Odds ‘n Sods:

J. McC. mentioned some commentary from Tom Chatham, over at SHTFPlan: If Technology Fails, Just How Long Are Your Long Range Plans?

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Islamic power grab in Mali. JWR’s Comments: This does not bode well for the region (including neighboring Darfur region and the fledgling nation of South Sudan.) It appears that that the new Islamic government in Tripoli (courtesy of your tax dollars) will be providing arms to not just the Tuaregs but also the Janajweed. Mali and Chad provide just slim pickings for these bandits and slavers. I suspect that South Sudan will soon see a lot of Janajaweed guerillas, freshly armed by the Libyan government coming in for campaigns of robbery, rape, murder and wholesale arson. What is to stop this? The villagers of South Sudan must be trained and equipped with rifles, for their own defense. Please pary for God’s providence and protection for the people of South Sudan. Mobile training teams from the United States are now forming. May God grant that doors will be opened to them.

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Over at Survival Mom: Real-life Survival: Train Wreck Topples Town

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For those who may have recently purchased a pair of German field telephones from Cheaper Than Dirt or Sportsman’s Guide, this technical PDF may be useful. (Thanks to WJ  for the link.

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Eric Peters opines: Freedom is a Smoky Burnout… But Not For Long

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"If, from the more wretched parts of the old world, we look at those which are in an advanced stage of improvement, we still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping the spoil of the multitude.  Invention is continually exercised, to furnish new pretenses for revenues and taxation.  It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without tribute." – Thomas Paine

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 $275 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.

My Top Five Favorite Plants

Nature is amazing, I love plants. Not only does just looking at them produce a calming effect, they are beneficial to us in every way. From food, to medicine, glue and rope, plants give us everything we need. These are my top five favorite plants because they are amazing, easy to grow or find and have many uses which are especially valid in TEOTWAWKI. Here are my favorite plants found in the wild, and in the garden, and the reasons why.

1. Garlic
 Garlic is great for two reasons, it is a food and a medicine. All parts are edible except for the skin and woody stalk among the cloves. It is the easiest thing to grow and cheap to do so as one clove produces one head. In the garden, it also is said to repel rabbits and moles.
The health benefits are numerous to using garlic as it is reputed to have antibacterial, antimicrobial, diuretic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Not only is it flavorful, but beneficial in the prevention and treatment of many common ailments.

“There are many miracles in the world to be celebrated and, for me, garlic is the most deserving.”  – Leo Buscaglia

Here are some uses for garlic:
 -insect repellent when ingested in larger amounts or when rubbed on topically, treatment for bee and wasp stings
-high blood pressure treatment/ management
-remedy sore throats, cold hands and feet, earache, tight headaches
-treat fungal skin infections like thrush
-treat and prevent bacterial and viral infections, urinary tract infections, bronchial and lung infections
-treatment for pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, warts
-reduce nasal congestion, coughs, respiratory problems
-boost resistance to candida infections
-flu, cold, stye, prevention
-effective against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, influenza, meningitis
-boost immunity, circulation
-poultice for aches, pains, sprains
-help with poor digestion, help regulate blood sugar
-prevent scurvy, prevent gangrene
-boost testosterone with a high protein diet (suggested in a study with rats)
-enhance thiamine absorption
-garlic juice used as an adhesive when mending glass, porcelain
-natural antibiotic, 1 milligram of allicin is the estimated equivalent of 15 standard units of penicillin
-inhibit clotting

2. Cayenne Pepper
We love our food spicy. Cayenne is the easiest ‘go to’ to spice it up a little, or a lot. Again I’m a fan of multi purpose and cayenne is not only a staple in the kitchen but a great thing to have in a medical kit, and as personal protection. Cayenne contains capsaicin, vitamin A, B6, C, E, riboflavin, potassium, and manganese.
“If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other.” – Dr. Schulze
“In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in–if they are still breathing–I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water, and within minutes they are up and around).” – Dr. Christopher
Uses:
-aphrodisiac in males
-ant repellent
-topical anti-inflammatory for joint pain, back pain, arthritis, and nerve pain (Do not use on broken skin)
-remedy cold hands and feet
-soothe chilblains with ointment containing cayenne
-prevent gas when used in meals
-stop a heart attack with cayenne tea, 1 tsp cayenne dissolved in 1 cup hot water
-ease dyspepsia symptoms
-rebuild tissue in the stomach and peristalic action in the intestines
-aids elimination and assimilation
-aids the body in creating hydrochloric acid
-boost circulation, increase heart action, arrest shock symptoms
-lower blood pressure
-overcome fatigue, restore stamina, vigor
-stop hemmoraging
-improve itching of psoriasis
-fight pancreatic cancer
-headache relief
-pepper spray main ingredient…cayenne

3. Dandelion
I used to hate seeing all those yellow flowers infiltrating my green lawn, now it almost pains me to mow them down. Dandelions are higher in beta carotene than carrots and higher in iron and calcium than spinach. They contain the vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, C, E, P, and D, biotin, bitter glycosides, inositol, terpenoids, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.
“Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that he has just discovered a miracle drug which, when eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne; improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia; lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half; eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods; prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this miracle medicine, would you use it religiously at first to solve whatever the problem is and then consistently for preventative body maintenance?”-Peter Gail
Uses:
-plentiful emergency food
-used to make dandelion wine
-coffee substitute, gotta love that
-strengthen the entire body, especially the liver and gallbladder
-promote the flow of bile, reduces inflammation in the bile duct, helps eliminate gallstones
-reduces liver swelling, and jaundice
-help indigestion caused by insufficient bile
-gentle diuretic
-good for pancreas, bladder, spleen, stomach and intestines
-helps with mature onset diabetes, hypoglycemia
-encourages production of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes
-milky sap removes warts, pimples, moles, callouses, sores
-sap soothes bee stings
-help with hypertension
-aids in night vision
-detoxification agent
-therapeutic benefits in the treatment of persistent constipation, acne, eczema, psoriasis
-aids in the treatment of gout, arthritic conditions and osteoarthritis
-recommended for weight loss
-prevent or cure anemia
-appetite stimulant
-use the white juice in the flower stems as glue.

4. Cattail
 Cattails are beautiful, and one of the most useful plants I have have ever encountered. It contains beta carotene, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin C, protein, unsaturated fats and calories. From food, to rafts to insect repellent, this plant seems to do it all.
” Although now relatively unused in the United States, where four species thrive, cattails are deliciously edible both raw and cooked from their starchy roots to their cornlike spikes, making them prime emergency foods.” from ‘Survival Wisdom and Know-How Everything You Need to Know to Subsist in the Wilderness’.
Uses:
-soothes wounds, sores, boils, inflammations, burns and carbuncles
-excellent food source
-weaving material for mats, backs of chairs,
-great stuffing for pillows, great insulation
-used internally to quell diarrhea, kill and expel worms, also used for gonorrhea
-fluff used as tinder
-stalks are great for use as an emergency raft  
-pounded, soaked leaves make good improvised cordage
-used in construction of thatch roofing
-burn as insect repellent
-use brown head of stalk dipped in animal fat as a torch
-pollen is hemostatic and astringent, used to control bleeding
-sticky substance at the base of the green leaf is antiseptic

5. Nettles
Nettles have a bad name due to their special stinging defenses, I find that handy in terms of defense. No one in their right mind would tramp through a nettle patch just to see what’s on the other side. Nettles contain very high levels of minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium, and sulphur. They also contain chlorophyll, tannen, vitamin C, beta carotene, B complex vitamins, and are high in protein. Yes, they can sting, but the sting is easily remedied with jewelweed, plantain, or dock.
“Sitting here writing this book, I frequently sip on warm nettle tea. It’s one of my favorites. It does not taste like a normal tea- not bitter, spicy, minty, or lemony. It’s more like a strong stock of a rich, deep, green plant essence, and it’s one of the most nourishing drinks of all.”- Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean in ‘Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places’.
Uses:
-food and tea (always cook nettles)
-ward off iron deficiency anemia
-effective in treating allergies and hay fever
-expectorant, recommended for asthma, mucus of the lungs, and chronic coughs
-tincture used for flu, colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia
-infusion is a safe diuretic
-recommended for weight loss
-tea compress good for wounds, cuts, stings, and burns
-used internally to stop excessive menstruation, bleeding from hemmorages, bloody coughs, nosebleeds, and bloody urine
-helps blood clot
-helps treat gout, glandular diseases, poor circulation, diarrhea, dysentery, worms and hemorrhoids
-makes your hair brighter, thicker, shinier
-makes your skin clearer and healthier
-good for eczema and other skin conditions
-cleansing and antiseptic properties
-stems used for weaving, cordage, cloth and paper making

NOTICE: Please be cautious when attempting to prevent, treat or cure any health issues. Be sure to talk to your Doctor before considering any type of health related changes. Also it is important to note that although these suggested uses are easily found in books and on the internet, some may not work for you. Each body is different and some react in adverse ways. Always be sure you know what you are doing before trying any of these ideas. Some of these plants may have ‘look a likes’ that at best, won’t do what you expect, at worst, will kill you.

Sources:
The Doctors Book Of Home Remedies II
Reader’s Digest Curing Everyday Ailments the Natural Way
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places
Survival Wisdom and Know-How
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayenne_pepper
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/cayenne.htm
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_dandelion.htm
http://www.leaflady.org/health_benefits_of_dandelions.htm
http://www.the-ultralight-site.com/dandelion.html
http://ghostprepper.blogspot.ca/2011/11/onahwe-ta-preppers-pal.html
http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca/Quotes.Garlic.htm

Hot And Badly Bugged, by J.H.L.

Protection from mosquitoes can be difficult but mosquitoes in hot weather are a particularly difficult problem. Years ago I used to know an old leather-skinned Florida Cattleman that never noticed several mosquitoes biting his bare arms; they didn’t even raise a bump. Most of us aren’t that lucky. I was a little allergic back then, a mosquito bite would often make a sore; this is more often true for children. These sores can easily get infected due to the inching and scratching over a long time period. Mosquitoes can also carry serious diseases like Malaria and Encephalitis which might not be easily cured in the future. Another concern, if you are trying to be still while hunting or being hunted it is difficult to remain undetected while swatting at bugs. Besides it is just plain miserable to be out with mosquitoes if you don’t have proper protection. Of course Insect Repellent should be in every Bug Out Bag but it takes more than that in extreme Mosquito territory! Even if you don’t expect to be out in the heat with the bugs, who knows where you will be or how well you will be equipped when the flag goes up.
 
As an avid outdoorsman for many years in Florida I have always been amazed, at how little time and attention is devoted to protection from mosquitoes on various survival shows and discussions. I once saw an entire show dedicated to unprepared wilderness survival in the Okefenokee Swamp (in southern Georgia ) in which the only mention of this most important outdoor problem was the suggestion to smear mud on your face and stay in the smoke! Sorry but that is not very useful advice. Much of my outdoor time has been bare bow archery hunting with a stick bow in southern swamps. This put me in the woods during a very hot time of year and required that I get very close to the game.  The need to be close kept me from covering myself with insect repellent; deer will detect and usually avoid the odor of repellent. My experience could be useful, especially if repellent is not available. Here is what I have learned through years of fighting our southern mosquitoes; they are smaller than northern ones but much quicker and much more aggressive so it is hard to defend against them.
 
If it is cold there is not much of a problem, thick warm clothes can protect all but the face. It is very different when it’s hot. Heat stroke is a serious and real danger, and besides, thick sweat soaked clothes are not comfortable, healthy, or practical. Even so, the right clothes can give good low tech protection. What is needed are clothes made of the thinnest cotton cloth that has an extremely tight weave. The type of material needed is the kind that a very thin dress shirt is made of.  DO NOT use T-shirts or any stretchy knit material. You need to wear two layers of long sleeve shirts and long pants made of this thin tight weave material. A very loose fit or even oversized is best. The reason for not wearing stretchy material and wearing two layers is the same. Mosquitoes don’t bite through the cloth fiber; they stick their snouts between the threads of the material as you might stick your finger through the strings that comprise a Volleyball net.  So a tight weave cloth means the gaps between the cloth threads are smaller and expand less at stress points like elbows, knees, and crotch. The gaps expand a lot on T-shirt material when stretched; that is why it doesn’t work. The reason for two layers is that with the right material, the gaps between the threads do not line up so almost all of the time when the mosquito sticks her snout through a gap in the outer layer she will hit a fiber thread on the under layer and be unable to penetrate to the skin. The reason for using thin cotton is to help stay cool. Less body heat is held under the cloth and more sweat evaporates through it. Synthetic/Cotton blends are more durable and will work but they just don’t cool as well. I’ve found that the best thing to use is loose fitting long sleeve thin cotton dress shirts and loose fitting long leg cotton pajama or lounging pants. About the Pajamas, and the shirts also, if you look around you can find some colors or patterns that blend in well and don’t look so goofy; I’ve even seen both in camouflage!
 
Okay, you don’t want to be seen running around the woods in your pajamas? I understand. There are alternatives.  You can use one set of the above as the under layer and use some other pants made of tight weave cotton as the outer layer, but the thicker it is the hotter you’ll be! Also you could use something like a “Bug Tamer” as the outer layer. Bug Tamer is a brand name for shirt and pants made of a fine camouflage mesh lined with a string net material. The idea is that the thicker string net will hold the light mesh material off the skin and keep the mosquitoes snout from reaching the skin. Alone it works reasonably well but gives little protection at the elbows and knees when sitting. When sitting the tightly stretched material can lay against the skin. That is why I suggest the additional under layer. While the Bug Tamer outer layer looks sportier I think it is inferior for three reasons.  First it is hotter; it traps more body heat. Second, it is much more likely to snag and tear. Third it is much more expensive than a couple pairs of K-Mart or Wall Mart draw string pajama pants.
 
Next you need the right head gear. The right hat is one that has a short brim all the way around and it should be covered by a head net. I prefer a military style Boonie hat made of cotton.  Cotton is cooler and is absorbent; sometimes the top of your hat is the only thing dry enough and handy to wipe sweat from your eyes.  The mosquito head net drapes loosely over the hat and brim keeping the net, and therefore the mosquitoes off the face, ears and back of the neck.  A billed baseball type cap will allow the net to lay on the ears and neck and not protect. The best head net has a black mesh area over the eyes; it is much easier to see clearly through black than green or camouflage. I think a head net should be in every Bug Out Bag! By the way, if you are without a net and have repellent it is a real bad idea to put it on your forehead or above the eyes. Sweat will cause it to run into the eyes and incapacitate you! Instead of putting it on your forehead put repellent on the under side of your hat brim. If you haven’t got a hat then a strip of bath towel folded double and tied around the head Indian style is helpful. It can protect the forehead with or without repellant, is a good sweat band, and can be used as a bandage if you need one. It is another good item for a Bug Out Bag.
 
Next it helps to have a pair of cotton gloves. The type sold for gardening and light yard work. Most Sporting Goods departments sell them in Camouflage. If you find some made of a synthetic material with a fuzzy exterior this will help protect from mosquitoes. The fuzz slows them down. If you are using repellent the gloves will help hold it on your hands so that it is not wiped, rubbed, or sweated off.
 
There is a more hi tech protection that works very well if you are stationary as when sitting or sleeping. It is a Thermo Cell. There might be other brands of this device but I have not seen them. A Thermo Cell is a device that looks a little like a large hand radio (Walkie Talkie). It contains a tiny heating coil fueled by a small butane cartridge. A repellent impregnated cloth pad fits over a metal plate heated by the coil. The heat releases repellent fumes. Each pad last about four hours and the cartridge about six or eight hours. It requires no batteries. These things protect very well and game does not seem to detect or are not bothered by the repellant. I think one of these should also be in every Bug Out Bag.
 
There are some plants that are said to be natural mosquito repellents but they are not helpful if they are not around when you need them. I have tried one, a Myrtle bush that is common in wetlands of the Southeastern Gulf States .  Crushing the fresh leaves and rubbing them on the skin worked surprisingly well. I only needed to reapply about once an hour; it did turn my skin green for a while though. Oh, mud doesn’t work because when it dries it cracks and/or falls off. Mosquitoes will bite through the cracks. Smoke only works while you are sitting or standing in it. It burns your eyes and makes you stink! If you are going to hunt the smell of smoke on you can alert game and keep them from coming close.
 
Wearing two loose layers of thin tightly woven cotton shirts and pants, a Boonie hat with a head net, and a pair of cotton gloves I have been able to spend hours of hunting and photographing wildlife in hot mosquito invested swamps using no insect repellant. Add a Thermo Cell and it’s a Cake Walk!

Letter Re: Advice for a Partially Disabled Prepper

Mr. JWR:
I am 57, been collecting prepping supplies for the last 5+ years, but was involved in an accident in 2008 where I was disabled. I’m ambulatory, but limited in lifting and such (three inoperable herniated discs in lower back) – I am planning moving to the Redoubt, but fear that my limited abilities will make me less than attractive or welcome to any community or preppers I may encounter. I do have manual skills in building both small items up to buildings, but cannot actually do the work. Is it worth it for me to move there? I don’t want to be perceived as a burden. I am a Christian, and have been praying on this, and the idea of trying to write you a note directly came to me, so here it is.

Thanks for reading, if you were able to. God bless you, and America. – Peter in Michigan

JWR Replies: Since you are a Christian with a strong work ethic, I can assure you that you would be much more welcomed than someone that is capable of doing heavy work, but unwilling to do any work, which sadly these days seems to me the norm. 

Also rest assured that there are a lots of jobs within retreat groups that can be handled by someone with physical limitations. These include retreat security (eyes and ears at an LP/OP), communications/SIGINT gathering, et cetera.

Go ahead and make the move, and trust in God.  But just be very prayerful and discerning about who you associate with, and the climate/topsoil quality/water availability of where you move.  There are lots of details on those factors at my free Retreat Areas page.

And even greater detail can be found in my “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation” book. That book is now included as a bonus e-book to my blog’s complete five-year archive CD-ROM. (Available for less than $10, via digital download.) May God Bless You and Yours!

Letter Re: Sneaky Places to Store More Stuff

Sir:
My husband came up with a great idea to store more items out of sight. He is slowly placing our buckets of storage food in the ceiling of our basement in between the floor joists. He cuts a couple 1×6 planks the proper length, and bolts them down securely [with lag bolts] them a few inches apart on the lower "lip" of the joist which is about 1/2", and places the bucket on top of the planks. Once he completes the drop ceiling, all food storage will be safely tucked away out of sight. Should we need the food, we simply need to remove the drop ceiling. Just make sure you create a cheat sheet of where everything is located! – T. from Pennsylvania

JWR Replies: That is a good idea, but I must mention one proviso: What goes up can come down, unexpectedly. To provide earthquake protection it is important to add a threaded eye bolt on each side of every bucket. Then select heavy rubber bungee straps of just the right length to provide a snug fit around the middle of each bucket.

Economics and Investing:

Surprise, surprise: New Script Calls For More U.S. Quantitative Easing

AmEx sent this: New Rules Target Offshore Funds

Diana V. sent this: Canada unveils digital currency. Diana’s comment: I hope it will work if the grid goes down!

Savings come slowly for hybrid, electric car owners

B.B. sent this item: Stuart Varney on why food prices have skyrocketed in past year

Derivatives dirty pool: JPMorgan Trader Accused of “Breaking” CDS Index Market with Massive Prop Position. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.)

NFP Big Miss: 120,000, Expectations 205,000 Unemployment 8.2%, “Not In Labor Force” At New All Time High

$73,000 Debt Per American Under Obama’s Budget Plan

Items from The Economatrix:

The Phony Economic Deception Machine

London Trader:  Fed’s Global War Against Gold Escalating

The Rich Could Lose Half Their Wealth In Downturn, Says Faber

Oil Prices Fall 2%

Gold Rebounds After US Jobs Data Lifts Easing Hopes

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." – President James Madison

Notes from JWR:

La fin du monde tel que nous le connaissons! I just heard that Penguin Books has signed two more foreign rights contracts for my best selling book How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: French language rights (to be published by Editions Altipresse) and Lithuanian language rights (to be published by Media Incognito.) There are now 12 foreign publishing contracts in place to produce the book in 11 different languages. I’m also pleased to report that the book is still in Amazon’s top 250 titles (overall), even though it has been out since September of 2009.

—

Today we present another product review from our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio, as a well as a guest post Jessica Hooley, the author of the Salt n’ Prepper blog.

Pat’s Product Review: Windham Weaponry M4 Clone

I hear from SurvivalBlog readers daily. I enjoy hearing from you all, and many of you want me to do test and evaluation on “Whatever” firearms, knives or other survival gear. I wish I could test everything you all want me to test, but it is impossible for a number of reasons. First of all is the expense involved, and secondly, the time involved in doing a round of test and evaluation – there’s not enough hours in the day. I constantly get SurvivalBlog readers asking me to test various AR-15 style rifles on the market. Honestly, there are so many different manufacturers and makes of guns, it’s impossible. If I have first-hand experience with a certain gun, I’ll certainly let the readers know if they have some questions. However, I can’t test all the various ARs on the market.
 
Now, if you’re like me, you probably never heard about a “new” company called Windham Weaponry. I wasn’t aware of them until the manager at my local gun shop told me about them. I use the term “new” only because the name of the company as an entity is new, but the folks who run it aren’t new. Several years ago, Bushmaster Firearms was bought out, and the previous owner had to sign a non-competition agreement for five years. This meant that he couldn’t make any AR-15 style rifles.
 
I don’t know about some of you, but in my humble opinion, and based on some of the recent Bushmaster ARs I’ve run across, I’m not very happy with the way the guns are turning out. I had a polymer Bushmaster AR, and it wouldn’t group – it “patterned” like a shotgun at 25 yards. And, once again, in my humble opinion, the overall quality of Bushmaster ARs have gone down, and it’s not just me – the manager at my local gun shop, and some of the employees feel the same way that I do.
 
Enter Windham Weaponry. This is the old Bushmaster AR maker, except they are making the guns even better than they were originally mad. These guns are a lot better than the old Bushmaster ARs were. A large number of those involved in Windham Weaponry are prior Bushmaster staff– including the owner — who used to own Bushmaster. I’m here to tell you, these folks are putting a lot of pride in their new ARs. Their new web site says their goal is to build finest AR type rifle in the country – a lofty goal, to be sure.
 
I traded into a Windham Weaponry Model R16M4A4T “MPC” – don’t even ask what all the numbers mean, I don’t have a clue. Basically what I have is an M4-type AR, with a removable carry handle, and standard front sight/gas block. Okay, so I’m a bit ol’ fashioned, I have a soft spot for a plain ol’ M4 style of AR. I can remove the carry handle, should I desire to put a scope or red dot sight on the upper receiver – it’s there if I want to do it. We also have the M4 style oval handguards, with excellent double heat shields.
 
The “MPC” is in 5.56mm NATO and, of course, it will also handle standard .223 Remington rounds up to 62 grain bullet weight.  The barrel is 16″ long, with a 1 turn in 9″ right hand twist, pretty standard on this type of civilian AR. The barrel is also 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium steel, and the barrel is chrome-line for easy care and extra long life, too. The bolt is Carpenter 158 Steel – MP/HP tested – another nice touch. There is also a 6-position telescoping butt stock. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation – once you set the front sight post during zeroing – and the adjustments on the rear sight go from 300 to 600 meters. There is the standard flash suppressor on the end of the M4-style barrel, too.
 
The “MPC” has a very rich, dark black anodized coating on the upper and lower receivers – much nicer than is seen on most ARs, and much nicer than the old Bushmaster ARs had, too. The barrel coating almost perfectly matches the coating on the upper and lower receivers, too – again, a nice touch. The upper and lower receivers are anodized – the barrel is parkerized. The rifle weighs in at only 6.9-lbs – just about perfect for an M4 style AR. The gun comes in a hard plastic carrying case, with one magazine, instruction manual and sling. There is also a lifetime warranty on all Windham Weaponry firearms – the the warranty can be transferred to a new owner, should you sell or trade the gun.
 
Any more, I’m not impressed with many of the new ARs that come on the market. Sure, some are better built than others, some shoot a tad more accurate than others, some have more accessories and features than other similar guns have. Some ARs cost an arm and a leg, some are dirt cheap – and paying a lot more doesn’t always mean you are getting a lot more, either. The Windham Weaponry AR I have, is one of the best built ARs I’ve ever run across – bar none! And, I will tell you that this is probably the most accurate AR I’ve ever shot, and it is also the most consistently accurate AR I’ve shot with all the various ammo I tested in it – and I tested a lot of rounds in a month through this baby. I know, many firearms will be more accurate with certain brands of ammo than others – that’s usually the way it is with most firearms. However, the sample Windham Weaponry AR I have, had very consistent accuracy with all the loads I tested – there simply wasn’t a stand out – and that, my friends, is very rare. If I did my part, I was getting 100 yard groups in the 1.25″ range – with open sights. I’m sure I can do better with a scope mounted on this gun.
 
Okay, speaking of ammo, I tested the Buffalo Bore Ammunition 69 grain Sniper load – which has proven very accurate in my testing over the past year or so. Buffalo Bore also produces three other bullet weights in their Sniper load, too. I highly recommend you test their Sniper loads, and find one that shoots to your liking. Tim Sundles, who owns and operates Buffalo Bore takes a lot of pride in developing his various loads, and it shows. I also tested Winchester‘s USA brand .223 55 grain FMJ load – which is always a good shooting round for me – and I use this load a lot for function testing. Winchester also sent me their new PDX1 Defender 60 grain HP load – which was designed for personal defense, as well as law enforcement use. I only had two boxes of this new ammo, so I couldn’t do a lot of testing with it – but I was impressed with the accuracy as well as the destructive power when fired into water-filled milk jugs. Long-time buddy, Jeff Hoffman, who runs Black Hills Ammunition sent me a variety of .223 Remington loads for testing. Jeff always manages to bury me in ammo when I ask for it for testing in various firearms – he’s kept my ammo locker full for 20+ years now.  From Black Hills I had their 55 grain FMJ load – in both new, first quality and factory seconds. I also had their 55 grain soft point, as well as their 60 grain soft point loads. The really new 62 grain Barnes TSX bullet – all copper hollow point, was a real eye opener in the “destroying” department and penetration testing. I also had Black Hills 60 grain Hornady V-MAX load – great varmint round – and I’m gonna nail that coyote across the road from my place one of these days. I also had the 68 grain Heavy Match HP and 69 grain Sierra Match King loads from Black Hills. Like I said, Jeff Hoffman keeps me well-supplied…and this isn’t all the loads that Black Hills produces for the .223 Remington caliber – check out their web site.
 
I wish I could report that one load shot worse, or better, than another. However, as I mentioned, this Windham Weaponry “MPC” is the most consistently accurate AR I’ve ever fired. There were no bad loads – they were all outstanding loads, with most printing groups in the 1.25″ neighborhood. Of course, some loads shot higher than others, and other loads shot lower – but they all grouped in a nice little three-shot cluster if I did my part. I fired more than 1,000 rounds in my testing – very little of the testing was in the functioning area – the gun always went “bang” when I pulled the trigger – no hiccups of any type. Most of my shooting was in the accuracy area – I just kept going out and doing more and more shooting because I didn’t believe this AR could shoot groups like it was shooting. Maybe I’m just getting to be a better shot in my old age, or maybe it’s the gun making me a better shot.
 
Right now, Windham Weaponry firearms are a bit hard to come by. (But for that matter, most AR and AK style rifles are hard to come by). My local gun shop sells ARs and AKs as fast as they come in the door – ditto for their respective ammo. Folks see the handwriting on the wall, and know that the President is gonna lower the hammer on guns and ammo in very short order – gun and ammo sales are soaring these days. However, Windham Weaponry ARs are even a bit harder to find – they are just getting up and running. They are now producing nine different models – when I got my sample a little over a month ago, they only listed four different models. So, they are already expanding and growing.
 
I like the “forever” warranty – that says a lot in my book, when a gun company is so sure of their products, that they are willing to back them up forever against defects in materials and workmanship. I also like that they have taken the old Bushmaster AR, and made it even better than it was before. Full retail on the sample I have is $1,086, and it would be a bargain at that price if you ask me – considering the high-quality of the parts and care in fitting – not to mention  the accuracy. My local gun shop had my sample marked at $829 – and I didn’t complain one bit about their asking price. They have since received several more Windham Weaponry rifles, and sold ’em right away. I was standing in the gun shop one morning, when a fellow was looking at a Windham Weaponry AR – and the manager was pointing out all the nice features – the manager asked me to tell this customer my findings and opinion. I flat out told him that my sample is the most consistently accurate AR I’ve ever owned. He soon bought the sample he was holding. And, no I don’t get a commission when I help sell a gun.
 
I certainly hope that Windham Weaponry keeps up the high-quality build, and continue using the best materials possible to build their ARs – if they do, they are gonna have a hard time keeping up with supply and demand. I like to see a company rise from the ashes, and the old Bushmaster Firearms is back, and better than ever in my humble opinion. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Sneaky Places to Store More Stuff, by Jessica Hooley

You’re a prepper and you’ve got tons of “stuff”. Food storage, fuel, first aid kits, bug out bags, the list seems to go on and on. And regardless of a prepper’s dream of unlimited storage space, there never seems to be enough room. At least not for me.

Most living accommodations make storage the final priority; putting style above all else. Regardless of your living situation, I’m here to tell you there is more space! We’ve just got to get a little sneaky and creative.

Just as a disclaimer: Some of this stuff might sound crazy. But aren’t you used to that by now… doing stuff people think is crazy. J Another note to add, when storing food it is best to keep it in the coolest place possible. If any of these rooms are in a place that gets a considerable amount of heat, use these sneaky storage places for your non-foods items.

The Bedroom

Under the Bed – This one’s the obvious one here but still commonly forgotten. Raise up that bed and get a pretty bed skirt to hide your bounty of emergency preparedness goods. With WaterBrick’s you can store upwards of an additional 50 gallons of water under your bed.

Top of the Closet – Almost every closet has that top level that never gets used. Reach up there and get stacking.

In Your Pillows – Let the craziness begin. While I don’t expect you to store food in the pillow you actually sleep on, how many of us have a hand full of useless throw pillows accompanying our bed spreads? Stuff them with freeze dried food, boxes of matches, garbage bags, medicine, etc.

In Your Box-Springs – Most box-springs use a lightweight cloth as a cover so you’ll have to store lighter emergency supplies in your box-spring. Box-springs are usually so open that you’ll only need a few cuts in the cloth to access the entire area for storage.

The Living Room

Coffee Table – If you are short on storage space, please don’t waste your money on a coffee table that offers no storage. As beautiful as some of those glass topped, claw-footed tables are, they are equally useless. Instead, buy an ottoman coffee table with deep storage containers. These are available in many attractive styles while still giving you the storage space you need.

In Your Couch – It’s not such a weird idea when you think about hide-a-bed couches. If they can conceal a mattress, you can make a couch conceal some emergency supplies. While this one might take a little craftiness, there’s some great tutorials out there for making your own storage couch.

The Entertainment Center – Your DVD Player will look fine on top next to the television. Save the unseen space for supplies. I’ve seen some entertainment centers big enough to store a month’s worth of food. Make the space count.

The Kitchen/Dining Room

Above the Cabinets – In most newer homes, the cabinets are kept several inches from the ceiling. Simply store your supplies in boxes that are aesthetically pleasing and put them on top of your cabinets. You’d be surprised at the amount of space available in these little nooks and crannies.

Seating – If you have the option, replace your dining room chairs with benches for seating. These benches can be built similarly to the storage couches I referred to above and have plenty of room for additional supplies.

The Rest of the House

In The Walls – As long as there’s no wires or vents going through any given space in your wall, you can use that area to store stuff. You can add cupboard doors for easy access, or leave the walls open with shelving. Either way, your walls can be the jackpot of overlooked storage space.

The Backyard – Don’t be afraid to dig a few holes if it means making space for your necessities. In your backyard you can make a root cellar. Or how about burying water tanks or other containers that store food?

I’m sure there are plenty of other sneaky places many of you have utilized for your storage purposes. – Jessica Hooley is the author of Salt n’ Prepper and contributor to the Army Navy Store Blog, PX Supply.

Seeking Input – Drafting My Next Novel: “Expatriates”

I am now writing the first draft my follow-on novel in the “Patriots-Survivors-Founders” series, under the working title “Expatriates.” Tentatively, this novel will be set primarily in three locales:

A.) Darwin, Australia,

B.) Tavares, Florida, and

C.) Borongan, Samar Island, Philippines.

There will also be some mention of Bella Coola, British Columbia. If any SurvivalBlog readers have lived in or near any of those locales , I’d appreciate your input, via e-mail. I’d also appreciate hearing from anyone with experience and seismic oilfield exploration.

OBTW, my novel “Founders” should be released in October 2012, in hardback, as an audiobook, and as a Kindle e-book.

Letter Re: Risk of Corruption Rankings–Redoubt States are Unfairly Slammed

James Wesley:
Did you see this article: Study ranks Wyoming’s corruption risk as high, and this map? How is it that states like Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming could be so corrupt? That doesn’t seem possible, and it contradicts all my prior research about The American Redoubt. What is you take on this? Thanks, – Kevin L.

JWR Replies: The study that they cited was on a perceived potential for corruption (a hypothetically calculated “risk of corruption”). The ratings were skewed, because they were in part based upon the willingness of state governments to report to the Federal government.  Some states rightly see that as kowtowing and a violation of their state sovereignty.

In essence, searching for corruption by searching for states with lax anti-corruption laws is illogical. Did it ever occur to the researchers that anti-corruption “sunshine” laws could be lax in some states simply because there has never been a problem with systematic corruption in those states? For Wyoming to rank higher than New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois for risk of corruption is absolutely absurd.

If you do a web search on “Wyoming corruption”, you will see that the top 10 hits are nearly all to that same same hypothetical study.  That is because there are hardly any real incidents of systematic corruption in the state. 

Look at the states that got the lowest ratings: Georgia, Michigan, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Wyoming. Now I find it credible that there is systemic corruption in Michigan and perhaps in Virginia. But as for the rest on the list with “F” grades ,widespread corruption not very likely. If you look at the states where there have actually been corruption problems, New Jersey seems to dominate the news. But according to this ostensibly neutral study, New Jersey is far less “at risk” than Maine and Wyoming. In fact, based on their skewed metrics, New Jersey gets a “B” grade, while Idaho gets a “D-“, and Wyoming gets an “F.” That is absurd, on its very face. And how does Illinois get a “C” grade? The bottom line is this: Unless you ask the right questions, you are going to get the wrong answers. This is classic case of a study made with skewed metrics. Because of its flawed premise, the study was a waste of $1.5 million, part of which indirectly came from U.S. taxpayers. (Since NPR financially supports Public Radio International.)

We should also question who conducted the study: The Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity, and Public Radio International. They all have considerable bias. The Center for Public Integrity has a clear statist “big government” bias. One of their biggest supporters is George Soros. That alone spells volumes. Global Integrity is also statist and has a globalist “supranational” agenda. And Public Radio International has a bias that is clearly both statist and leftist/collectivist. When you come down to it, what result could you expect from these three organizations? I suspect that they covertly despise the so-called “Red States” and small government conservatism. Take a few minutes to read this: Fuhgeddaboutit! NJ top state for fighting corruption. And that, mind you, comes from left-of-center MSNBC.

The only recent claims of corruption in Wyoming that popped up came from an anonymous ex-convict oilfield worker with an apparent axe to grind, so his credibility is suspect.

This is not to say that there aren’t some corruption problems at the county level, inside The American Redoubt. For example, there was recently a case that was well-publicized, in Lake County, Montana. But there, five brave sheriff’s deputies blew the whistle on the corrupt practices, in righteous indignation. And that, by the way wasn’t a case of a politician taking fat envelopes of cash as a bribe for awarding some garbage hauling contract or sewage treatment plant contract. Rather, the key charge in this case was about a County Sheriff who thought he had some special right to jacklight deer and elk, and who had the temerity to brag about it.

Now I don’t claim that politics in the Redoubt States are as pure as the driven snow. But please recognize that these states were unfairly slammed by this biased study.