Letter Re: Automotive Preparedness

JWR;
After reading the follow up to automotive preparedness, (I am Toyota fan) I figured I would share a few thoughts. Some background , I use to be a tractor mechanic for several years, repairing all kind of engines, transmissions, and other systems. I have also owned four  1980s-era Toyota trucks since I was in high school  (all 4x4s). I  progressed from no power steering or air conditioning as a kid, to wanting all the extras later in life. I also have many friends and family which have Toyotas that I helped work on. I also have a neighbor that is the parts manager for a large urban Toyota dealership.

  The main point I want to express is choosing the proper replacement parts, or more importantly when to pay a little more money for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and their dependability . I like shopping at the local auto parts shop with people who know me, that  know automotive parts , and are not totally lost without a computer (books work too)! I don’t mind saving money going to a large chain store for some parts either. Finally I have no problem spending higher dealer prices for critical parts.

The two best examples I want to share, start with a 3,000 mile round trip I made on the west coast. Over my vacation, I had an alternator fail not once, but three times, and each replacement I installed was a rebuilt large chain store part bought in a different state. Nevermore! Once I raced home on batteries only trying to beat the sunset ( I didn’t want to kill the battery using headlights) , I decided to spend more money and get a new aftermarket high power alternator. I never had a problem after that. The next example involves my uncle`s truck. He had to replace the water pump, and while we were doing this we replaced the timing belt , which had 120,000 miles on it ( it should have been replaced at 80,000 miles). We used a  new timing belt from a large chain store. About 12,000 miles later his truck started running a little rough, he adjusted the ignition timing and it ran fine for 2 more days, then died. I was helping him figure out what went wrong, which took some time because we never considered the “new timing belt” failing. Once we got the timing belt out, we  were shocked to say the least. The belt with 12,000 miles on it had missing cogs , had a glazed over  look to it, and was cracked everywhere. I gave the belt to my neighbor   at the dealership to show his customers, and installed a factory belt with no problems for another 80,000 miles.

   I have other stories , but don’t want drag this out. My new rules for buying replacement parts are as follows,

     1. Rubber seals/gaskets on the motor itself, timing belts, drive shaft U joints/ bearings , and  water pumps = only purchase  factory/ OEM parts, when possible.

     2. Alternator or electrical equipment on the motor = try to buy  OEM or new aftermarket.

     3. Hoses, fan belts, filters, smog equipment  ,and  any components not directly connected to the engine = save money and go to local shop or large chain store.

      Starters can fall into either rule 2 or 3 since they are not being worked continuously the way alternators are, plus manual transmission vehicles can be push started most of the time if the starter fails ( I avoid automatic transmissions whenever possible.)

  Enjoying my 349,000 mile  Toyota, – Solar Guy

Odds ‘n Sods:

Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods suspends sale of semi-automatic rifles from stores nationwide

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K.A.F. spotted this: Luxury Living… with a twist! (He converted a dumpster.)

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F.G. sent some surprising news from England: The most violent country in Europe: Britain is also worse than South Africa and U.S.

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F.G. also suggested: How to Repack and Store Your AR Ammunition

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SurvivalBlog’s own Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson liked this review: Wilderness Belts: On the Battlefield, and In Your Life

Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of Charles Wesley (born 1707 – 29 March 1788). He wrote more that 1,700 hymns. My middle name was chosen in honor of the Wesley brothers. (My family has a strong Reformed tradition.)

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Today is also the birthday of Jørgen Haagen Schmith (born 1910, died October 15, 1944). He was better known under the codename Citron, was a famous Danish resistance fighter in occupied Denmark. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron. I pray that I’m never put in the same difficult position that Schmith was in. Wars of resistance are rarely neat and pretty.

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Today we present another entry for Round 44 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. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) 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. 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, 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 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, 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.

Security Issues for Preppers, by R.H.

I have nearly thirty years of law enforcement experience. That experience was gained as a local police officer, a deputy Sheriff and finally as a state trooper.  The last decade or so of my trooper career was spent as a crime scene investigator for a state police agency.  I only tell you this for you, the reader to weigh the opinions and statements that will follow.  This experience serves as my only true “skill” as I’m a terrible carpenter, plumber, cook, welder, gardener or nurse!  What follows is my small contribution to the “how to” lessons for a prepper that are contained within this blog.
           
Law enforcement experience has shaped my preparations.  I always had a “storm kit” ready as I lived in an area that is prone to summer tornadoes and severe winter storms.  But after working a security and anti-looting detail in a city of 35,000 people that had been devastated by a tornado, I rethought my preparations and increased the food, water and medical supplies that it contained.  I saw first hand that rescue, recovery and a return to normalcy takes time. In addition, after 9/11, we were required by our agency to keep water and emergency rations in our patrol vehicles.

Even so-called routine occurrences such as a traffic crash can take on survival tones if it occurs in a remote area or during a blizzard.  I once helped search for an elderly woman that simply ran off a road and moved down a steep embankment into a grove of trees. All she had with her was a cell phone but after phoning the police, but she couldn’t tell them where she was. She only knew that she was somewhere between two towns that were twenty miles apart.  We had difficulty using the phone company to triangulate her position so we drove in the area with our sirens on until she heard us and advised the dispatcher.  That was a decidedly low tech solution to an everyday problem.

The woman was not physically able to leave the car and it was winter.  If she had not been able to call for help, she might have succumbed to hypothermia before anyone discovered her car.  What would happen if this same situation was after TEOTWAWKI?

While as a police officer, I was always conscience of security matters in and around my home and my focus was anti-crime.  In other words, I prepared as best I could against a burglary or a home invasion scenario.  It is only within the last few years that I have given considerable thought to major civil unrest due to an economic situation, the likes of which most of us have never seen.  Another prime concern is a grid down scenario for an extended period of time. Both of these threats seem to become more real each day.

Within the last five years or so, many things have changed globally, nationally, locally and within my own family.  I took a friend’s recommendation and read Patriots and it changed me deeply. I have shifted my thoughts and energies to serious preparations that I would not have even thought of before.

Another significant personal change was my retirement.  I was lucky to be able to retire early and moved to a retreat area that due to OPSEC will remain unnamed.  My wife and I built a home with an eye toward growing older and the changing social landscape.  I began making personal choices for my family’s safety in the long term.

First, our house appears to be “normal” and does not attract undue attention. No heavy duty gates or fencing or anything unusual.  A closer inspection does reveal a heavy gauge metal roof and fiber cement siding for some fire protection (we live in the woods). A looping perimeter lane provides a three hundred sixty-degree firebreak around the house.  Hose bibs and hoses are found on all sides to provide some water for minor firefighting. Rain water collection barrels are also present.

The house is situated on a commanding hill (always take the high ground) with a large, cleared area between the house and the dead-end road we live off of.  A gravel drive is the only way into the property.  Ever try to sneak up on someone surrounded by gravel?  I’ve also installed some “force multipliers” such as driveway alarms to cover different routes and a house alarm system.  A whole-house generator was permanently installed and is fueled by a large, underground propane tank.

Another force multiplier is a dog.  Don’t be so worried about which breed, you only need to be made aware of noise or movement you can’t readily detect.  About any healthy, trained dog will do. Few people are willing to have a “guard” dog but any dog can be a “watch” dog, they just need to let you know that something requires your attention.  A dog is a cheap, reliable security system.

Our home armory consists of twelve gauge pump shotguns, identical service rifles and forty caliber semiautomatic pistols.  Others have their own opinions, but I have chosen these weapons for performance, reliability, simplicity, parts and ammunition availability.  I have sold fancier and more expensive guns to purchase these choices.

Any cop will tell you that a 12 gauge pump shotgun is an awesome attention getter and a truly devastating weapon at 50 yards or less. Buy a couple and get a variety of shot shells for everything from hunting to home defense.  Two and four-legged squirrels have fallen to this time-tested weapon!

As for service or patrol rifles, I’ve opted for .223 as I can rarely see farther than 200 yards in our hilly and wooded environment. There is no real need for a long range rifle in my region.   In addition, I can throw plenty of .223 downrange if needed. This choice would change if I lived on the Great Plains or in the middle of a flat cornfield.

I will not argue about a .45 Model 1911 being a good combat pistol.  I just like a .40 to have a few more high velocity rounds available that also do a tremendous job of creating a huge wound channel. I’ve attended many, many autopsies and base my choice upon that experience.  I also remember my department’s transition to a Glock sidearm and seeing all the shooters on the range line shooting consistently better groups with the well-fitted Glock. Whatever firearms you decide upon, you MUST be familiar with the weapon, how it functions, how to clean it and how to shoot it.  Post-TEOTWAWKI, you will also have to know how to fix it.

Political winds blow in different directions.  Buy ammunition. Buy extra magazines for the guns you now have. Do it now. Read this paragraph again!

Of our preps, water, food and fuel take the most space, time and effort.  We have endeavored to stock for a year but are you ever really done?  I used the LDS web site as a baseline for our food preps.  We are to the point now that we only purchase more supplies if it’s a bargain that we can’t pass up.

We have bug-out-bags stocked and ready but given our situation, we will probably “bug in.”  We can go mobile if we need to however and I have stocked our vehicles with “get home” bags as well. No one knows where they might be at a crucial time.  If you live in an area that does not allow concealed carry or vehicle carry of a loaded firearm, consider pepper spray or other alternatives.  Be innovative, how about a can of foaming wasp spray? It’s legal to have in a car, it sprays several feet and administered at an attacker’s face, would give him pause to reconsider his plan and time for you to escape.

Mental preparedness is the most important. You must know that there are people among us that are just simply evil.  Most folks are securely insulated from crime and it’s ugliness.  My guess is that the tougher things get, the more evil will become apparent to us. I cannot overemphasize the cruelty that some among us possess.  We must be prepared to deal with viciousness and violence in a most extreme manner. Ever wonder what will happen when prisons cease to pay their correctional officers? Governmental units may stop paying law enforcement entirely, placing us on our own in confronting crime and criminals.

While stockpiling food, water, ammunition and precious metals are important, perhaps it is time to communicate with your family about security and their response to attempted attacks.  Spend some quality time learning about the firearms that you have and practice using them at a range environment with an emphasis on safe handling.  Please, no accidents now or especially after TSHTF.

Like fire safety drills, conduct intruder drills if the front door is breached, or the rear door, or the dining room window. What should you do if you arrive home to obvious signs of a burglary? At least run some scenarios in your head and use the phrase; “What if?”

Lastly, lets briefly discuss communication.  In my experience, communications are usually the weak link of any operation.  If anything can go wrong, it will be with some aspect of communication.  This can be low tech such as not repeating exactly what is to be relayed to someone else or high tech like a hand-held radio not working and thereby isolating its operator from receiving or transmitting any further information.

Our special response team had a series of hand signals to fall back on if our radio communications went south.  Our patrol officers had verbal cues to alert other officers to a dangerous situation without being overt.  My point is to develop a communications plan that certainly includes some sort of radio communication for distance and backed up with additional visual signals to relay vital information to others in your family or group.

Letter Re: Self-Defense and Stress: You are Your Own Last Line of Defense, by Jessica B.

James:
Jessica B wrote a good article entitled “Self Defense and Stress” and to add to what she wrote about the lack of articles on “…that moment that you find yourself in a stressful, self-defense situation and how to overcome it,” Col. Cooper’s “Four Conditions” immediately came to mind. That great man not only gave use the “Four Rules” for firearms, but the “Four Conditions” for mental preparedness for self-defense, both of which are as perfect as simplifying the complex can be. I assume they have been discussed before, but are worth repeating. From Father Frog’s web site, a good place for all thing Jeff Cooper, The Color Code:

White – Relaxed, unaware, and unprepared.  If attacked in this state the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy and ineptitude of your attacker.  When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, “Oh my God!  This can’t be happening to me.”

Yellow – Relaxed alertness.  No specific threat situation.  Your mindset is that “today could be the day I may have to defend myself.”  There is no specific threat but you are aware that the world is an unfriendly place and that you are prepared to do something if necessary.  You use your eyes and ears, and your carriage says “I am alert.”   You don’t have to be armed in this state but if you are armed you must be in yellow.  When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, “I thought this might happen some day.”  You can live in this state indefinitely.

Orange – Specific alert.  Something not quite right has gotten your attention and you shift your primary focus to that thing.  Something is “wrong” with a person or object.  Something may happen.  Your mindset is that “I may have to shoot that person.”  Your pistol is usually holstered in this state.  You can maintain this state for several hours with ease, or a day or so with effort.

Red – Fight trigger.  This is your mental trigger.  “If that person does “x” I will shoot them.”  Your pistol may, but not necessarily, be in your hand.

Col. Cooper described himself as always in Condition Yellow – plus- as long as he was awake. I need to zone out, i.e. Condition White every day if possible so I can “smell the roses,” so fences, hardened barriers, dogs, lights, alarms, a loaded gun within reach,etc, all help in this regard.
God Bless and thanks for all your hard work in this worthy cause. – John M.

Letter Re: Automotive Preparedness

The author has laid out many very important ideas regarding keeping one’s vehicle(s) in working order and having the tools and know how to do repairs “on the fly”.
I’d like to add one very important consideration – the MANUFACTURER and vintage of your vehicle. It hit me like “a ton of bricks” when the author mentioned his vehicle was a 1995 Chevy 1500.   I had one!  Without a doubt it was the worst vehicle I’ve ever owned. Brakes were worthless off of the showroom floor. By the 62,000 mi mark when I finally traded it the metallic blue paint had peeled off of cab, hood and fenders, five speed manual tranny was bad, exhaust system was rusted through, alternator had seized , caught fire and melted down (good I had a fire extinguisher / not good, I was over 50 miles from the nearest town) and it had gone through at least ten serpentine belts.  My daughter called me last week mentioning that they’d gotten a “new” used pickup and coming home the alternator caught on fire and melted. I jokingly asked of it was a Chevy half ton — and she said: “Why, yes!”

I traded this vehicle for a  1996 Toyota Tacoma with 82.000 miles logged, back in 2000. I have a heavy camper on the bed and mileage is now over 160,000. To date I’ve had to replace a clutch, slave cylinder, starter, and a muffler. I also replaced the timing belt at 107,000 mi as routine maintenance.

Some vehicles are simply better made than others and can be expected to last longer and require far less emergency maintenance. – Rob in Colorado

News From The American Redoubt:

Take a look at these cell phone coverage maps — note the big gaps in the American Redoubt. Bad news? Well, for some of us who want to “get lost” it isn’t! (Here at Rawles Ranch, it is a looong drive to the nearest cell phone signal.) If nothing else, these maps certainly tell you something about the low population density in the Redoubt and some other hinterboonies regions. Think of these regions as the last frontiers in the Lower 48.

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Panel says hunting could help manage grizzly bears. Hunting grizzlies could become legal in three Redoubt states.

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I heard that Mitchell Supply in Great Falls, Montana has expanded their inventory.

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White’s Boots (with their factory in Spokane, Washington), has expanded their product offerings to include Smartwool undergarments and a lot more. (Even coffee!) Now, don’t go too yuppie on us…

Economics and Investing:

From Chris P.: Food and fuel shortages in war-torn Syria.  Regime targeting bakeries and farmers.

“Twist” Redux: Fed to Launch New Bond Buying Program to Ease Fiscal Cliff Fears

B.B. liked this Peter Schiff interview: Majority Doesn’t “Have A Right To Steal My Money Just Because They Voted For It”

Why The Fiscal Cliff Is Set To Crush The Middle Class With 50% Tax Rates

FEMA trailers to the rescue! (a month or two late): U.S. Rep. Pallone: post-Sandy temporary housing plans in N.J. to start following talk with FEMA director

Items from The Economatrix:

New Fed Metrics, QE4 Won’t Cure What Ails the US Economy

Thirteen American Cities Going Broke

Consumer Prices on U.S. Decline More than Forecast

Gold’s Mega-Rally Hangs in Balance

Odds ‘n Sods:

A link courtesy of The Woodpile Report: Mysterious radiation event of 774 might be (a little) less mysterious. A solar flare 20 times more powerful than the oft-cited Carrington event! (How do you like your microcircuits? Regular or extra crispy?)

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Bob Owens: The terror of the anti-liberty movement. (Thanks to G.S. for the link.)

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H.L. was the first of several readers to mention this news story: Florida nears 1 million permits for concealed weapons. [JWR’s Comment: In the 1980s and 1990s many hand-wringing editorialists loudly predicted that crime rates would skyrocket and that there would be blood in the streets and an atmosphere “like the Wild West” in those states that adopted non-discretionary CCW laws. (And, BTW, they still are still parroting the same nonsense, in Illinois.) But instead, at the same time that CCW became predominant in the United States, crime rates fell steadily, “baffling the experts.” I’m not baffled, in the least! Some of the drop in crime is attributable to America’s aging demographics, but the rest can be chalked up to criminals living in fear of an increasingly armed citizenry. If you aren’t packin’, you’re slackin’.] And speaking of keeping guns handy, F.G. sent this: Mass Killings Stopped by Armed Citizens.

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Wayne S. mentioned a good article by Massad Ayoob, arguably the most respected trainer of law enforcement officials and other citizens in the US in the use of firearms. His thoughts on how to prevent mass murders.

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A clever new product: the Snare-Vival-Trap. From the photo, some folks can visualize another potential use that, ahem, relates to self-defense. I’d recommend buying a few.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“He who would do some great things in this short life must apply himself to work with such a concentration of force as, to idle spectators who live only to amuse themselves, looks like insanity.” –  Francis Parkman, author of The Oregon Trail

Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of Simo Häyhä (born 1905, died April 1, 2002), was the world’s most successful sniper. Using an iron-sighted Mosin–Nagant in Finland’s Winter War, he had an astounding 505 confirmed sniper kills.

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In addition to two articles of my own, today I’m posting a piece by our Medical Editor and a product review by Pat Cascio. Please note that they are both volunteer editors. Their efforts are greatly appreciated!

Of Wolves, Bureaucrats, Biologist-Activists, and Assorted Parasites

I’ve come to the conclusion that our worst imaginings of Canadian timber wolves (purposefully introduced to the Lower 48 by do-gooder bureaucrats in 1995) might have been insufficient. To those of us who live in the rural west, these land sharks are well known for their fanged depredations on sheep, cattle, deer, elk, and moose. But their greater menace–at least to humans–might actually be in the form of a tiny tapeworm that they carry: Echinococcus granulosus. This tapeworm was endemic with these wolves, long before they were introduced. Tapeworm cysts have been identified in both Idaho and Montana in recent years, and wolves have been confirmed as definitive hosts and the primary vectors.

Take a few minutes to read this: Two-Thirds of Idaho Wolf Carcasses Examined Have Thousands of Hydatid Disease Tapeworms. Also read this summary and a few of its many linked references.

It bears particular mention that this variety of tapeworm is incurable, except by invasive surgery. (Antiparasitical drugs are ineffective.) And even worse, there is no simple test for infection. Only chest-abdomen scans or whole body scans show “hot spots” where the worms have triggered the formation of cysts. Echinococcosis is not pretty. The Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm cysts are mainly found in the lungs and liver. The tapeworms themselves are just a half inch long, but their cysts are large, ugly, and eventually life threatening, especially in mammals with the longest life spans. (Read: humans.) In some cases they can grow in the heart, the thyroid gland, and although rare, even inside bones and in the brain. I would not like them to start breeding inside my skull. Not good.

The life-cycle Echinococcus eggs and worms is insidious and incremental. The eggs can be viably dormant in the soil for up to 41 months. They can potentially become endemic in a wide variety of mammal populations. Here is just one example: In areas where wolf packs travel, the scat they leave in random locations can be handled by mice and rats that are attracted to the hair that makes up as much as 40% of the scat pellets, by volume. (Rodents actively gather hair, for nesting material.) So they bring the tapeworm eggs home, and are infected. Then the infected rodents get eaten by the local foxes, coyotes, wolves, bobcats, lynx, and mountain lions. And, oh yes, your house cat. Then your sweet little kitty leaves moist deposits in your garden raised beds, or in your child’s play sand box. Charming. This is sort of like watching the movie Prometheus, albeit with the critter life cycles in extreme slow motion, and on smaller scale.

I am particularly troubled by the fact that wildlife biologists knew that Canadian timber wolves carried the hydatid tapeworms. (It has been well documented since the 1930s, and was studied in detail in the 1950s.) But because of their enthusiasm, the biologist-activists were silent about it and went ahead and supported the wolf introduction plan. There are some sick puppies out there, and not all of them are canids.

The bottom line: Encourage your state legislators to allow wolf hunting and trapping, to reduce the number of wolf packs. And if you live in wolf country, then DO NOT handle the scat of any predators without wearing gloves and a good quality dust respirator. That includes handling feces from your house cat.

One final parenthetical note: Be on guard for anyone who uses the term “reintroduction” for the introduction Canadian timber wolves in the Lower 48. These wolves were not reintroduced. They are in fact an invasive subspecies. The Canadian timber wolf is a larger subspecies of wolf: Canis lupus occidentalis. The Canadian Timber Wolf (aka Mackenzie River Wolf) can weigh up to 170 pounds and travel up to 70 miles per day. Most of the wolves that originally inhabited the Lower 48 that were extirpated a century ago were the 80 to 110-pound Great Plains Wolf subspecies. (Canis lupus nubilus.) This disparity in part explains the rapid decline of the deer, elk, and moose herds in Idaho and Montana since 2000.

Debasement is Still Inevitable: Another Year for the Real Cupronickel Nickel?

I’ve been warning SurvivalBlog readers about the debasement of the nickel for several years. It now costs the U.S. Mint 11.2 cents to produce each nickel, so debasement seems inevitable.

After a two-year study, testing 80 different alloys, the United States Mint’s findings on alternative metals were announced on December 14, 2012. In essence they’ve said: “We need more time.” Here is the key line from the report summary: “The Mint has made significant progress and, at this time, has concluded that additional R&D is necessary before it can recommend any changes to the current coin composition.” Here is a link to the full report.

Based on the biennial R&D report, the U.S. Congress will probably either delay making changes to the penny and nickel, or they may just suspend further production. (Following Canada’s lead, with pennies.)

Hopefully the Mint’s dawdling will give us another year or two to stack up our boxes of nickels. (Once a composition change takes place, we will have to laboriously sort nickels.) If you read the contractor’s report, you’ll see that one of the goals of the planned debasement is that is be “seamless“, meaning: “Differences and abilities to recognize or process incumbent coins and coins produced from alternative material candidates cannot be distinguished through normal coin processing.” That is bureaucratic doublespeak for “Let’s make our new worthless tokens look like real coins, even to vending machines.”

I found the following buried in the contractor’s report:

“Stainless steels, despite the having an electrical conductivity that is about half that of cupronickel, were recommended for testing for the 5-cent coin. The ideal stainless steel for coinage would be non-ferromagnetic (so it would not be mistaken for a steel slug), have low flow stress (i.e., result in low striking loads), have excellent corrosion resistance and be comprised to the greatest extent practical of elements that are not as expensive as nickel. Nickel and molybdenum contents should be low to reduce costs. Austenitic stainless steels (3xx series) are preferred because they are non-ferromagnetic and thereby are more likely to be accepted by a majority of fielded coin-processing equipment.”

So I stand by my assertion that unless this denomination is dropped altogether, the cupronickel five cent piece will be replaced by a stainless steel token. It now appears that the 301, 302, 302HQ, or 304 stainless steel alloys are the most likely choices. Perhaps they’ll lean toward choosing 302HQ or 304, since they both include some nickel for Austenitizing. Hence, the bureaucrats could save face (partially) by being able to claim that the new stainless steel slugs are still “nickels.” But they’ll still be just about worthless, compared to a real cupronickel nickel which contains more than five cents of base metal value. (See the details at the Coinflation web site.) The report cited a fully burden production cost (including base metal, tooling, labor and transportation) of 6.77 cents to produce each nickel out of stainless steel, but that is certainly an improvement over the current cost of 11.2 cents. To the citizenry at large, the real consequence of the debasement is this: The melt value of a stainless steel nickel will be less than half a cent. We will be robbed again folks, just like our parents were, in 1964. Let’s not lose sight of the real underlying crime: general currency inflation. There would be no need to debase coins except for continuing, insidious inflation.

The goal of all government mints is to maintain seigniorage –which is making a profit on the coins that they produce. (Where their cost to produce each coin is less than its face value.) The U.S. Mint’s current champion of positive seigniorage is the much-maligned Sacagawea/Presidential “golden” dollar coin, which is a Manganese-Brass token with a base metal value of just 6.22 cents–just one cent more then the base metal value of a nickel. No wonder people instinctively hate them. (By the way, I consider putting a “gold” finish on those coins the most heinous bit of legerdemain in the history of the U.S. Mint.)

Governments don’t put up with negative seigniorage for very long. Debasement of nickels and pennies is coming, but thankfully the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly. Let’s just be thankful that we’ll have a some more time to keep stacking up our nickels.

Last Minute Medical Prepping, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

Soon enough we’ll know whether December 21, 2012 portends a cataclysmic event. One approach regarding how to prepare is to consider what might kill you in a day, in a week, in a month, or a year.  Your preparations will vary depending on your health now and how long you expect to live without the prospect of professional medical care.

The most common life-threatening conditions that can kill in a day include acute allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), heart arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism (blood clot to the lung), various severe traumas (gunshot wounds, excess blood loss, cervical fracture (broken neck), and of course, suicide.  Without sufficient fluid replacement, cholera victims will die within days.  Without insulin, Type 1 diabetics will soon be comatose.  Dehydration can kill in a week, as can many infections including untreated cellulitis, pneumonia, intestinal infections, sepsis, and several others.  By a month children may succumb to starvation, though adults generally take somewhat longer.  Shelter, water, and food are every bit as important as other medical needs.  At a year, all of the above scenarios remain a threat, but in addition, chronic diseases and nutritional deficiencies will begin to take their toll. 

With these considerations in mind, I suggest procuring the following:

  1. Asthmanephrin.  Released only a month ago, Asthmanephrin is the only currently available over-the-counter inhaler for asthma (and an alternative for anaphylactic allergic reactions).  It is similar enough to Primatene Mist to consider it a replacement, and an option when an Epi-Pen is unavailable.  At approximately $55 for the starter kit (10 doses, including EZ Breathe Atomizer inhalation device) and about $30 for the refill kit (30 doses) it should be in every prepper’s medical kit.  Before you say that you’re not asthmatic, consider that it could also be used for anaphylaxis in a bee-sting or other allergic patient, help a COPD patient in a pinch (with careful attention to side-effects discussed below), or in any patient with significant bronchospasm.  Doctors generally advise against using inhaled epinephrine, not because it is ineffective, but due to the greater likelihood of increased blood pressure and heart rate (as compared with current prescription beta-adrenergic agonists such as albuterol).  Not all pharmacies carry this yet, so call first for availability.  Locally, our CVS has it in stock.
  2. Antibiotics.  The antibiotics that are both readily available and most likely to save a life include amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin), cephalexin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, erythromycin, and metronidazole.  If you haven’t yet obtained them from your physician, or don’t believe doing so is possible, then consider the “fish antibiotic” route (which I have addressed in other articles on this site).  Should you or a loved one become ill, consider carefully before using your stock of antibiotics, which should be reserved for life-threatening infections. (Also see #14, below.)
  3. Wound cleansing and closure supplies.  A laceration isn’t likely to kill you, but a subsequent infection may well do so.  Clean water and any antibacterial soap are sufficient to clean a wound, though I am partial to Hibiclens (available OTC).  You may want to include a baby hair brush for gentle wound debridement and cleaning.  You will also need a needle holder and suture material (4-0 and/or 3-0 silk or nylon, such as Unify, available OTC).  Anesthetic is optional, but a good idea at least for children.  OTC tattoo cream contains lidocaine or similar medication and is pricey but somewhat effective.  Surgical staplers can be obtained online without a prescription.  A few staples can be placed more quickly than anesthetic can be administered and with no more discomfort than the anesthetic itself causes.  If you doubt this, purchase a surgical stapler a nd try it out on yourself, even without a laceration.
  4. Clean (non-sterile) medical gloves.  Useful to protect both patient and caregiver.  Sterile gloves should be used when the possibility of introducing a life-threatening infection into a wound from the outside environment is high, such as with an intra-abdominal wound.  However, clean (non-sterile) medical gloves can be rinsed in alcohol and worn when suturing superficial wounds, and are quite inexpensive, at under $10 per box of 100.
  5. Immunizations.  If you can’t get in to see your doctor, then visit your local health department or your local pharmacy for a flu shot, possibly a pneumonia vaccine, and to update your tetanus immunity with a Tdap injection.  These are the minimum.  You might also want to consider a Hepatitis A vaccine and an MMR (measles-mumps-rubella).  Even more important than updating your own immunizations is making sure all your children are up to date on theirs.  And don’t forget your pets.  At a minimum update their rabies and distemper vaccines.
  6. Pain medication.  Over-the-counter pain relievers are so inexpensive that you should buy them by the thousands.   If you doubt you’ll need them yourself, consider their value as barter items.  Tylenol is the primary pure pain reliever and the only one without the possibility of anti-inflammatory-related stomach distress.  On the other hand, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), which are somewhat likely to bother the stomach if used more than a few days, are often better at pain relief, especially when inflammation is present (gout, most other forms of arthritis, pleurisy, tendonitis, bursitis, etc.)  For many patients, the combination of Tylenol plus an NSAID can provide pain relief equal to that of a narcotic.  However, NSAIDs are not effective for stomach pain or intestinal pain (and sometimes worsen such problems).
  7. Stomach acid reducers: Proton pump inhibitors (OTC generics for Prilosec and Prevacid) and H2-blockers (generics for Zantac, Pepcid, Axid, and Tagamet).  For ulcer sufferers, these medications are worth their weight in gold.  If you don’t think they can be life-saving, you haven’t seen a person bleed out from a perforating ulcer, which is almost a disease of the past, thanks to these highly effective medications.  They are useful for any esophageal, gastric, or duodenal problem related to acid-irritation.  The H2-blockers are ridiculously cheap, and have the added benefit of an antihistamine effect, useful for treating hives.  The proton pump inhibitors are more effective in reducing stomach acid production, but also more expensive.  Again, if you don’t think you might need them yourself, they could be highly valuable for barter.  People have plenty of stomach problems now, in good times, and will have more when stress increases and food decreases.  Also, using an acid-reducing medication often makes it possible for patients to tolerate NSAID pain relievers (especially when narcotics are unavailable).
  8. Splinting and casting supplies.  Plaster is cheap and available online without a prescription.  Even if you don’t know how to work with plaster, someone else may.  It is easily adaptable to almost any fracture or sprain of both upper and lower extremities.  In addition to 3” or 4” rolls of plaster, stockinet and gauze rolls are helpful in producing professional results.  If you don’t know what you are doing, then do not apply a circumferential cast, which can act as a tourniquet and cut off blood supply, which could lead to amputation.  Plaster splints are generally safe for the layperson to apply, as they allow room for some swelling.
  9. Antihistamines.  Good for treating a variety of minor problems, antihistamines should also be used for life-threatening anaphylaxis, generally in combination with epinephrine (see #1 above).  People are most aware of their value for treating colds and allergies, but all the OTC antihistamines can be used for treating hives and itching of other causes.  The sedating antihistamines (diphenhydramine, doxylamine, and chlorpheniramine) are useful as sleep aids and are somewhat helpful for reducing anxiety.  The non-sedating antihistamines (Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec) are best if alertness is essential.
  10. Meclizine.  This OTC medication is the same drug as prescription Antivert, and is the best OTC medicine for nausea and vomiting, as well as vertigo-type dizziness.
  11. Imodium.  Best OTC drug for diarrhea.  Also sometimes useful for stomach cramps.
  12. Long-term refills on your own prescriptions.  Most all doctors will give you at least a 3-month supply of medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, COPD, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.  Insurance will generally pay for a 3-month supply, but you could request an additional 3-month supply if you pay cash. 
  13. Protective clothing.  Depending on your climate, activity, and expectations, protective clothing can help prevent respiratory ailments, poison ivy, sunburn, frostbite, malaria, gunshot wounds, sprained ankles, blisters, calluses, lacerations, and amputations.  In addition to weather-appropriate clothing, you may want to consider steel-toed boots if you’ll be chopping wood, a Kevlar vest if you’ll be dodging bullets, high-topped boots to support ankles on rough terrain, well-fitting shoes for long marches, and anything else you can come up with to prevent a health problem.  My own bald father suffered second-degree sunburns from not wearing a hat on a sunny day, and with his diabetes, these took weeks to heal.
  14. Educational information.  Doctors and nurses consult books on a daily basis, and so should you.  While of course I’m partial to my own book, Armageddon Medicine, written with TEOTWAWKI in mind, there are other several others I recommend, listed at my web site.  If you haven’t started prepping yet, you likely don’t know how to recognize a life-threatening infection, or how to suture a wound, or apply a professional cast, but you can learn if you have print resources to help, should the need arise.  Evenå if you’re not a medical type and the sight of blood makes you faint, a nurse, or EMT, or even a mother may appreciate the resources you have on hand.
  15. A Bible.  Why are you prepping, anyway?  Some people believe preppers do so out of fear, but in my experience, this is not the case.  I have been so impressed with people who have attended my Survival Medicine classes.  While everyone wants to protect their family and loved ones, the majority of attendees have been caring people looking to help others as best they are able, striving to honor the “Great Commandments” (Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind; and your neighbor as yourself.) I suggest thinking beyond your family’s needs to others you may be able to help (and who might benefit you in return).  In the medical arena, this might include procuring more supplies than you’re likely to use for your own needs.  If you have an extra thousand bucks to spend, why not consider what a clinic might require in the way of supplies?  Even if you’re not a health care provider, professionals will appreciate your foresight – I know I would.  In the event of a disaster, no man is an island. 

In a single shopping trip and one hour online, you can accomplish most of what I’ve outlined above.  If you do so, you’ll be ahead of 99% of the population.  And if every one of the hundreds of thousands of readers of SurvivalBlog is prepared, imagine how much good we could do for the world.

Editor’s Note: More of Dr. Koelker’s advice can be found at her web site: ArmageddonMedicine.net