Peter Schiff: Many Other Cliffs Await the US Economy
Jim W. suggested this from Alasdair MacLeod: Short squeeze ahead? Gold futures market heading for crisis.
Yishai sent this:Insane: Liberals Contemplate $1 Trillion Platinum Coin to “Solve” Debt Limit Issue
R.B.S. sent this from Oregon: Overdue Portland sewer bills to become property tax bills
The World’s Strangest Currencies
Items from The Economatrix:
The Straw That Breaks The Euro’s Back: Euro Crash Imminent?
There Are Now Approximately 3 Million Preppers In The United States, Why Are They Hated So Much?
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Reader Jordan B. sent: US intelligence study sees possible fight ahead over water, food
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Where building codes collide with common sense: Watauga County ‘mountain man’ fighting to keep his nature camp open. (Thanks to James S. for the link.)
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Reader Rodger E. mentioned a new aluminum Side Saddle shell holder is available for Mossberg 500 and 590 owners. They cleverly use a Picatinny-style rail, for mounting.
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12 Days Till Doomsday: 9 Tips To Help You Transition From Pre to Post-Apocalypse Should the Prophesy of the Mayan Calendar Prove True. (Includes quotes from Lisa Bedford (of The Survival Mom) and JWR.
"Inflation is like sin; every government denounces it and every government practices it." – Frederick Leigh-Ross
Update: A reader near Fort Sill, Oklahoma should jump on this big lot: Auction for 21 Pallets of Razor Wire. This variety of wire is more expensive (and effective) than traditional concertina wire. The auction ends at 5 p.m. EST on December 12, 2012.
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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.
I’ve been reading a lot lately about types of bags and the many different options for BOBs that are out there. A staple of all prep web sites is the gear list and there is no shortage of suggestions on what you should have with you. What I’m not seeing is how to stow your gear. I’m not talking about the actual packing of your bag. I’ve actually seen an article or two about this, tips like keeping the heavy items low and close to your back, use of ditty bags, or packing your rucksack in a columnar system. What I’m talking about is an overall strategy of where on your person, and where in your transport system certain items should go.
Most military types will be familiar with the information I’m about to present, especially if they were in any way involved in long range patrolling techniques. Basically we’re looking at three tiered system. You’ll divide your gear into three parts and carry it either on your person, on your belt, or in your rucksack.
On Your Person
Working outwards from the body we’ll look first at what you should have on your person. Think of this as your wilderness everyday carry (EDC). A good way to determine what should be on your person is to think the worst. Think about what you’d need if for what-ever reason you had to bail with just the clothes on your back. Say you’re caught in an ambush and had to drop your ruck and cut and run, or some nasties raid your camp and again you have to run for it. It could be something as innocent as losing your pack. I recall being on a canoe trip with friends. We ran a fairly serious set of rapids and one of the canoes went over. Not serious, but when we recovered everything a rucksack was missing, the tether that had secured it to the canoe dangling free and empty. We bumped around for the better part of an afternoon, getting wet and taking chances in the fast water but never did find the ruck or any of the gear that was in it.
Very important items, like a compass or a Swiss Army knife can go on lanyard around your neck, making them even more secure. Beware the Pain In The A** (PITA) factor. A full-sized Silva compass or a large multi tool hanging around your neck and getting in the way every time you bend over or move around will quickly become a PITA. It gets taken off and stowed elsewhere. Murphy’s Law seems to be ever present in these situations and that means that when the SHTF your compass or pocket knife is not where it normally is. It may seem like a good idea to keep some items “next to skin” but keep them small. I have a little plastic case on a lanyard, you’ll see folks who work in controlled access areas with their passes in them, in it I carry my ID card, drivers licence, and a credit card. You could also fold and squeeze in a good chunk of cash, especially here in Canada with our new ultra thin polymer bank notes. On the lanyard I also have a little pen knife. The entire issue goes under my shirt and is barely noticeable. Another item that you might consider keeping “next to skin” or at least under your basic clothing is a money belt.
We’ve already touched on four basic items that should be on your person, pocket knife, (or multi-tool) compass, cash, and documents. As well you should always have your survival tin well stocked and in a pants pocket or in a small pouch on your belt. There are a plethora of articles written on building a small survival tin and there are commercial versions available. It should be small enough that it can be carried all day and night and be barely noticeable. If it’s too big or cumbersome it may get left elsewhere when it’s really needed. Matches or a lighter should be on your person. This goes without saying for smokers, but it’s usually one of the things I forget and need to go digging in my main ruck when I need to light something. A small flashlight is must, either a small Maglite or a tactical light like a Surefire. While in the military I always tried to have at least some food on me at all times. A chocolate bar, Power Bar or similar snack fits nicely into a shirt pocket and might make all the difference in that first night after you had to bail on your gear. Personal comms, such as a cell phone or Sat phone should also be on your person, though this depends on the coverage available. The situation will dictate, as it does with all gear choices. Choice of clothing should be made with a view to having as many practical pockets as possible. Outdoor gear and military style clothing fit the bill nicely. Belt pouches are fine, however if you have too much stuff on your belt it becomes uncomfortable if you have to sit or lay down, your waist band on your ruck may not sit properly, not to mention it will be difficult to keep your pants up with your belt loaded with kit. Leave the utility belt for Batman. One thing that should always be on your belt is your sheath knife. I’m a bit of a believer in knives so on my person I have my Buck sheath knife, a Spyderco pocket folder, and my little Swiss Army knife around my neck.
On Your Belt
A good sized belt pouch should be next. A regular belt with a large pouch attached would work well, as would a good sized butt pack. This is where you’ll stow gear that you need readily, but without the survival importance of gear you’ll have on your person. A satchel with a shoulder strap works well too. It will swallow up a lot of gear and it doesn’t have to go around your waist. A large metal cup, coffee or tea, creamers, sugars, along with a small solid fuel stove can provide refreshment without digging into your main pack. Spare food, spare batteries, a back-up multi-tool, small water bottle, back-up fire starter, extra ammo, bigger flashlight, signal mirror or panel marker, lots of matches or lighter, water purifier, and a survival blanket are all items that can be considered for this belt pack. Again use the worst case scenario when deciding what to carry here. What if you had to run for your life and that meant ditching your pack? What if you’re foraging or scouting away from your camp and get separated from your pack for an extended time? As a rough rule of thumb your belt kit should be able to sustain you for one full day and night away from your main pack. Keep the PITA rule in mind also and that if an item is too large or cumbersome it can quickly become a detriment instead of a benefit. Choose your equipment based on your situation and ease of carry.
Weapons and Ammunition
Generally the best possible way of being armed is with a long gun as a primary firearm and a pistol as a back up. This gives the flexibility to respond to all threats, it also gives depth to your personal defence plan. Where these weapons are carried is easy, your long gun and its ammo are part of the intermediate layer, integral to your belt kit. Your hand gun is part of your gear that goes on your person. A little trial and error with holsters, shoulder rigs, or gun belts is necessary to come up with an efficient and comfortable carry for both your primary and secondary weapon. A third layer of firearm protection is tempting, a small derringer type gun or “belly gun” kept under your shirt might alleviate an otherwise hopeless situation. On the other hand be aware of being over gunned. More guns mean more ammunition and the added logistics of carrying different natures. Again the PITA rule bears attending to. Be careful of having too much gear around your waist. A gun belt is good but how will that effect your rucksack carry? How will it ride in conjunction with a belt kit? Questions to consider and find a solution to before the SHTF.
In Your Rucksack
The rucksack is the heart and soul of any load bearing system. It becomes the “mother ship” for all of your gear. It will contain most of your necessities but keep in mind that the ruck may not be with you at all times. If you establish a base camp, and are away hunting, scouting, or foraging the ruck will generally be left behind. There should be nothing in your ruck that you absolutely cannot do with out. You might lose your main shelter, water, and the bulk of your food should you need to ditch the pack, but you should have alternate survival supplies on your belt or on your person.
What you put in your main pack will come under three headings. Food and water, shelter, and environmental clothing. A good water purifier will cut down or eliminate the need to carry a lot of water, allowing more food to be carried. Ten days food is about the max that can be carried without seriously overloading but you’ll need to be frugal and use a strict ration plan. Included with your food is a stove and fuel. You might consider leaving the stove and fuel behind and using fires instead. The downside of this is fire and smoke can give your position away and attract attention while a stove can provide a hot meal or hot drink with out too much of a signature.
Shelter can be a tent or a tarp suitable for building a shelter. This will depend on the ground and the environment. Obviously in more temperate areas a bivvy will suffice, while in colder harsher environments an enclosed tent will probably work better. A bivvy bag can be an alternative if you’re traveling alone and speed and ease of carry is an issue. There is one main disadvantage to this. In bad weather or adverse conditions you can stay put and “ride things out” a lot more comfortably in a tent. A bivvy bag is good for sleeping in but not much else. In a bivvy bag you can’t sit up and have a coffee or read a book while the blizzard rages outside.
Speaking of inclement weather brings up the subject of environmental clothing. Here in Canada, working and living in cold environments is a matter of fact for almost half of the year. You’ll need to allow room in the pack for heavy parkas, wind pants, and insulated boots. The problem here is that you’ll need to move and work in lighter, better vented clothes, while at night or in-active you’ll need serious insulated cold weather gear. Moving or working in your warm gear, and getting overheated and sweat soaked can be disastrous. Environmental clothing can take up a lot of space. Space that might seem better used for food or other niceties, but remember the old adage; “pack light, freeze at night”
Practice using a small sled to haul your gear in the snow. After years of humping big rucksacks I got a small kids sled, lashed my ruck to it and went on an overnighter hauling my gear as opposed to carrying it. The difference was quite pleasant and as long as I was in relatively open ground the pack towed along behind me effortlessly. I did end up jury rigging a set of small poles to replace the tow rope so the sled wouldn’t pass me or run me over on the down hills. It alleviated a lot of the problems we talked about earlier about having too much kit and belts around your waist.
Conclusion
In summary, have a good look at where each item you carry goes. Assess the value of each item and put it where it belongs. “Must haves” go on your person so if you have to bail with the clothes on your back you won’t be without your critical survival gear. “Nice to haves” come next on a belt kit or shoulder bag. These are items that can make a night or nights away from camp bearable weather they’re forced on you by weather, a navigational error, or by the action of hostiles. Lastly “Everything Else” goes in your main pack. It is your main carry and the center piece of any load bearing system. It is also the first thing that gets looted, dropped, lost, left behind, or abandoned. Nothing that is critical to your survival should be in the ruck. Dropping or losing your rucksack will be a serious situation but it should not be the end of the world for a savvy survivalists.
Reader T.K., who lives in the Tri-cities [Richland, Pasco and Kennewick] region of Washington wrote to mention that local credit union, HAPO, is ordering in $2,000 in nickels for him with no fee charged. “I’m simply taking $2,000 out of my account with them and they are giving me $2,000 in nickels. It is going to take a week for the order to go through and they asked me to have some kind of bins to put them in but other than that they had no issues with me getting a bulk shipment of nickels. Yet another reason to live in the Redoubt.” [JWR Adds: My bank in the Redoubt has accommodated my many requests for nickels in bulk over the past four years with no ruffled feathers. They have never requested any fees, even though I’ve often asked them to order nickels $1,000 at a time. (Ten $100 cardboard box “bricks” per order.) It is nice living in a place where even your banker doesn’t feel the need to poke his nose into your business.]
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Montana Courtroom Incident Proves Wild Fire Can Burn Twice. (Thanks to Steven W. for the link.)
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Boise company’s products kept the (solar) lights on during Hurricane Sandy
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Preparedness pays off: Snowmobiler survives weekend avalanche near McCall, Idaho
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Reader A.B. wrote to mention that there is a group of cloistered Carmelite brothers who are building a classic gothic European monastery in Wyoming. They get a significant amount of the revenue from selling coffee beans that they roast. You can read about them on the Charles Carroll Society web site. A.B’s comments: “These brothers live and work exclusively for Christ. They live separately from the world’s distractions praying for it and those in it. They looked all over to find an unspoiled area where they still could buy a mountain top to build an isolated monastery and guess where they choose? The American Redoubt! These brothers appear to be traditional Catholics. (Notice the habits and they use a version of the traditional Latin Mass.) They participate in the public life by opening their monastery to Christian men who are looking for an isolated retreat, and they also have men-only services on Sunday. I am also researching a cloistered group of sisters, but they initially appear to be much more progressive. It may not be a bad thing to know a bunch of traditional monks living in a remote castle in the Redoubt in the future.”
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US citizens leaving the country to avoid stiff tax bills
Euro Area Pushed Into Recession as Trade Slows, Spending Drops
Jim W. suggested this: Research Shows ALL Paper Money Systems Failed
Items from The Economatrix:
How To Prepare For The Coming Gold Crunch
Oil Trades Near Three-Week Low as ECB Cuts Europe Growth Outlook
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For the SurvivalBlog readers who have supported Anchor of Hope Charities (the folks who run an orphanage and mission school in Zambia), this is your annual reminder. Many thanks for supporting such a worthy and financially responsible charity. They operate with almost no overhead.
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Blogger Sarah A. Hoyt talks societal collapse: Preparing For The Long Rains
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A reminder that the Freeze Dry Guy two-week 25% off sale of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans ends on December 13th, so order soon. This sale offer includes free shipping to CONUS!
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Jim W. sent: Here’s A Homemade Tank Using A Playstation Controller To Fire At Assad’s Troops
“Technology is a blessing for those who understand it and can develop and maintain it. It can be a snare for those who can can only depend on getting it ‘off the shelf.’ If it malfunctions they are lost. Tools, supplies, and technological equipment should play a part in anyone’s survival plans, but they should not play a part that overreaches the person’s ability to deal with it.” – Karl Hess, Editor, A Common Sense Strategy for Survivalists, p. 37, 1981
SurvivalBlog readers often buy gear for their retreats using Craigslist and Internet message boards such as Buddy’s Board and eHam to buy equipment. There are some genuine bargains out there, but be advised that these web sites have become the favorite hunting grounds of Nigerian Scammers. They prey upon people who are looking for bargains. Typically, the scammers place fraudulent ads offering items for sale in the Want To Sell (WTS) category , or they respond to Want To Buy (WTB) ads.
Some Red Flags that may indicate that you’ve been contacted by a Nigerian merchandise scammer:
1.) The seller offers new or like new merchandise for around 1/2 of the regular retail price.
2.) The seller writes in broken English, and with strange punctuation.
3.) The seller seems ignorant about the technical details of what he is selling–never going past “copy and paste” from other ads or a manufacturer’s marketing descriptions..
4.) If you are the seller, then the buyer offers to send you a check for more than your asking price with a request to wire back the difference.
5.) Their e-mails are sent at odd hours . (At 3 a.m., Pacific Time, it is 12 noon in Nigeria– a nine hour difference.)
6.) The seller claims that he is deaf, so that he cannot converse with you by phone.
7.) The seller asks for any unusual form of payment.
8.) If it is an ad at a forum that lists member numbers, the seller has a high member number, indicating that he just recently joined the forum.
I was recently looking for an expensive and scarce Trijicon ACOG scope for one of my guns. So I placed a WTB (Want To Buy) ad on Buddy’s Board. I got this offer via e-mail, originating from a Gmail address:
Good day,
Have you got any leads/order on your WTB ads listed on my subject
Email?? Let me know as i have one up for sale.Respectfully,
Ben
I wrote back:
Ben:
What is the condition of the ACOG and your asking price?
He replied at 2:57 AM:
It,s in LNIB conditions with an asking price of $640 Shipped. Ben
It is notable that this is a scope normally retails for around $1,500. Note his poor punctuation of “It,s ” and the misspelling: “conditions.”
Smelling a rat, I wrote him in reply:
Ben:
Yes, I’ll take it. But because Nigerian sales scams have become so commonplace, I need you to provide me “proof of life”. Before I send you payment, I need you to do the following: Take a magic marker and write your e-mail address and today’s date on a strip of paper and DRAPE IT in a curve over the scope and take a crisp digital photo of the scope, showing that paper strip draped in place. This photo will prove to me that you actually have the scope in your possession.Without this photo, we have NO DEAL. But with it, I will send you immediate payment via US Postal Service Money Order.
Pardon me for being so cautious, but we are living in the age of deception and betrayal. – ~Jim Rawles
Not surprisingly, the scammer made no reply. Beware folks, and take precautions when dealing with potential scammers. Making a “proof of life” photo demand will almost always send a scammer scurrying back under his rock. If there is ever any doubt, one final test that works well in ferreting out scammers is to pose a fake technical question. For example, if the item in question is a gun, ask the seller to “provide its PCGS grade.” If it is a scope, ask the seller to “describe it’s bore condition.” Or if it is a ham radio, ask him “how much squelch are you including?” Such questions will almost always trip them up.
The bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
Addendum: I have heard that one of the latest schemes used by Nigerian scammers is to buy merchandise from American vendors, making payments via wire transfers. Then, after he goods have shipped, they use a loophole in the wire transfer rules to withdraw the transfer, snatching the funds back overseas. Beware! – J.W.R.
This is a simple fact; without a source of fresh and safe water to drink, you will die within four days – depending on weather conditions. As I’m writing this, the folks back East are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Many are still without power or heat in their homes after two weeks – at least 40,000 people were totally homeless right now, and winter temps are setting in. I read one news report, where people were paying $7 for a loaf of bread, and $10 for a box of matches. FEMA ran out of bottled water less than a week into this emergency and folks were left to fend for themselves for a source of safe drinking water for several days.
Many poke fun at “Preppers” or “Survivalist” for preparing for bad times. I just don’t get it! What is wrong with storing some extra food and water, for a future emergency? And, sooner or later, the lights and power go out, and I don’t care where you live – it happens! The folks on the East Coast had plenty of warning of the impending hurricane coming their way. However, may chose to ignore the dire warnings, and went about their usual daily routine – instead of spending a few dollars and a little bit of their time, stocking-up on extra food and water. Instead, they depended upon FEMA and the Red Cross to take care of them. I read numerous reports that the Red Cross was giving hot chocolate and cookies to hurricane victims. Really? There are also victims living in unheated tents that FEMA set-up, and depending on the FedGov to feed and care for them. Don’t you ever trust or depend on the FedGov to care for you in a time of disaster. And, reports stated that 50 million people were affected by Hurricane Sandy – there is no way that the FedGov can possibly care for that many people in a disaster.
We can all go a good long time without food – some say people can go weeks or even a month, without food. However, without a source of clean, safe drinking water, we’ll all perish in short order – this is a fact! While its a good idea to store some bottled water, I wouldn’t want to only have that as my source of drinking water. Some excellent filters are made by Clearly Filtered water filters. I recently received three of their products for testing: One is their Athlete drinking bottle, another a military-type canteen, and lastly a straw – all filter waster so that it is safe to drink. The Bottle can filter up to 100-gallons of water, removing approximately 99.9% of many nasty things that can make you ill or even kill you. It filters 99.99% of Giardia, Crypto, bacteria and viruses – ditto for the Canteen and Straw.
I set about to test all three of these products over more than a month – along with the assistance of my wife. She took the Athlete bottle to school – where she works as an elementary grade teacher. Living in the boonies, we have well water – which tastes much better than city water, that is loaded with chlorine. Most folks who live and work in the town, don’t taste the chlorine because they are used to it. However, if you depend on well water, you can smell and taste the chlorine in city water, so my wife would usually take a bottle of water from home each day to drink while at work. She decided to give the Athlete water filter bottle a good work out – she said, and I concur, that the first few bottles full of filtered watered had a bit of a “taste” to it – after that, the water was clearly “filtered” and had no strange taste. I found the same true with the Straw and Canteen – after a use or two, the “taste” was gone, and we were drinking great water.
The Athlete bottle will last up to 6-months or 100-gallons of water – and I drink a lot of water each day. The Canteen can also filter up to 100-gallons of water or 6-months of use. The straw, which is very small, can filter up to 25-gallons of water. The Athlete bottle and canteen replaces up to 800+ plastic water bottles – stop and think about that for a moment. I don’t know many people who store 800+ bottles of water in their homes – that’s a lot of room they would take up. One water bottle or canteen can replace 800+ water bottles – this is a win-win situation in my book. Of course, these water filters do not filter salt water, so don’t attempt this. However, if there is a mud puddle in your yard, or standing water any place, you can filter it so it will safely take out all that nasty stuff that will make you sick or even kill you. And, right now, back East, they have plenty of water around – but they just can’t drink it. Also, the Clearly Filtered water bottles are 100% BPA free, if this is a concern to you.
Living in Western Oregon, we always have plenty of water – we get about 48-inches of rain each year – we have two seasons – one is about four months of beautiful summer sunshine, and then 8-months of rain (with a little snow) so there is plenty of water around to drink if we ever had to bug out – however, it simply isn’t safe to drink from a stream, creek or standing water – without first filtering it. I tested the Straw, and it was difficult to get centered over a body of water and drink it. So, the solution was simple, just take my canteen cup and scoop the water into it, and then drink the water from the canteen cup through the straw – piece of cake!
I also tested some dirty looking water that was standing along a logging road – not something you’d even consider drinking. I placed my Canteen on the side and let the dirt water flow into the canteen – and then, just to be sure the water was actually “filtered” I squirted some of it out before drinking it – and it came out crystal clear – so I took the drive and drank so – no nasty taste and it tasted great!
Just think of what people back East would be giving to have their own source of filtered water right now? FEMA tells everyone to be prepared – and they used to say that folks should have three days worth of food, now they are saying to have two weeks worth of food and water. Too bad they didn’t take their own advice and have enough food and water stored to help Hurricane Sandy victims. Anyone who depends on FEMA or the FedGov for anything is a fool in my book! While the Red Cross does some good, did they really think people were gonna survive on cookies and hot chocolate? I just read an article where the Red Cross said their response was “near perfect” to Hurricane Sandy. Huh?
People who had only debit/credit cards of their welfare debit cards, were out of luck, when it came time to purchase food or water, in grocery stores that were able to open, even without power. The debit machines couldn’t work without power, so cash was king. Take that to heart, even if a grocery store can open, if they don’t have power, they can’t take your credit or debit cards – you have to have cash!
Don’t wait for the next disaster to hit, or for your power to go off. Start storing some extra food and water, and make sure you have an alternate source of fresh drinking water. The Clearly Filtered Athlete’s bottle is on-sale right now for $34.99, the Canteen is also $34.99 and the Straw is $19.99. Additionally, if you’ll go to the Clearly Filtered web site, you’ll find many more of their water filters that you might want to consider purchasing. In my neck of the woods, a store-bought bottle of water is about a buck or more – and that’s a lot of money in my book. To be honest, I’ve rarely drank bottled water – I don’t see any sense in paying that kind of money for water – when I can get it for free at home from my tap. If you purchased the Athlete or Canteen filters, you could drink 100-gallons of fresh, clean water for $34.99 – that would be about $400 in bottled water, and odds are, that bottled water came from a water tap, just like you have at home – so you aren’t gaining much in the way of “safe” drinking water. With a Clearly Filtered product, you know you are drinking extremely safe water, and at a bargain price too boot. Plus, the filters in the Bottle and Canteen can be replaced, so you don’t have to purchase the entire product – just replace the filter, and save money.
Don’t depend on FEMA, the Red Cross or anyone else for a source of safe drinking water – take responsibility for your own needs and the needs of your family and do the smart and right thing – make sure you have a way of obtaining safe drinking water. The Clearly Filtered water filters are a step in the right direction. Check out their web site for complete information on all their products. You’ll be glad you did! – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Citizens
Authors: Multiple. Edited by John Ringo and Brian M. Thomsen
Copyright Date: 2010
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
ISBN: 978-1-4391-3347-7 (also 978-1439134603–mass market paperback)
Suitable for children? Not young ones. Teens depending on maturity. (Parental screening recommended.)
Citizens
It should probably be noted that in several of these stories success does not equate with survival. There are heroes in these stories who give their lives so that others can survive. Some of these stories, and particularly “The Long Watch” by Robert Heinlein, are very powerful. Even several weeks after reading it my throat still tightens up thinking about the choices Johnny Dahlquist made
and the consequences he accepted.
It should also be noted that other stories are downright funny. “Allamagoosa” by Eric Frank Russell is a largely humorous jab at the bureaucratic side of a military organization. “The Question” by Patrick A. Vanner, while largely dealing with the delicate matter of introductory contact and negotiation with a completely foreign culture, ends on a humorous note due to the naiveté of a
child.
What makes this book most worthwhile is the philosophical side. These are thought provoking stories about how decisions are made and how one life may be valued in comparison to another. These are stories in which responsibility has a very tangible meaning and consequences reverberate through entire continents. These are stories for a warrior to ponder, and to the extent that a prepper anticipates the role of a warrior in their future this book has merit.
Given that this is science fiction, most of the stories involve factors such as space travel, alien life forms, artificial intelligence, genetically modified hominids and other such dreams for the future. However, those details do not detract from the value of the philosophical issues which arise. The question of the value of a genetically modified hominid is very much parallel to the historical treatment of minorities, lower classes and slaves.
For one who would survive in an uncertain future these stories provide examples of adapting to situations in order to stay alive. Both “Exploration Team” by Murray Leinster and “Neither Sleet, Nor Snow, Nor Alien Invasion…” by Dave Freer provide clear contrasts of those who will adapt and those who would not. Both of those stories involve creative measures for coping with deadly alien species. For one who would step back for the sake of perspective, the issues involved are comparable to different methods of warfare which have evolved over the centuries and over different continents.
For the most part these stories are free from profanity and sexuality. There are no graphic sex scenes, but there are references made in a couple of the stories. A parent wishing to screen this collection should take a look at “Under the Hammer” by David Drake as that one is the roughest one in the lot. It is still substantially better than much of what is published anymore, but it
does have some expletives, references to deviant sexuality (worth noting that the protagonist is repulsed) and graphic deaths.
Overall this is a book for the guys, and probably best suited for a young man considering enlisting.
[JWR Adds: It is noteworthy that one of the short stories included in the anthology, “The Price” was penned by SurvivalBlog’s own Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson.]
Dear Jim,
I have found an invaluable free tool for your pre- and post-SHTF operations that allows you detailed and accurate mapping for your location(s) within the U.S. Here is a link to the U.S. Geological Survey Map Store where you can download at, no cost, detailed topographic, contour, road maps, etc. even including satellite images. These newer maps usually are around 20 megabytes, so if you have a slow Internet connection, be aware of that.
First navigate to the USGS Map Locator and Downloader Web Page
Now Double-Click to Zoom-In and Click-and Drag to Re-center the interactive map until you get to the area you want.
Next Select “O MARK POINTS: “ instead of “O NAVIGATE: “ on the right side of the window. If you are not zoomed in too tight this will cause grid lines to appear. These indicate the approximate borders of the most recent maps available.
There is a Pull-Down window near the middle of the right side of the window indicating either “30 Minute and larger” or “7.5 to 15 Minute”. The “30 Minute and Larger” refers to maps covering about 30 miles by 30 miles or larger. Always use the “7.5 to 15 Minute” selection. I will explain why in a minute.
Click on the map in the center of an area you want to map out. The map will then refresh with a marker pointing to your spot.
Move your mouse pointer to this marker and left click on the target dot. This will create a popup window showing all maps available which include the spot you selected.
The left column shows the location name for each map listed. Do not use this hyperlink unless you wand to purchase a hard copy of the map. The maps with a place name followed by “US Topo” have the best details.
The second column indicates the geographic size of the map in minutes of longitude and latitude (roughly one mile per “Minute”).
The third column indicates the date the map was made (Very Important).
The fourth column is a link to show you a compressed preview of the map.
The fifth column shows the size of the PDF file of the map. It is also a link to allow you a free download of a zipped PDF version of the map.!
The icon in the last column of the map list is a link allowing you to add multiple maps to a download cart. I recommend against using it.
Find the most recent map for the area you need and click on the file size for that map.
This action will generate a “Save As” window with a generated .zip file name which you can download to a folder on your PC.
Once Saved, go to the folder where you saved it.
Right click on the name of the .zip file, and select “Extract all…”.
Be sure to use the browse function to place the final map in the folder where you want the actual Map stored on your PC.
The unzipped file will be in a PDF format (readable with Adobe Reader).
The newest maps (2010 and later with the “US Topo” following the location name) actually contain multiple map information layers including satellite images, roads, hydrographic features, contours, etc. If you download and install the TerraGo software (available free at the lower left corner of the interactive google map window) you can select and manage which layers to include or exclude when you’re viewing the map with Adobe Reader.
I recommend against using the download bundle icons for obtaining a collection of maps. The process for using it successfully is not user friendly, and can cause a lot of confusion. If you want multiple maps, simply repeat the process that is described above.
Whether you are looking for a suitable or alternate routes when traveling from one location to another, scouting your own area, or looking for a suitable location, these maps are great and free.
God Bless You and Yours, – Scott S.
James,
Your reference to SASOL’s gas-to-liquid synfuel project in Louisiana reminded me of a recent news story about Sinopec’s joint venture in Medicine Bow, Wyoming to produce liquid fuel from coal.
They claim to be able to convert 1 ton of coal (Powder River Basin mine-mouth value: $10) into two barrels of petroleum product (value: $200+).
A great idea, if it works, but I can’t say I’m excited about inviting the Chinese into our backyard to do this.
Best Regards, – Don in Oregon
This article bears special mention: Into the vault: the operation to rescue Manhattan’s drowned internet Hurricane.
Steve [an acquaintance who is a telephone lineman] wrote to note:
“Having a cable vault under a central office flood is a major disaster in the telecom industry. One splice getting wet is a big job. Losing the entire office brings up comments like I didn’t want any days off this year. Having fixed splices like this that have gotten wet I have a good idea what is involved to fix this. It’s a lot of slow meticulous work. If the damage is only in the splice case and the copper is plastic insulated and not paper then drying and replacing the connectors may be all that’s needed (Two guys around the clock 2 or 3 days). If it’s paper insulated then it’s fish out each pair and replace it across the splice repeat 3,000 times (Two guys around the clock for 5 or 6 days per splice).
Most of these cables will have water under the sheath several feet from the opening which can’t be removed or blown out completely. Eventually this water will rot the plastic insulation on the copper and cause various problems, mostly static that will be intermittent. The only way to fix this is to open up the splices and dry those out. You then cut back on the sheath until you find dry cable or you hit the wall, that’s when you start replacing cable.
They describe replacing the copper lines with fibre optic cables in some of the pictures. The future of the telecom industry is fibre but this will require installing switches at all the customer addresses, no small job in itself. First you have to get a new cable into the building (anybody want to dig up the street in front of every customer because that is where the cable duct lines are). Then you have to find space in the building to place the switch. Building owners are being bombarded with requests for space from all the various telecom competitors for space under normal circumstances and they just don’t have space to spare which they aren’t being paid for. After that it’s time to provide power for these switches. Most of the time you need multiple dedicated circuits and UPS’s for these switches. By the way you think maybe all the electricians might be busy?
Bottom line they have a lot of work to do before they are back to normal. The cost for just this one office could easily reach millions of dollars and if somebody said $50 million I wouldn’t be surprised.”