an M1 Carbine. And so I did a web search on the phrase  “Ruger 10/22 M1 Carbine”.  I was surprised to see something pop up. It was E.A. Brown’s web site. They had a stock, sling and sights that would allow me to do exactly what I wanted to do.
But they also had in the description, a reference to the term “Liberty Training Rifle”. I had never heard of this. What could it mean?
Back to Google, which then directed me to Appleseed Project, child of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA).

I was intrigued with what I read:

Marksmanship and Heritage.
Shooting skills and Patriotism.
Tales of the Revolution.

It seemed too good to be true.
As I read more I wanted to learn more. For you see, I too believed that our country was on the edge of an abyss. Our ship was floundering about to sink. But how could marksmanship help? I mean without using it to force our government to come to their senses?

And as much as I disliked the actions of those in Washington D.C. and our state capitols, I didn’t think that armed revolt was the answer.
But wait, Appleseed did not suggest such. As I dug deeper into whatever I could extract from the internet, I never found such reference.
I decided it was time to find out for myself what Appleseed was all about.

The nearest event to me would be in a couple of weeks at a club range about 40 minutes away, close in Southern Ohio standards.
I decided to not pre-register but to take my chances that they weren’t sold out. On that Saturday morning I registered with cash and only part of my name. You see, I figured I was already on enough “lists” without adding myself to another…NRA, CCW, BSA, etc. If this was a militant or subversive group, I didn’t particularly want them to have my personal information.

I also made a mistake that day, one that I repeated 60 days later.  I only enrolled for Saturday. You see, I was of above average intelligence, and had been shooting for over 40 years, a better than average shot, with a lot of knowledge about guns and targets. I had volunteered at the Rifle Range at the nearby Boy Scout summer camp for over 20 years. I had NRA Expert status in small-bore. What could they really teach me? So I concluded that I would only need one day.

I sat down and waited for it to start. Several of the “Orange Hats” (more about this later) tried to make me feel welcome. Coffee and doughnuts inside…help yourself. Where are you from? How did you hear about Appleseed? We’ll get started in a few minutes, have a seat.

I sat down at a picnic table away from everyone else…don’t want anyone to really get to know me or who I am. I can leave anytime…its only $40 (one day). I looked around at the flags hanging around the shelter…Gadsden, Liberty, all of the flags of the American Revolution.

Soon we started. Introductions, range rules, first aid and emergency information…then an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance….okay…so far so good.
Next came some basic safety rules and how to make your rifle safe. Rifle, not weapon. That didn’t sound very military to me. Also we went over range commands.
Okay everyone to the parking lot. Bring your gear to the equipment line. Next carry your cased rifle to the firing line. With the muzzle (the bangy end) downrange, take the rifle out and place it on your mat. Make sure it is safe. Remove the case and everything else (including magazines) from the line.
We are handed  targets with five different sizes of shapes in red. They are called “RedCoats”.
Prepare as many magazines as you need to have 13 shots.
We shoot our first target of the day and keep it for future reference.
I won’t go into the instruction that we received that day…I couldn’t do it justice. Let me just say that it was great. The volunteer staff was wonderful. And surprise… much of the staff were women and teenagers. And they knew what they were about!
The end of the day brought a second RedCoat target. This was a way to compare and check improvement. (My second was about 30% better. 30% improvement in one day…WOW!)
Interspersed throughout the day were stories of our forebears, those brave men, women, and boys who gave all for us. And now for the closing… the Benediction…the challenge to take what we learned and do something with it.

I didn’t shoot Rifleman (210 or better out of 250 possible), though I was fairly close.  I couldn’t go back the next day…other commitments, but I knew I would go back and I would take those I loved back with me for the History, the Heritage, the instruction, and yes, for the fun.
And go back I did. I made Rifleman as did two of my sons. My youngest son and I “picked up the Orange Hat”, volunteered to become “Instructors in Training”.

Would I recommend you going to an Appleseed event? Oh Yeah! I do to most everyone I know. Men, women, and children who are old (mature) enough to listen and follow instruction. Maybe listening is the most important thing to do at an Appleseed.

At my second Appleseed I was talking to an Orange Hat. He lived about halfway between the range and where I live. We talked long after the event of many things. Soon we were talking of books that we enjoyed and books that affected our lives. He mentioned “Patriots”, by James Wesley, Rawles. Had I read it? No. You should. I did.
And so I found SurvivalBlog.com. Over the last few months I have read much. You see, I have been a prepper most of my life. But reading “Patriots” and SurvivalBlog reawakened me towards being prepared much as Appleseed reawakened my concern for our country.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout movement, was once asked what Scouts should be prepared for. You see, the Boy Scout Motto is “Be Prepared”. Lord Baden-Powell said, “Just any old thing.”
Any old thing…read everything.  Be prepared…for life, for death, for travails, and for Appleseed.

And so I would like to take a few minutes to help you prepare for your first Appleseed. On the Appleseed web site you will find a list on “How to Prepare for an Event”. Let me repeat it here along with some footnotes and opinions.

How to Prepare for an Event

What to bring to an Appleseed Event
Not everything listed here is necessary. This list was compiled from the experience of those who have attended an Appleseed. It includes those things that did or would have made their experience more enjoyable. Remember that you need to bring whatever it takes to learn to shoot better.

There is also a short video on YouTube called Project Appleseed: What Should You Bring?

Personal items

  • A teachable attitude (most important thing) ** (I agree. Listen and learn. Ask questions and be willing to humble yourself to become a better person. It is all about improvement)
  • Ear protection Muffs and plugs ** (You don’t want tinnitus, trust me)
  • Eye protection ** (Don’t be stupid. Mandatory for minors)
  • Elbow pads or shooting Jacket (By the end of the weekend you will wish you had something on your elbows. Soft elbow pads like for skateboarders work well. Avoid the curved hard plastic kind; they let your elbow roll. You can even cut the toe out of a pair of thick socks and put them on your arms.)
  • Ground cover (Rug remnant will work) (Again some padding between you and the ground. Note, don’t make it too thick or soft – you want firmness to get a steady sight picture.)
  • A hat (To keep the glare out of your eyes or the sun off your neck)
  • Little notebook (those little 2.5 X 3.5 work well) (please take notes or write down questions. Also very important when recording corrections to sights.)
  • Pen (Or Sharpie)
  • Sun Screen (I forgot once…but never again!)
  • Lots of water (Must stay hydrated) (Eyesight and steadiness are some of the first things to go when you dehydrate.)
  • Light Lunch (Sometimes provided for nominal charge…check flyer)
  • Snacks (You need to keep your energy level up)
  • Folding Chair (not necessary but nice)(Its nice to sit for a minute while you prep your magazines)
  • Wet wipes (A quick way to refresh yourself, and to clean your hands before that snack)
  • Bug spray
  • Aspirin or Ibuprofen (especially at the end of the 1st day and beginning of the second day. You will be sore in places you have never been sore before)
  • Necessary clothing for any kind of weather (Be prepared. Expect the worst.)

** Very important things

Rifle specific preparations (Appleseed is a long distance rifle marksmanship course. When there is a known distance range, 100 or more yards, we prefer to use it.  However, due to cost of ammunition and rarity of distance ranges, most Appleseed events are shot at 25 meters. Everything you learn at 25 meters will apply at any distance. Even with the distance ranges most shoot at 25 meters on day one and Known Distance (KD) on day 2.)

  • See the Appleseed Liberty Training Rifle document: Word Doc or PDF
  • Rifle preferably zeroed for 25 meters (Any sights )
  • 400+ rounds of the same type and brand of ammo (Its best to use same brand, type and LOT of ammo. Lessen the variables.)
  • Sight adjustment tools (Depending on your sights, this could be a screwdriver, a drift punch and mallet, or a sight adjustment tool.)
  • GI style web Sling (as seen here at the The Appleseed Store) (Bring what you have, but if you need to purchase a sling please get an USGI web sling. You will never regret it.)
  • Two magazines, 10 rounds each. Bring extra mags. If you have them. 20 round magazines work well if State law allows
  • Gun cleaning supplies and lube (You will need to do some maintenance cleaning)
  • Instructions for your rifle (if you have them) (At least be familiar with the rifle you bring. Know how to tear it down, clean it and put it back together.)
  • Know your rifle (See above)
  • Something to cover your rifle to keep blowing sand or rain off it. (This can be a rug, a plastic trash bag, or if your mat/carpet remnant is long enough, you can just fold it up and over.)
  • Staple gun (Make sure it works. Need one for every 2 people in your group)
  • Staples (I recommend that you use at least ½ inch staples. You want them to go through the cardboard backer and not have the wind blow the target off in the middle of an AQT.)
  • Know the laws of the State you are going to and only bring that which is within the law (This is really important if you are traveling across a state line for your Appleseed. Don’t become a victim of ignorance.)
  • Back-up rifle, if you have one. (“Two is one and one is none.”)

Ready Your Equipment

1.

Be prepared for blowing sand and dust, rain, mud — all those weather conditions a rifleman would have to generally put up with. (I might add snow, ice, cold, heat, sun, insects…)

2.

In event of blowing sand and dust, you’ll need to totally degrease your rifle. Any lube should be a dry lube, like graphite. Be ready to protect your rifle with a plastic rifle bag or a simple waterproof wrap for the action.

3.

Be ready to protect ammo and mags from the same weather. Ziploc bags are great for this.

4.

Again, be prepared. You should function-test your rifle and, if possible, have it zeroed for 25 meters or 200 yards. You can also adjust your sights so your group prints 3″ above point of aim at 100 yards, and mark your sights with paint, magic marker, or fingernail polish. Doing so will leave you properly sighted for the 25 meter AQT.

5.

It’s a good idea to get down into the prone position and dry-fire ten shots “by the numbers” (click here to print out the steps from Fred’s Web site). If you will do this three times a week, you’ll be way ahead of everyone else. Hey, while you’re at it, put a GI web sling on your rifle, and get it adjusted so it supports the rifle in prone, too.

6.

Practice at home is a great way to prep for arriving at the range. By doing so your range time will be far more productive.

Whenever  a family member or friend decides to attend an Appleseed I will give them some advice. I recommend that they practice the prone and sitting positions. You will find that if you stretch your body into these two positions several times a day, increasing the length of time each day until you can stay in it for 10 minutes or so, that you will not be as likely to need the Ibuprofen. I practice my positions during my television time. I get on the floor in the prone or sitting position and watch television. (I don’t hold a rifle, just in the position to stretch my back, legs and arms.

Note: Even if because of physical limitations you can’t get in a particular shooting position, please go ahead and attend an Appleseed. This is not a competition. We have adaptive Appleseeds all the time. Do what you can. Appleseed is ALL about improving.

It really helps to know your rifle before you show up at an Appleseed. Know the controls – safety, magazine release, how to clear a malfunction, etc. But it’s alright if you are borrowing a rifle and have never seen it until that day.

There is no official Appleseed Rifle. We will see almost anything on the firing line. Bring what you have and normally shoot.
That said, I’d like to offer my opinion on a reliable, safe rifle. The Ruger 10/22 is very dependable and accurate. I have owned (and still own) several over the years.

To get the most out of the gun there are a few accessories that I would recommend to have my Ideal Liberty Training Rifle. Please note that any changes may void your rifle’s warranty.
 
The first would be a set of 1-¼ inch quick detachable sling swivels (such as Uncle Mike’s) and a USGI sling.

Secondly, I would replace the stock sights with sights from TechSights or a decent telescopic sight. The stock sights are difficult to adjust.

Lastly, if you are proficient at all in the anatomy of the 10/22, there are a few internal changes to make it better (IMHO):

  • Replace the stock hammer with any of a number of target style hammers (roughly $35). This will lower your trigger pull from 6-7 pounds to about 2.5-3.5 pounds.
  • Replace the bolt release with an automatic bolt release. This allows you to close the bolt with one hand instead of two. It is also possible to drill out the larger hole yourself. There are YouTube videos on how this is done.
  • If you have an older Ruger 10/22 you may have the short magazine release. This can be replaced with one that is longer. This allows you to change magazines in a timelier manner. There are many available from $5 -30, depending on manufacturer and material.
  • I prefer to replace the stock bolt buffer with one made of polymer. This quiets your rifle and relieves some of the stress on the bolt.

The 10/22 comes with one 10-shot magazine. You will need at least one more. I try to bring 4-5 magazines. That way I have a spare if one fails or someone needs to borrow one, and so I can prep my magazines when I have time and not be rushed. I do not like using the extended magazines for Appleseed. When you are wearing a sling the magazine can get in the way of your arm, preventing you from obtaining a proper position. At Appleseed you never need more than ten shots at a time anyway. Make sure that all screws are tight, maybe even using green Loc-tite. My shooting at my second Appleseed suffered greatly due to a loosened takedown bolt. I repeat, make sure screws are tight.

A second rifle can be a lifesaver if something happens to rifle number one. However, loaner rifles are sometimes available.

It would be advisable to know what brand of ammunition your rifle likes, and to have it sighted in, preferably at 25 meters (27 yards).  Then make sure you have 400-500 rounds of that brand ammo.

If you are fortunate enough to attend an Appleseed that is held at a range that has a Known Distance (KD) range, be sure to take your center fire rifle. I have seen people shoot the entire weekend with an AR or Garand, but that can be pretty expensive. Use your rimfire while learning some basics and then carry them over to your center fire and distance.
When you get to your Appleseed you will be advised to leave all firearms in your vehicle until told to retrieve them. This includes your carry gun. Please leave it in your vehicle while you are at Appleseed. This is for safety’s sake.  If, for example, you are in prone position with your pistol on your side, you would be sweeping everyone behind you, every time they walked by.

Appleseed is family friendly. Many of the students are women and children. Most of the staff at the first Appleseed I attended were teens and ladies.
The cost is very low – check the web site, AppleseedInfo.org  for the price in your area. (Some of the ranges charge a modest fee to use the range.)
Appleseed does not take the place of a combat type courses like those offered at Thunder Ranch, Front Sight, etc. It is basic riflemanship at a very fair price.
In closing, I would highly recommend attending an Appleseed regardless of what your level of expertise. You will never find better training, from such qualified instructors at such a fair price almost anywhere in the country.  Not one near you? Find a range and we’ll come to you!

Letter Re: Swiss Surplus Field Telephones

Sir,
I want to pass along a recommendation for field telephones. Coleman’s Military Surplus is selling Swiss army surplus field telephones (made by Ericsson) for $19.95 plus shipping. I have purchased some of these and have good luck with them.

They use a crank for ringing the bells and “D” cell batteries for voice transmission. They can also be hooked up in a common battery / switchboard set up if a person is lucky enough to have one. – Matthew in Kansas City, Missouri

Letter Re: Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

Sir,
No one should ever plant Japanese Knotweed, even for survival purposes.  The stuff is so aggressive that it can tear a house off its foundation in a matter of months.  I’ve read of at least one case in England that required the top ten feet of soil be dug out and hauled away to keep it from sprouting again.  If your readers find this invader someplace and can eat it, wonderful.  But  I pray they don’t make the mistake of thinking this would be a great addition to their survival garden. – Kathryn D.

Economics and Investing:

Only Chuck Schumer could dream up legislation so repugnant: Schumer Introduces Ex-PATRIOT Act: Will Banish Those Who Renounce US Citizenship.

Greg P. sent this news from Europe: The Next Money: As the Big Economies Falter, Micro-Currencies Rise

Matt C. sent us this: JPMorgan Fiasco Means Higher Interest Rates Ahead

JPMorgan, a counterparty to itself

Over at Alt-Market: How The U.S. Dollar Will Be Replaced

Items from The Economatrix:

The Curious Calculus of the US Employment Numbers

April Retail Sales Hint at Slower Spending Pace

Here’s How the Whole Eurozone Could Unravel in Just a Few Months

Oil Price Still Falling as Supplies Grow

Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader D. in Colorado has kindly reformatted Dr. Koelker’s OTC medication information to fit on three cards. Have this PDF printed double-sided on card stock and laminated, then cut them out and put in your medications bag or kit.

   o o o

David S. sent this useful map of U.S. military installations. JWR Notes: There are only a few military targets in the American Redoubt. But note that the star designating the location Malmstrom, Air Force Base (AFB) in Montana doesn’t tell the whole story. They actually have missile silos scattered through nine counties in central Montana. Ditto for the dispersion of Minot AFB, in North Dakota, and Warren AFB, which straddles the the state lines of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. When looking for retreat properties, avoid any locale that is within 30 miles upwind or 250 miles downwind of the outer limits of active missile fields. (The missile fields in South Dakota and Missouri have both been deactivated and hence are no longer in the Russian target structure.)

   o o o

Here Comes the Sunstorm: Electric Grid Is Vulnerable to a Big Solar Blow; Officials Spar Over What to Do. (Thanks to Mark A. for the link.)

   o o o

Local police boost arsenals with free military weapons. (Thanks to Rick M. for the link.)

   o o o

Island DIY: Kauai residents don’t wait for state to repair road

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"When you have zero rates that go on indefinitely, you are inviting future problems." – Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Hoenig, warning that an extended period of ultra-low interest rates can trigger speculation, in a May, 2012 interview.

Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

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

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

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

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants, by Slim

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived for generations by gathering the food that nature provided. Some of those plants contain natural remedies to many common problems, and in fact are where many modern pharmaceuticals come from. 

In this article we will be discussing various edible plants mostly found in the north east United States, as well as a few others.

Provisos: Before getting started you should be warned that some plants can be highly toxic. We will cover some common look-a-likes, but you should never eat a plant unless you are one hundred percent sure of what you’re eating. Wild poisonous plants often resemble non-poisonous varieties, and also often grow side by side. Some edible plants can have non-edible parts. It is up to you to make the right decisions when applying this information in the wilderness. With that in mind, once you can identify wild edibles accurately you will find that natures garden is full of delicious and healthy food, fresh and at your finger tips. Also, I’ve included a few definitions at the end of this article you may find helpful.

Common Dandelion

AKA: Lions Tooth, Priest Crown, Swine’s Snout
How To Spot It: One yellow flower on a hollow, hairless stem,or spherical cluster of white “parachute” seeds, no leaves other than basal leaves with large teeth pointing toward the base. There are no poisonous look-alikes, however other edible relative can look similar when young. 
Cautions: Dandelion root should be avoided for those with an irritable bowels or stomach.
Uses: Use young leaves or flower tops in salads. The taste can be slightly bitter, so use sparingly. Light cooking will increase the bitterness, however further cooking (about twenty minutes) will make the taste almost disappear, especially when combined with a sauce or spices.
Notes: Dandelion root contains a substance called inulin.  Inulin has very little impact on blood sugar levels, and—unlike fructose—is not insulemic and does not raise triglycerides making it increasingly popular among  diabetics and potentially helpful in managing blood sugar-related illnesses ; Dandelion has also been known to be especially beneficial for treating chronic hepatitis and gall stones.

Japanese Knotweed

AKA: Monkeyweed, Hancock’s Curse, Water Weeds, Elephant Ears, Donkey Rhubarb, Japanese Bamboo, Pea Shooters, Fleeceflower, American Bamboo
How To Spot It: Tall, bushy plant with a bamboo like sheathed stalk. Alternating triangular leaves, green and/or red-ish in color. Hundreds of tiny white flowers grow on long lacy spikes in the spring and summer. Mature plants can grow to be nine to twelve feet tall. It’s interconnected root system often creates a dense bamboo like thicket. There are no poisonous look-alikes, however it could be confused with Giant Knotweed, which is used the same way except it is much less common, or wild Asparagus or Rhubarb (a relative), which of course are also edible.
Cautions: Do not eat large quantities of Knotweed raw. It contains substantially more oxalic acid than cooked Knotweed which could potentially cause problems in a survival situation. Smaller portions, however, are fine.
Uses: Collect the young shoots, discard the leaves, discard the rinds of older shoots and chop or slice the stalks.Has a nice sour flavor. Use in fruit dishes or pies just as you would Rhubarb. Also excellent addition to soups, stews, jams, or applesauce.
Notes: The large hollow stalks contain some fresh drinking water. To collect it chop the plant at the base the hold it upside down. Take a stick and poke through the inner wall of the joint, opening the ‘chambers’ one at a time, then simply pour the water into your mouth. ;  Larger quantities can act as a laxative, breaking down fats and stimulating digestion, which of course, could possibly be fatal in a survival situation. ; Extracts of this plant are currently being tested to help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, dely the onset of Alzheimer’s or slow its progression, and to help treat or lower the risk of certain types of cancers.

Poor Man’s Pepper

AKA: Virginia Pepperweed, Peppergrass
How To Spot It: The small spicy annual grows six inches to three feet tall, beginning with a ‘basal rosette’ in early spring. The narrow stalked basal leaves grow two to five inches long and soon the lobes become deep, sharp teeth that usually point toward the leaf tips. A long, wiry, branching flower stalk grows from the plants center mid-spring to fall with similar, but smaller, lance shaped toothed leaves tapering toward the base. From spring to fall the plant is covered in tiny, white four petaled flowers at the tips. In summer and fall the flowers are replaced with flat, circular seed pods, slightly notched at the tip, and containing many yellow-brown seeds. There in no no colored sap when you break open the stem, and the plant has a short, white taproot. There are no poisonous look-alikes, however it could be confused with other edible species.
Cautions: It should not be given to very young children, or others that may be sensitive to spicy foods.
Uses: The leaves, seeds, pods, flowers, tender part of the top of the stem, and taproot are all edible raw or cooked, and make excellent addition to salads, stews, soups, ground as a seasoning for meats, etc. The flavor can be compared to horseradish or wasabe. They tend to lose a little of the kick when cooked. 
Notes: The Poor Man’s Pepper is actually not a pepper at all, rather a member of the mustard family. ; The leaves contain notable levels of vitamin c, calcium, iron, and potassium. ; A ‘tea’ made from the leaves has been used historically for diabetes, to expel intentional worms, as a diuretic, and to ease arthritis. The seed pods have been used to treat coughs and colds, to help break up and expel fluid built up in the chest.

Field Garlic

WARNING: THIS PLANT HAS A POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKE

AKA:  Wild Onion, Meadow Leek, Onion Grass, Wild Garlic
How To Spot It: Long, unbranched, hollow, rounded basal leaves six inches to two feet tall, with a strong onion /garlic smell, growing from an onion like bulb. In late spring consisting of stalkless, green or red-ish bulblets grow on top of a single long leafless stem, one to three feet tall. Each bulb has a curved side and a straight side, project a tiny green shoot upward, and lilac colored, six petaled flowers bloom from them. Later the bulb falls to the ground as the plant dies and turn into new plants next year.
Cautions: Field Garlic should not be confused with the highly toxic plant ‘Star of Bethlehem’, which also has a long linear leaf resembling various wild onions, except it has no odor, a white stripe running down the length of each leaf, and the six-tepaled white flowers don’t resemble that of any other edible plant.
Uses: Collect the leaves in early spring or fall, when the young plants are most tender. Consume them raw or cooked just as you would chives or scallions. The underground bulbs are more onion tasting in seasons with cold weather, and more garlic-like in seasons with warmer weather. Use them accordingly raw or cooked. The Young bulbs growing from the plants have an almost spicy taste and should be used when still young, before the skin toughens.
Notes: Field Garlic is a blood purifier, diuretic, and expectorant. Raw bulbs can help to lower blood pressure. It is also used to prevent worms in children and animals.

Daylily

WARNING: THIS PLANT HAS A POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKE

AKA: Tiger Daylily, Orange daylily, Ditch Daylily
How To Spot It: This perennial produces large, showy flower yellow-orange in color above a basal rosette of long, sword shaped leaves. Six to fifteen short stemmed, upward facing,  funnel shaped flowers stem from a slender, unbranched , smooth stem, three to four feet tall. During flowering, buds grow on the same branch as the flowers, which wither and die the same day they bloom. Other species while still edible, are not as tasty.
Cautions: This is not to be confused with Daffodil or Iris, which are both toxic to humans. By identifying the plant by its flowers, you can avoid confusion, as Daffodils and Iris look nothing like the orange Daylily.
Uses: The flowers and buds are a good source of beta caratine, vitamin c, and iron. Cook the larger, unopened flower pods in recipes that call for green beans, as the flavor is similar. They cook in about fifteen minutes. Be sure not to eat the green base of the flower, as the taste is rather unpleasant. Flowers and the pods can also be batter dipped and deep fried for a delicious side dish or snack.
Notes: The Daylily is an important herb in ancient Chinese medicine. An infusion is made from the flowers is used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a sedative, to reduce fever, as a pain killer, and to ease childbirth. The rhizomes and tuber has shown antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties. Research is also being done one how to use the Daylily to treat cancer.

Common Mallow

AKA: Buttonweed, Cheeseplant, Dwarf Mallow, Roundleaf Mallow
How To Spot It: The plant, which arises from a long, slender taproot, can creep along the ground or grow upright. The crinkled, rounded to heart-shaped, toothed, slightly hairy basal leaves grow up to three inches across, with five to seven shallow lobes. The leaf stalks can grow up to seven inches long, and the leaf is notched where it connects to the stalk. Flowers are white to pale-pink with five petals, have a bushy column of many stamens surrounding one pistil, and are under one inch across. Pink lines run through the petals, which are notched at the tip. At a quarter-inch across, the tiny, flattened, segmented fruits resemble a wheel of cheese. There are no poisonous look-alikes.
Cautions: Common Mallow could possibly be confused with various ivies if only ID’ed by the leaves, so be sure to look for the distinctive fruits and flowers.
Uses: A good source of vitamin c, iron, and calcium. The leaves, flowers, and fruits are good cooked for about 10 minutes as you would cook okra. The fruits are also excellent raw.
Notes: Tea made by boiling the root is said to be internally soothing. It has been used by natives to treat skin sores, stomach and dental ulcers, digestive irritations, as well as sore throats and coughs, Although thorough medical testing has yet to be done and results are not confirmed.

Garlic Mustard

AKA: Jack-by-the-hedge, Garlic Root, Hedge Garlic, Penny Hedge, Poor Man’s Mustard
How To Spot It: This common, highly invasive woodland biennial has a distinct garlic smell when crushed. The sprouts of new plants resemble alfalfa sprouts, each with a singular red-ish stalk about two inches tall, and a single strap shaped leaf about half an inch tall. The thin white taproot smells and tastes like horseradish. By mid-spring plants grow to be one to the and a half feet tall, slightly hairy, with more pointed, alternate, deeply veined triangular leaves. A flower bud resembling broccoli gives way to clusters of white four-petaled flowers. The flowers are replaced with long, green, four-parted seedpods curving upwards, about an inch long.
Cautions: Not to be confused with the Common Blue Violet or Henbit Deadnettle which can look similar when young, as always ID the plant through multiple means and be sure of what you are eating.
Uses: The leaves taste like garlic. Young leaves near the flowers are better tasting than the basal leaves, although both are pretty good. Cooking can add a bitter taste, some lightly sauté them for 5 minutes at most. The seeds have a wonderful spicy flavor and don t need cooked or crushed (cooking actually ruins the flavor, so ad them to your dish near the end). The root is used just like horseradish, and again, should only be cooked lightly if at all.
Notes: Crushed Garlic Mustard is a good topical treatment for bug bite, as well as bug repellent, and as a disinfectant. 

Shepard’s Purse

AKA: Mother’s Heart, Lady’s Purse, Pickpocket, Rattle Purse
How To Spot It: Shepard’s Purse begins with a basal rosette of stalked, lobed-to-deeply toothed, lance shaped leaves up to nine inches long, and broader towards the tip, coming from a slender white taproot. Unlike similar plants, the leaves point outward and the is no white sap when broken. In mid-spring long, wiry stalks branching from the base grow from eight inches to two feet tall. Smaller, alternate lance shaped leaves, sometimes with teeth, meet the stem with two small pointed lobes at their base. Tiny stalked flowers grow inside four oval sepals, with four white petals. The flowers eventually form long-stalked, flattened, heart or triangular shaped seedpods.
Cautions: Because of possible effects on the blood, this plant is not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant.
Uses: Mid-spring the flowers, buds, and tops of the stems are all edible and similar in taste to broccoli. Leaves can be cooked ten to fifteen minutes and are great additions to salad soups and stews. It provides vitamins a,c,k,b1, b2, b3, choline, inositol, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. The also contain fumaric acid, which may help inhibit cancer.
Notes: There is little evidence of any beneficial medicinal use, however historically it has been used to ease childbirth, lower blood pressure, and as an astringent.

Lady’s Thumb

AKA: Persicaria, Redleg, Gambetta, Adam’s Plaster
How To Spot It: Growing with slender branching stems, it usually reaches a height of one to two feet tall and can create a dense brush.The pointed, lance shaped leaves grow from one to four inches long. A darkened triangular spot often appears toward the leaf’s center. Tiny white or pink flowers form in dense clusters about two inches long. This plant has both fibrous roots and a tap root. There are no poisonous look-alikes.
Cautions: Don’t confuse this with Smartweed, which can look similar and while non-toxic, has a horrible taste.
Uses: The leaves are the best parts, although the flowers and stems are also edible but can be unpleasant. They taste similar to lettuce, and can be used raw in salads and on sandwiches, as well as added to soups, casseroles, and stews.
Notes: This plant is rarely used in herbal medicine. 

Asiatic Dayflower

AKA: Yazhicao, Duckfoot Herb, Tsuyukusa, Dew Herb
How To Spot It: This hairless plant with distinct blue flowers grows from one to three feet tall. The simple, smooth edged leaves resemble grass grow three to five inches long. Their stalkless bases wrap around the stem to form a sheath. It has two upper blue petals, and a lower, smaller translucent-white petal. Two short sepals fuse to partially enclose two small yellow-green elongated seeds.
Cautions: It could possibly be confused with Virginia Dayflower which is also edible but larger, and grows more towards the south. Also similar is Spiderwort, which has three blue petals, not two, and is much larger. The leaves of Spiderwort are also edible.
Uses: Strip off the leaves, flowers, seeds, and tops of the stems. Add to salads or other vegetable dishes. The taste can be compared to string beans
Notes: It has been used in ancient China as an anti-inflammatory, and also to sooth a sore throat. It can also be used as a pigment or dye.

Definitions

  • Basal Leaves – Leaves at the plant’s base
  • Basal Rosette – A circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at the base of the plant, near the soil
  • Diuretic – A substance that increases the rate or urination
  • Expectorant – A substance that helps bring up mucus and other liquid from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea
  • Iris – The female fertilization organ of a flower
  • Rhizome – A horizontal stem, usually underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes, also called rootstock
  • Sepals – Modified leaves that lie under the more conspicuous petals of a flower
  • Stamen – The male fertilizing organ of a flower
  • Taproot – A straight tapering root growing downward and forming a base from which other roots spring

Have a good time in the wilderness and remember to always be safe!

A Concentric Circle Preparedness Plan, by Second Hand Lion

As a professional project manager for a large international corporation, my position requires me to mitigate the risks of unknown variables that can alter the success of large and small projects. Donald Rumsfeld quote that ‘we don’t know what we don’t know” comes to mind. It is my job to insulate our company from cost overruns, time delays, or catastrophic project failure by identifying those variables and reducing their impact. These principles of project management applied to small personal events to those effecting us globally has led me to recognize some concerning trends in the preparedness community.

My observations have evolved as I have reached out or involved myself with various groups, whose vision and goals were to help other become aware of the fragile society and economy and how to prepare for it. I have discovered that the vast majority of people prepare themselves and their families, then stop at that point, thinking they have what they need to weather the storms of life. That discovery is what led me to move people beyond a personal stockpile of “stuff” and develop a Concentric Circle Preparedness Plan.

The goal behind this next step in preparing is to build a personal community, enhance your skills, resources and knowledge base and insulate you from the crisis with circles of defense. Concentric circles multiple your ability to survive. From small events, such as job loss, to major events, such as a global socio-economic collapse; adapting this along with a color code of awareness will help you identify what actions you should take and when.

Your Family Circle
This is your Primary Circle and where most people start and stop. They lay up food, water, medical supplies, fuel, shelter plans, guns, ammunition, maybe some cash and silver. They may develop some new skills such as sewing, canning, gardening, animal husbandry and acquire books as reference material. Yet they get to this point with a new level of confidence and assurance and falsely believe all is well or at least better. They may be prepared more than the masses but this is not the end of the journey. This initial circle is very important, because without it you become a refugee at the mercy of others or worse case FEMA.

Areas you should focus on are: Food, Water, Shelter, Fuel, Security, Medical needs, personal Hygiene, Currency/Barter skills, Gardening, Basic First Aid, etc. I would suggest finding a comprehensive list here on the List of Lists.

Extended Family Circle

This becomes your Secondary Circle and by its nature and mindset of awareness, an individual will naturally reach out to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and cousins, your extended family. All of us have done this at some point or another and have our message both accepted or we are given the look (you know the one I am speaking of).  Developing the second circle is important to acquire trustful partners in a time of crisis. Additionally, a family member may have a farm to act as a retreat or access to skills and talents you neither have the education nor training, such as mechanic, nursing, welding, etc. Your extended family circle gives you a multiplier effect to your resources, tools and supplies that you may not have or the ability to purchase. Since typically, (family dependant) the trust factor is high in extended families, the sharing of information becomes less of a factor than in the outside circles. This second circle along with your family circle becomes the basis for your primary community of support and security.

At this point the creation of additional circles becomes more difficult as the trust factor diminishes and OPSEC issues arise. The benefits are great but I would caution and use extreme discernment in reaching out to others without a thorough knowledge of others ideologies and personal beliefs.

The following Circles are interchangeable in their position. For instance,  your Church Circle may well be more important or relevant to your personal situation than a Neighborhood or Friend Circle.

Neighborhood and Friend Circle

This can be broken into two separate and distinct circles. As you move to develop this circle the selection process of people to include should be done with care. Again, if you know your neighbors you can pick out the individuals that would be hostile to any mention of preparedness or political differences that may jeopardize your inter-circles. I know in our neighborhood we are surrounded by “opposing” ideologies that would expect us to share what we stored. An Occupy movement for my storehouse would likely ensure if they knew of our preparedness mindset. Nice people under normal circumstance but potential threats should the crisis develop beyond the point of stretching regional resources. We do not mention our plans or thoughts on preparing to these individuals. Choosing friends and neighbors under extreme situations is left to your discretion. There are advantages, you may have certain friends or neighbors who can add to your skill and knowledge base or those that you know are all ready preparing and the subject matter would not be threatening to them. These individuals become additional multipliers and another layer of security and insulation to mitigate risks of a crisis.

Reaching out to unknown neighbors is not a wise decision. One way to evaluate a neighborhood mindset is to start a Neighborhood Watch program. You will find out very quickly those that are armed, concerned about crime or possibly even have a similar mindset.

We have friends that have developed over the last year from our Homeschool Co-op. They have a farm with cattle, milking cows, a private shooting range. We are working together now to learn new skills, their location is not ideal for a retreat since it is a farm in the midst of a highly populated area, but the resources we have access to are beyond our individual efforts.

Church/Organizational Circle

I would hope your church would be supportive and what better core of individuals to build community support. I would say that in my experience depending on your denomination, that some church leaders may oppose preparing or at least look at you with the same look you get from skeptical family members. The groups I have been involved with have reached out to Churches with mixed results. The reason may vary from those that believe preparing is equal to not trusting in the Lord (which I believe He does) or that the Rapture will let them escape any major crisis (which I have no doubt He is capable to do). Unfortunately most automatically jump to a TEOTWAWKI situation and fail to see that hurricanes, tornados, ice storms, and job losses are everyday crisis’ people deal with. When they hear preparing, they hear Revelation events. That being said, I have found that most church members understand the principles found in scripture concerning preparing and are not opposed to it. The Joseph Principle, Noah, the Ant proverb, and the parable of the Ten Virgins are great examples.

The benefits of building the relationships in this circle are vast. Your trust factor should be higher than the population at large, the number of people (depending on your church) gives you access to more skills and resources of knowledge, a pre-structured community, access to large commercial kitchens equipment to feed large numbers of people and most importantly a support group of people of like faith.

Local Authority Circle

I know the mention to some will send shivers through your spine but bear with me. In no way am I suggesting you reveal your preparedness plans to local law enforcement. Especially in light of recently signed Executive Order — National Defense Resources Preparedness. If you are not familiar with this order I suggest you read it.

 

What I am suggesting is to make yourself acquainted with your local sheriff’s office or in my case we have a Deputy Sheriff that lives next door. He does not know that we are have a preparedness plan, in fact he does not even know that he is part of my circle, he knows who I am, and to some extent my views on life. Remember the crisis may be personal or global so mitigation of any risk is your goal and having knowledge and a personal connection with the local county sheriff or fire department may prove to be an extra layer of security. I would also add that including a Deputy Sheriff at your Neighborhood Watch Program actually provides you with information on the Sheriff in your county. You may discover that your sheriff is an Oath Honoring Constitutional minded Sheriff willing to assist citizens in his county to prepare.

By no means should your circles encompass any or all of these, you can tailor your concentric circles according to your own personal situation. But as you do, you will start to gain even more confidence in your survival skills, knowledge and resources.

How and when to engage these circles will be dependant on the event you are experiencing. Of course a job loss will not require you to engage the sheriff’s office but you may reach out to family, then your church, etc., yet a regional chemical spill may. Remember each circle provides a resource to mitigate risk.

Codes of Awareness

Now that you have a circle of security to insulate and mitigate risks to your family, establish a Color Code of Awareness. Information is key and if you plan to bug out it is imperative that you are the first ones out the door. While everyone else is watching Fox News to learn of the most up-to-date report on the crisis, then it is time to go. My personal opinion depending on the crisis will be that 80% of people have no where to go and will stay glued to the television for up to the minute news. The remaining 20% will have the sense to leave but 80% of those will hesitate because they are not ready, have nothing packed and no plan of action. That leaves us. The question my primary and secondary circles discuss on major events is What is the trigger? I still don’t have an answer for that question. We have thoughts and ideas and those are used to form a basis for decisions. But this is when we venturing into the “don’t-know-what-we-don’t-know-area”. We all have a sense in today’s world that events are upon us that can go badly very quickly. This unknown variable can only be provided with contingencies, a If this-Then this scenario, and in no way could every possible scenario be accounted for.  Under that unknown variable, we apply an OODA Loop.

Observation: You information do we have; what is going on around us, etc
Orientation: Formulate a plan around the Data you have received
Decision: Is the information valid, is it sufficient to make a decision, if not then more observation, reach out to your circles to uncover other information that will assist you
Action: Based on the information, is it a trigger event for you to implement a plan. What are the implications of delaying action?

Using an OODA loop for engaging your circles will help you from jumping the gun or crying wolf. The color code may also be used to determine when you call upon on more levels of your circles. Those decisions should be based upon your specific circumstance.

Code White
Means there are no potential hazards, ongoing crisis or crises on the horizon. Anything that happens would be a complete surprise. Personally we have never been in a Code White. With all the events going on politically, economically, socially a Code White would be a welcomed relief.

Code Yellow
Code Yellow means there is no specific threat but you are aware of some crisis that may be on the horizon. Example: A potential hurricane, snow storm. We have Code Yellow occasionally in North Carolina. In a Code Yellow we may contact those in our Extended Family and Friend Circle

Code Orange
Code Orange means there is a specific threat serious enough for us to have gassed up all the vehicles and be prepared to bug out. Bags are at the ready, Daily phone calls to members of our Primary Circle are made with location and daily plans. A sound like over kill but it is nice to be in touch with a spouse or children on a regular basis even if just to check in on each others status. The cause for a Code Orange in our operational book is terrorist threats, economic uncertainty, looming war, severe weather alerts, political uncertainty, etc. Yes, we seem to stay recently in Code Orange. We are in contact on a regular basis with Extended Family, Friends and Church Circles.

Code Red
This is the most severe of Codes. This means the event triggering a Code Orange has a high probability, has effected our immediate area or has national implications. Events such as a terrorist attack on a major city, Urban Riots, Collapse of the Markets suddenly, outbreak of a regional conflict in the Middle East are classified as major non-weather events with devastating impact. In these cases we will have contacted multiple circles (if possible) and have initiated our evacuation plan of action.

I suggest that each of your Codes have a specific reason, specific plan of action, reasons why the Code would change either to less or more extreme level. Don’t trigger a Code without using your OODA Loop. You will prevent much heartache and stress if your Code decisions are based on sound Observation and Orientation.

As you see, once each circle is developed, you start insulating yourself and developing an increased probability of successful survival. We have lost too many years of not developing our personal communities. Communities in the past, survived because they developed these connections, if not by design but through necessity. Your survival can not be based on only your resources alone; you can not be an island unto yourself. It has been said many times before; if your plan is to scamper off in to the woods to survive by yourself off the land then your chances are slim if not zero.

This may seem hard but just as when you began preparing your inter-circle, it took a small step. Now you need to take another small step and call a family member and start building on your secondary circle today. Start with those family members that will be more accepting to your message or plans and branch out from there. There is nothing more motivating than early success and building early connections.  If that circle is complete, which I would assume it is, then start your next circle, you may never use it but like insurance its there if you do.

Two Letters Re: Cycling into TEOTWAWKI

Good Morning Jim,
I would like to add my wholehearted support to the article “Cycling into TEOTWAWKI” by Mine T. I have been an enthusiastic Cyclist for many years, and consider a well set up bicycle to be an excellent option for bugging out, when staying where you are is not an option. I also believe a bicycle will give urban preppers a considerable advantage to those attempting to get out of dodge on foot, or even by four wheeled vehicle. A bicycle can go just about anywhere, so the option of riding out of a city along footpaths, railway lines, drainage culverts, and in the UK, old Canal Paths, would be a definite possibility.
 
My current choice of touring bike is a Surly Ogre. The Ogre is the latest generation of 29” wheeled mountain bikes, which has been specifically designed for long distance off-road touring. (I have no connection with the company, other than being a satisfied customer). The Ogre is built in the USA, and could be described as the John Deer Tractor of Bicycles, thanks to its strength and  the unlimited set up options, including a huge number of mounting positions for water / Fuel bottles and accessories. It can be set up for Hub Gears, Trailers, Disk Brakes, extra wide tires, and just about anything else you could think of.  My choice of 29” Schwalbe Marathon tires really come into their own on long trips, on or off road.
 
I fitted my Ogre with Old Man Mountain front and rear racks http://www.oldmanmountain.com/  and Ortlieb Back Roller Plus Panniers (front and rear)in a subdued Hazel brown colour. These give me plenty of storage space for extended trips of a week or more.  By caching food and other supplies at strategic points along your bug out route, you could remain mobile for months at a time.
 
I will send you a full review of the bike and the other touring equipment I use later in the year, once I’ve had a chance to give it  a full trial.
 
All the best, – Andrew in England
 

 

Dear Jim:
MineT wrote a great article!   When you really think about it, a bike in the back of your car or truck is likely the most effective way to get home when driving is no longer an option due to blocked roads, car damage, etc., etc.

When a crisis hits you are going to want to get home immediately, if not sooner!   10 miles hiking is a 5 hour trek at 2 mph, 20 miles is a full day.  Biking on any kind of road surface at 10 mph is easy, so you would get home in just one or two hours.    And you when you get home you will have much more energy left to deal with the situation.

The problem  is the space – even with wheels off, a bike takes up a lot of room.  (A motorcycle, moped or electric bike would be even faster to get home if only you had the space to carry it around all the time.)   Bike racks outside the car are a possible solution, but leave your bike vulnerable to theft and the weather (and decrease your mileage).

For convenience and practicality I have my eye on a Montague folding bike that can be kept safe and discreet in the trunk. A nod to SurvivalBlog advertiser Ready Made Resources, they have a good selection and great prices:
[JWR Adds: I’ve owned a Montague folding bike for two years, and I love it. It is very reliable and folds up quite compactly.]

Regarding type of bike:  I would not even consider a road bike. [In disaster situations] you need the robustness and reliability of a mountain bike.  (Put slick tires on to reduce the weight and rolling resistance if you are mostly road riding.)

There is much less chance of flat tires on a mountain bike, and you have many more route options of road or trail surfaces that can be ridden.

Definitely install tire liner inserts, (e.g., Mr. Tuffys) and/or a tire sealant.  I do both on serious backcountry trips.

Reliability is the key when you are on your own. Regards, – OSOM

Economics and Investing:

Those #&%*#^@ derivatives! JPMorgan exec disregarded warnings on portfolio risk

MC in Florida suggested this Zero Hedge article: Japanese Pension Fund Switches to Gold for the First Time Ever

B.B. sent this: U.S. has Two to Five Years Before Financial Meltdown.

Items from The Economatrix:

Bank Runs Hit Greece. (Another news article quotes Greek President Karolos Papoulias: “[Greek Central Bank chairman] Provopoulos told me that of course there’s no panic but there’s great fear which can evolve into panic.”)

As Europe’s Economic Outlook Darkens, US Risks Grow

Oil Drops a Fourth Day on Rising U.S. Supplies, Greek Elections

S&P in Third Straight Drop

Odds ‘n Sods:

Yet another preparedness conference has been announced. These have been popping up like mushrooms this year. This one is near Portland, in Oregon City, Oregon. (That fun cliff-dwelling city with an elevator that connects its two levels.) PREPARE 2012 will be held at the Oregon City Pool Conference Center, 1211 Jackson Street, on Saturday, June 23, 2012, from 6-to-8 in the evening. The organizer of the event is Scott McSorley of Cascadia Preparedness Disaster Consulting.

   o o o

The Poster Boy for Bad OPSEC: Preppers do their best to be ready for the worst

   o o o

K.A.F. flagged this: Scientists Link Stomach Flu Outbreak to Reusable Shopping Bag

   o o o

Long-time content contributor R.B.S. sent: Man bitten by rattlesnake at Walmart in Clarkston, Washington.

   o o o

A new Ttabs ultralight flying video that shows some of the geology of eastern Washington: Rock Lake Washington and the Ice Age Floods – Trike Flying

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Save some cash, load up with gold and silver, and be patient.  Get ready for a crime wave — a large segment of the population will do ‘whatever it has to’ in order to obtain food.  Hungry men and women can be desperate and lawless.” – Richard Russell, author of the Dow Theory Letter.