Odds ‘n Sods:

Rockaway, Queens: “Like a Scene From an End of the World Movie”

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Over at the Silver Vigilante web site: Looper: A Small Portrait of Silver

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USA Today recently published an article that briefly quoted me: For ‘preppers,’ every day could be doomsday

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Wal-Mart has posted their Black Friday sale ads and they included a Savage 12 gauge pump-action riotgun at only $169. Needless to say, not all stores will carry these, and some Wal-Marts in the big cities don’t carry any guns. I expect an early sellout, despite the fact that Stevens has these guns made for them in China.

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Kevin S. sent: Use Your Webcam For Home Surveillance With These Tools

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“President Obama won [re-election in November, 2012] because he promised to steal more things from the people who didn’t vote for him and give what he stole to the people who did vote for him, because that is what an election is, right? An advanced auction on the sale on stolen goods.” – Peter Schiff

Notes from JWR:

Now in hardback! The First Revised Edition of Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse will be released in hardback on December 4th, 2012. (Although that date may be moved up to the third week of November, depending on the printing schedule.) This will be the first time that the book has ever been printed with a cloth binding. I’ve updated the novel slightly to remove some lingering temporal incongruities that had built up in the course of previous editions. I’ve also added a new introduction. As with the later paperback editions, it will include a glossary and index. There is no special “Book Bomb” Day planned, so feel free to pre-order your copies.

The ISBN for the new hardback edition is 978-1612431666. The cover price will be $24, but sellers like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble should be selling it for around $14.25. I will only be autographing a few gift copies, and a few prize copies for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Case lots are also available from Ulysses Press, for you gun show table guys. (Phone 510-601-8301, for details.)

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An anniversary note, courtesy of People History: “Nov 13th, 1940: The prototype for the Jeep featuring four-wheel drive, an open-air cab, and a rifle rack mounted under the windshield was submitted to the U.S. Army for approval by the car maker Willys-Overland. One year later, with the U.S. declaration of war, mass production of the Jeep began. By the war’s end in 1945, some 600,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines.”

—

Today we present another entry for Round 43 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 43 ends on November 30th, 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.

Never Let Your Guard Down: Adventures in the City, by B.D.

The rustling came again from the back of the shotgun-style apartment. Was it squirrels? We had a few of the little gray buggers living in the trees around us and they made quite a racket. I assured my wife via text that a squirrel wouldn’t come through our window screens.

She got up and looked into our bedroom just to make sure and saw a head and back sticking through about half way onto our bed. Letting out a blood curdling yell, she screamed and ran towards the window as the perp backpedaled out and ran off down the alley. Slamming the window, she called me at work, had me call 911, and waited for the police who quickly arrived on the scene. Everything worked out well in this case. The guy, homeless, was arrested within half an hour and booked on an outstanding bench warrant and for burglary. He plead guilty and did time for misdemeanor trespass.

We live in St. Louis, a city known for crime, and at the time lived in an area which is well on its way to gentrification. Still, on the edges things were a bit spotty. Case in point our apartment where across the alley stood what we later found out was a house central to the local heroin trafficking market. Over in our ground-floor apartment, we didn’t know that. All we could tell is that it was pretty busy with high school age looking kids most days.

The week of the robbery, we were moving in having just gotten married and hauled my wife’s stuff in from out of state. We had boxes all over the place and they were still there the week after the honeymoon. We also didn’t fully realize that our landlord had left the master keys to our apartment building on the front porch the week I was gone to the wedding; someone had already been inside to case the joint and steal my Glock.

It was the perfect setup for a burglary or robbery. Our apartment was at the end of the road by a busy intersection and was beside the major footpath connecting our road with the alley and the road behind it. Many folks walked that path daily to cut the corner and some would stop and sit in the chairs in our back yard enjoying the shade. It was hot, above the century mark for most of the previous month, and everyone had their windows open…especially those of us trying to move. Out back, we had a pile of boxes stacked in and around the dumpster. The inside of the house was such a mess that I wasn’t even sure if my gun had gone missing. And, worst of all, our land lord, experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer’s left the keys out for the taking.

There are so many things that went wrong which set us up so well to be the target of Maurice that day. Each one is something that is small in itself, but when added up, can in the blink of the result in horrible things. Everyone survived that day and although traumatized, my wife and I have come away better for it, I believe. The important thing is that our experiences be used as a lesson for others. Being newlyweds and just starting off in a new city in a cheap apartment is no excuse to allow your safety or alertness to be compromised.

Situational awareness, or the act (or art?) of being alert to your surroundings in a way that allows you to react appropriately is not one of the sexy parts of prepping. However, it is one of the most important. It is a skill that needs to be both practiced and utilized daily. Situational awareness can be seen on numerous levels of time scales. In our case, we were moving into a new apartment and we needed to practice both short term and long term situational awareness. This article will examine both of these in detail providing some general ideas on how to better prepare yourself. Each situation is different and every second changes your individual needs. Use this as a guide and build up your own system depending on what your life requires. Remember to keep alert for any need to change your system. Don’t wait for a failure to revamp; you might not get the chance.

Long-term Situational Awareness
Long-term situational awareness deals with things that are not an immediate threat. In these days of collapsing culture and declines in neighborliness it is even more important to know your neighborhood and those who live near you. Our neighborhood had an online email list as well as regular meetings. We utilized these fairly well and we knew that there was a crime spree in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, there was not enough data before the week of our robbery for even a map-geek like myself to pinpoint the source of our problems. Interestingly, within a few weeks of our break-in, the crime spree focused around a few blocks of us and the correlation was painfully obvious, even to a casual observer. Find out, preferably before you select a place to live, where the problem areas are. Get updated on the neighborhood situation before you even move. The same applies to areas where you work or often frequent. Prior planning is a good thing.

Once you’re in place, keep an eye out on neighborhood traffic. We probably could have spotted people who didn’t belong if we had been more attentive. I should have especially noticed that people walking by our windows had an easy way to look inside and make sure to make that impossible for them and also to deny them access to the chairs in our yard. With them being moved often, I did not think anything of it when one of them was moved under our bedroom window just hours later to be used to vault up into our life.
Most importantly, don’t let your awareness get displaced by something like moving. When you are moving, you are perhaps at your most vulnerable. Trips to and from the moving van provides anyone around a perfect view of everything you are moving and a good idea about where you are putting things, even if all of your blinds are shut. With doors open and air conditioners useless, windows being open in such heat are very tempting. However, this just adds to your advertisement power!

Short-Term Situational Awareness

Short-term, or immediate, situational awareness, is what most people think of when they hear the term. This is not paranoia, it is remaining alert for any potential threats and mounting your guard accordingly. In his book Combatives for Street Survival, Kelly McCann discusses the effects of a surprise attack on the victim: loss of fine motor skills, shaking, tunnel vision, rapid heart rate, etc. These responses make dealing with any threat more difficult, which is why Kelly stresses the importance of seeing the attacker before any attack can happen. As McCann notes, many times just making it clear that you are aware is enough to deter an attack. This is where your short-term situational awareness comes into play.
There have been many systems developed to help people logically process one’s situational awareness in a systematic way. Jeff Cooper’s color code, which he introduced in his classic Principles Of Personal Defense is an easy system to use in today’s world of TSA rainbow threat levels. Cooper’s color code is in essence a categorizing of a person’s mental state (roughly alertness/preparedness) given their ability to respond to various potential threats. The code is as follows:

  • White: You are walking down the street with ear buds in, music on, looking down to text. Basically, you are blissfully unaware of anything going on around you and you are in total denial that anything bad may happen to you. Stress, tiredness, and intoxication all help push you towards this level.
  • Yellow: Often described as “relaxed alert,” this is the level where one should strive to be at even the “safest” times. There is no observed or suspected threat, but you are alert to your surroundings and are minimizing distractions.
  • Orange: At level orange, you are on alert. You have spotted a potential threat and are ensuring that the source of this potential threat has your attention. At this point, should the potential threat become a real threat you move to level Red. Should the potential threat show that it is not a threat, you will return to level yellow. For example, you are walking along and a dog starts growling at you. Were it to charge you, threat level red comes into play. Were you to notice that it is chained and behind a solid fence, threat level yellow may be your choice.
  • Red: The potential threat is now a threat. Actions must be taken to nullify that threat. “Fight of flight” is in play and it is likely that things will get ugly.

Col. Cooper’s system does not directly translate into a system for situational awareness, rather it alerts you to the most important element of surviving a threat- your mental state. No matter how good of a shot you are or how “tacticool” your carry weapon is, if you are caught by a mugger at level white awareness…well, you’ve got a big hole to dig out of at best. Evaluation of your mental state using Cooper’s system (or another that you prefer) should become second nature. It should be a process that runs quietly in the background allowing you to focus more on potential threats and how to deal with them.
Using the example of our break in, let’s walk through how this works using the clarity of hindsight to see what should have happened. Given the presence of known criminals and a drug house, my alert level should have been at a level yellow when my wife and I left the house that morning. Walking to the car, I should have been scanning the house for broken basement windows, “self-walking furniture,” moved plants, loitering strangers, etc. I would have noticed that a chair was placed under our back window and gotten suspicious and moved it, thus denying entry to our windows.

To this day, I do not know where our robber was, but I suspect that he could see us getting in the car and driving off, but couldn’t see that my wife re-entered the house a short time afterwards having walked back from a coffee shop. This means he was somewhere in back of the house (where our cars were). Could I have noticed him? Maybe. Perhaps he was inside the drug house? Regardless, lines of sight work both ways, if he could see us, we could have seen him.

Let’s say I had spotted him standing watching us behind the drug house in the alley as we drove out. He posed no direct threat to us, but he was out of place. I’d be moving my mental state to orange. Driving back around the block and calling the cops in the process giving them his description would likely have sufficed in this case, he had a bench warrant outstanding and wouldn’t have stuck around long if the police showed up. With the potential threat gone, I would return back to yellow.

While looking for potential threats is a topic that would never be completely covered no matter how much ink is spent on it, there are some key points to remember. First, your situation is unique. Much of situational awareness is intuition and gut feeling. If it feels wrong, don’t. It’s much better to be wrong and leave a non-threatening situation needlessly than it is to go against your gut and wind up dead.

Secondly, if you see someone who doesn’t seem to have a reason to be some place, be careful. McCann demonstrates this by using the example of a guy standing in the middle of the parking lot just looking around with no keys out. What’s he doing there? Most people who lose their cars have their keys out and this guy doesn’t even look too confused. This rule can be expanded in any number of ways. Another example: unless you’re a kid playing hide and seek, most people don’t have a very good reason to be hiding behind bushes. Trust your gut and use common sense.

Third, be on the look out for bottlenecks and cover. Most of us do not daily have to worry about armed ambushes. However, criminals like to take advantage of situations which make their job of jumping you easier. The old “dark alley” adage applies here. So does the “don’t be foolish, trust your gut” theory.

Lastly, be aware of how you present yourself. People at level white are obvious to spot (for a fun exercise, go out on the street and count how many people you see who are clearly at level white) and make great targets for crooks. It’s also very easy to make it clear that you are not at white. Why take a hard target when there are so many easy fish out there? That’s the crook mentality. Most of the time, they would prefer not to have to work…that’s why they’re involved in crime in the first place! Walk with purpose. Don’t have your arms full if you don’t have to. Don’t be distracted. Make it clear you’re not a tourist (even if you are). Give off an air of confidence and alertness. It is always better to avoid a confrontation than to have to win one the hard way. This one simple step almost certainly is the one thing that keeps more people safe than anything else.

Situational awareness is clearly a subject about which much has been written and all of us could improve each day of our lives. It is a skill which is improved with exercise and one on which there are many views out there. I don’t feel that any view is mutually exclusive of the others. In this article I have presented Cooper’s color-based system of mental states because it is easy to remember and makes sense to me. There are certainly others. The US Government uses a system known as TEDD (Time, Environment, Distance and Demeanor) which is discussed in an article at STRATFOR: “Threats, Situational Awareness and Perspective.” There is also Col. John Boyd’s OODA (observe, orient, decide, act) loop. For further information on this topic, I would recommend, in addition to the works already mentioned the following sources:

Home defense is about more than a shotgun or that security system and decal. It is a part of our lives that requires active participation on our part. With the lingering depressed economy, raging drug problem, and criminals with no respect for life, it is a sad fact that we must face this reality. Best of all, these key steps to home defense are free; it only takes a few seconds and alertness. So, for those readers who live in urban areas especially, take some time to reassess your security strategy. Do not let yourselves grow complacent, even if you have a security system. Let our lessons learned the hard way be an example to get you thinking so that something similar doesn’t happen to you. Oh, and if your landlord starts leaving keys out, move.

About the Author: B.D. lives with his beautiful new bride in St. Louis where they are expecting their first child in May.

Letter Re: The Core Kit: First Aid and Beyond

Dear Mr. Rawles,
As a pharmacist of more years than I like to admit, I would like to make a few comments and additions regarding Jason J.’s recent excellent post on “The Core Kit – First Aid and Beyond”. First, I must thank Jason for his time, knowledge, and insight, as well as for his service to our country. His sense of humor was well-received as well! My comments are minor, but may clarify/enhance an issue or two.

First, as Jason suggests, it is wise to follow “Universal Precautions” whenever you are dealing with the blood or bodily fluids of someone else. In the health care field, these precautions simply mean to protect yourself as if the unknown person has a blood-borne disease, whether you know it to be true or not. However, thankfully, Jason’s statement: “Realize that every person has unique blood. This includes pathogens. We all have something in our blood we should not pass around” is a bit of an overstatement. The blood of a healthy person is sterile, except for the living blood cells that are a natural component of human blood.

With regard to the analgesic (pain med) section, I fear that a few typos may result in a misunderstanding of the intended points. First, ibuprofen should not be the long term choice of analgesic if you have stomach problems (especially if you’re prone to ulcers). As a side-effect of it’s pharmacological action, it inhibits the formation of the essential mucous layer which protects the lining of the stomach from the extreme acidity of the gastric juices. Using ibuprofen regularly, and long-term, is a sure recipe for ulcers and the inevitable G.I. bleed. Perhaps acetaminophen would be a better choice in people with stomach problems. While on the subject of ibuprofen (including its longer-acting sister, naproxen), it must be noted that it does indeed possess anti-inflammatory properties which are very useful in suppression of pain involving inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis (an auto-immune, inflammatory disease). In contrast, osteoarthritis (the general “wearing out” of joints which eventually manifests in most of us old geezers) is not considered an inflammatory condition (though acute flare-ups happen!). In this case, acetaminophen may relieve the pain without the stomach and kidney side-effects of ibuprofen.

Speaking of acetaminophen, though it is excellent for reducing fevers and helping to relieve some non-inflammatory pain, I would be remiss in not reminding everyone that it is the second most common cause of liver failure in the U.S. (anyone care to guess the first most common cause?…I’ll drink to that!). To dramatically reduce the risk of this toxic phenomenon, many experts are now recommending that acetaminophen should be restricted to no more than 3 grams daily. Since a regular strength acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol) tablet contains 325 mg, the maximum would be 9 tablets per day. Beware that “extra strength” tabs contain 500mg, and some sustained release products contain 650mg per tab. Also, be alert to other combination analgesics, often containing acetaminophen in a dose of 300-500mg per tab (e.g., Norco, Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, Percocet, etc.). If you’re taking any of these drugs, this acetaminophen should be figured into your total daily dose count.

Finally, many medical folks (especially dermatologists) recommend the routine use of “double antibiotic ointment” (bacitracin and polymyxin) in the place of “triple antibiotic ointment” (bacitracin, polymyxin, neomycin) because many people develop a sensitivity (allergy) to neomycin – usually resulting in a local skin reaction which may confound assessment of the severity and healing progress of the wound. I haven’t studied the data on this phenomenon, but many hospitals have changed to the double antibiotic ointment as the standard. Having said that, whichever you can get is far better than having none! Also, with regard to antibiotics and their appropriate uses, I would recommend a copy of “The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy” to keep handy with whatever antibiotics you can store. This is a small paperback “pocket reference” published annually which summarizes the clinical use of antibiotics. Much of it is more detailed than most non-medical folks would need, but the first chapter addresses common infections by affected body system, and recommends empiric (i.e., “best guess without cultures”) antibiotic choices based on the most likely involved pathogen. If you know a doctor, nurse practitioner, or hospital pharmacist, ask them if you can have their last year’s edition. We usually throw them away when we get the new one, and the bulk of the recommendations rarely changes. You may also need to get a good magnifying glass. If the information is condensed much more, we’re going to need a microscope to read it!

Thanks again, Jason, for your post, and, as always, thank you to Mr. Rawles for all that you do!

Best Regards, – S.H. in Texas

News From The American Redoubt:

Here is a county-by-county map showing the outcome of the November 2012 presidential election, in the same format as the familiar 2008 election map. Note the similar tallies in both elections for the conservative American Redoubt region. Parenthetically, I must mention that the western halves of Oregon and Washington are not in the Redoubt, for good reason. Those parts are largely populated by statists. The eastern halves of those states are solidly conservative, with folks who favor small government.

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Cynthia B. mentioned “a fabulous little company in Columbia Falls, Montana that designs and develops quadrocopters [and octocopters] for do-it-yourself drone builders: Quadrocopter.com.” Check out their videos, such as those of flights at Glacier National Park.

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Leftist pressure groups like the SPLC would be very surprised to see this map. (The SPLC mistakenly considers the American Redoubt region to be some sort of hotbed of racism. It obviously isn’t.)

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The Sage Mountain Center is sponsoring a series of free Solar Electric and Small Wind Power seminars in Eastern Montana. (In Plentywood, Wolf Point, and Glendive.) These seminars will be presented by Christopher Borton of Sage Mountain Center. No pre-registration required. For more information: E-mail: smc@sagemountain.org or call 406-494-9875

Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent this: Record 70.4 Million Enrolled in Medicaid in 2011: 1 Out of Every 5 Americans

Hurricane Sandy and the Disaster-Preparedness Economy

The Tragedy Of The Euro! What About Germany?

Items from The Economatrix:

Record Overseas Sales Boost US Growth

Why US May Be Headed For Another Recession

The Mass Firings Begin

Expect A Recession In 2013 Without A Quick Fix To The Fiscal Cliff

The Lull Before The Social Storm

$5 Trillion Price Tag For Public Pensions

Odds ‘n Sods:

Mat P. sent another reminder that folks shouldn’t eat mushrooms unless they are 100% sure of what they are collecting: Wild mushrooms kill 2, sicken 4

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Now Canadian police are parroting the same agenda-pushing SPLC “expert” rubbish: Anti-terrorism experts say lone white supremacists are the biggest threat in Canada. Alarmingly, anti-racist preppers, home schoolers, tax protestor, and various other conservatives have been tarred with the same brush as the radical anti-semitic neo-Nazi skinheads and other racists. By doing so, the leftist pressure groups seek to demonize anyone who doesn’t share their views.

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I stumbled into a very interesting dramatized documentary produced by the BBC that is now available on YouTube: End Day.

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Lars was the first of several readers to suggest this: Ducking Google in search engines

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Citizens in 15 states file petitions to secede from United States. (Thanks to T.C. for the link.)

Notes from JWR:

Today we present an article by SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor, Dr. Cynthia J. Koelker. But first, some comments from SurvivalBlog’s founder and editor:

Some Observations on Privately Owned Firearms

Washington D.C. is presently all abuzz with talk of the BHO Administration looking for an opportunity to enact the UN’s stalled Small Arms and Light Weapons Treaty. Meanwhile, Senator-For-Life Dianne Feinstein is “consensus building” to reenact the so-called Assault Weapons and “high capacity” magazine ban. (Note that the term “high capacity” is a specious political creation, to wit: A 30 round magazine is standard capacity for an AR or an AK, and anything less than that is a reduced capacity magazine. Get your terminology straight and don’t fall for semantics traps!) Rumor has it that this new incarnation of the ban would have no sunset clause and worse yet, no mechanism for transferring guns within a family. (When you die, your family would have to turn your guns in for destruction.) Please contact your senators and congressmen and urge them stop all civilian disarmament schemes in their tracks.

Here are a few of my observations about firearms, their use, and hoplophobes:

Guns rarely go down in value, so they are some of the very best investments. Consider: The used Macintosh II computer that I bought for $875 in 1990 is now worth perhaps $5 in scrap metal value, but the used stainless steel Colt Gold Cup .45 pistol that I bought for $400 in 1990 is now worth around $1,100.

Guns are often tussled over by heirs whenever an estate gets settled, for good reason: They are a compact, portable, and desirable form of wealth.

A gun is almost unique in that it is it’s own insurance policy, should anyone ever attempt to deprive you of it, by force. I say almost unique, because a trained pet bear carries the same policy.

Firearms are a popular target of elected officials in part because it is plentiful privately-owned firearms that keep bush league politicians from becoming major league dictators.

If politicians used the same logic that they apply to guns in attempting ban cars (which can squash people) or laptop computers (which can be used to commit libel) then they’d all be hauled off to insane asylums.

Without ammunition and magazines, rifles are just useless ornaments or very expensive clubs. So buy plenty of ammunition and magazines.

It is difficult for miscreants to argue you with you when they are looking at the muzzle of a loaded rifle, and it is even harder for them to argue with a loaded rifle that has sprouted a bayonet. If your rifle has bayonet lug, then buy a bayonet for it. A bayonet can also be a useful knife, but a knife is not also a bayonet.

History has taught us repeatedly that firearms registration is a stepping stone to confiscation. Common sense dictates that you keep your firearms purchases as private as possible. Sign up for bridal registries, not gun registries.

Don’t expect just one gun to fit all potential circumstances and every imaginable task. There is no such thing as a concealable elk rifle.

The term “Gun Buy Back” is bald-faced lie. The gun grabbers never owned them, so they certainly aren’t buy them back. They merely want to buy them up, for pennies on the dollar. There are just a few pitiable dupes who fall for this ploy and agree to part with their birthright in exchange for cash, sporting event tickets, or gift cards.

I can think of no better barter items than guns, ammunition, and magazines. There may come a day when times are so truly bad that silver or gold may be refused, in a barter transaction. Not so for guns, ammunition, and magazines. They will always be desirable, and they will almost always leave you on the stronger side of negotiating a swap.

Don’t be too concerned about the exterior cosmetics when shopping for a used gun. Dings and scratches just show that a gun was used and enjoyed. Spend more time examining the bore and the gun’s mechanics. If looks could kill, the streets would be littered with corpses.

When I see seized guns being melted down on the orders of bureaucrats, it makes me want to weep. They are eating the seed corn of our liberty.

When I’m asked about whether I’d consider moving offshore, it always forces the obvious question: Where on Earth could I move where I would have the same level of firearms liberties that I now enjoy in these United States? There are precious few countries. So, for now, I’ll make my stand here.

Guns are like parachutes: if you don’t have one when you need it, then chances are that you won’t ever be in need of one again.

– J.W.R.

Medical Prepping in Three Months — Part 2 of 2, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

As of today, many families are still suffering from the effects of Superstorm Sandy.  Are you prepared, should such a disaster strike your area?
The following is offered as an outline for medical prepping, should you someday find yourself without access to professional medical care.  (Part 1 of this series covered weeks 1 through 6.)
Please note the following abbreviations:
ORG = organizational concerns
OTC = over-the-counter products
Rx = prescription products
ED = education and skills
The supplies listed under OTC can all be purchased without a prescription, though some are only available online.  For prescription items, assess what your group has and what each member is likely to be able to acquire. 
The three-month period is divided into 13 weekly tasks, divided according to topic, making the project more readily manageable.  The outline could also be divided into months, rather than weeks, to cover a year instead.
For more detailed information on medical prepping, please visit www.armageddonmedicine.net. 

Week 7

ORG

MID-PROGRESS REVIEW and SECURITY

Assess your progress to date and establish a plan for securing your medical supplies

Identify individual(s) to establish security to protect both patients and caregivers
Identify and acquire secure storage arrangements for your medical supplies

OTC

GASTOINTESTINAL

Constipation:  Metamucil, Dulcolax, Surfak, or generics
Diarrhea:  Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, or generics
Nausea and vomiting: meclizine, Dramamine
Heartburn, gastritis, or ulcers:  Pepcid, Zantac, Axid, Tagamet, Prilosec, Prevacid, Tums, Maalox
Solar oven to warm/disinfect water/heat food without electricity or fire

Rx

CORTICOSTEROIDS

Request a supply of prednisone or a Medrol Dosepak from your physician for emergency use, such as an asthma attack, acute bronchitis, acute gout, bee sting allergy, hives, seasonal allergies, or acute flares of chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or sciatica
Consider requesting a similar supply from your veterinarian for pet (or human) use

ED

PROTECTION AGAINST INJURY and INFECTION

Discuss potential sources of injury and infection with your group, including necessary but potentially dangerous activities
Educate yourself regarding isolation and quarantine, and make appropriate plans for your location
Educate yourself regarding spread of serious illness, in particular droplet-borne infections
Procure appropriate clothing to protect against sunburn, heatstroke, frostbite and hypothermia, mosquito and other insect bites, stinging insects, chiggers, poison ivy, foot blisters
Educate yourself regarding avoiding acquisition of scabies, lice, impetigo, fungal disease

Week 8

ORG

BUG-OUT KIT

Begin assembling easily transportable bug-out medical kits for identified group members (more than 1)

Assess your group for short-term needs (3–7 days, or longer if desired)
Assemble a bug-out medical kit for each group member

OTC

URINARY

AZO for temporary relief of urinary burning or pain
Cranberry pills or juice
Multistix 10-SG or other urine dipstick
Saw palmetto for middle-aged men with prostatic enlargement
Urinary catheters for anyone with obstruction or potential obstruction; catheter lubricant

Rx

NITROGLYCERIN and OXYGEN

Request a prescription for an oxygen concentrator if anyone in your group suffers from heart or lung disease, or may be exposed to carbon monoxide, fumes, extreme altitude, or other cardio-respiratory threat
Consider purchasing oxygen or an oxygen concentrator without a prescription (available online)
For anyone who has ever used nitroglycerin (current or prior angina, history of heart attack, stent, or heart by-pass), request additional nitroglycerin from your physician in small bottles of 25 tablets, which will remain potent long-term if unopened and stored under conditions printed on the bottle

ED

NUTRITION

Educate yourself regarding nutrients essential to human health
Educate yourself regarding edible wild plants available in your area, and locate potential sources
Assess your food supply for inclusion of sufficient fluids, calories, protein, essential fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Assess your seed supply to assure an adequate supply of “colored” vegetables – yellow, green, red
Assess your supply of medicinal plants and seeds
Assess your group for the possible development of scurvy (lack of vitamin C), dementia (lack of vitamin B12 in the elderly), and rickets (lack of vitamin D and calcium, in children)

Week 9

ORG

BUG-IN KIT

Begin assembling one or more base-stations for your supplies

Assemble and organize secure storage areas as identified on Week 7

OTC

REPRODUCTION

Condoms and/or other birth control
Pregnancy tests
Pregnancy calculator
Gyne-Lotrimin for yeast infections
Pads and/or tampons
Vitamins with folate for pregnant women

Rx

SLEEPING MEDICATION

Request a prescription for Ambien (zolpidem) from your physician for occasional (or future) use
Other prescription alternatives include any sedating medication, such as low-dose amitriptyline, a benzodiazepine (Xanax, Ativan, Valium), muscle relaxers (such as Flexeril, Norflex, or Soma)
If unavailable, procure sedating antihistamine (Benadryl, Zyrtec, Nyquil) or nausea drug (meclizine)

ED

SPECIAL NEEDS FOR GROUP

Have group members share personal health needs (such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or chronic pain) with other group members for improved understanding and chance of individual and group survival
Make sure at least one other group member has the knowledge to help some with any chronic problem

Week 10

ORG

ACQUIRE BARTER ITEMS

Make a wish list of items you cannot acquire at this time

Identify and acquire items to barter for medical goods
Identify and acquire health care items to barter for other goods (pain meds, dressings, vitamins, inexpensive reading glasses, etc.)

OTC

SKIN PREPARATIONS

Bacitracin for mild bacterial infection
Lotrimin or Lamisil or other topical antifungal for fungal and yeast infections 
1% hydrocortisone cream (and plastic wrap to cover it with to enhance its strength) for itchy rashes
Bleach to dilute 1:1000  for bathing for recurrent skin infections, eczema, possibly ringworm
#11 scalpel for abscess incision and drainage
Rid and/or Nix for head lice; nit comb; Vaseline to smother lice; hot hair dryer to kill head lice
Wart freeze or salicylic acid for treating warts, or Duct tape to cover for 2 weeks
Warm clothing for preventing frostbite
Long sleeves and long pants for preventing insect bites, stings, chiggers, mites, tick bites
Good shoes to prevent blister and callus formation

Rx

STEROID CREAM

Request a prescription for an inexpensive, strong steroid cream for non-facial use, such as betamethasone, which is very useful for itchy skin problems such as poison ivy, eczema, and contact dermatitis

ED

PREGNANCY and CHILDBIRTH

Assess group and community need for current or future pregnancy and childbirth
Acquire midwifery or obstetric books and/or videos for use by your group or possibly others
Consider having group watch videos of childbirth
Locate and become acquainted with midwife or physician in your area

 

Week 11

ORG

MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OUTSIDE YOUR GROUP

Identify others you may need and who may need you
Make tentative arrangements for contact and/or access should the need arise

OTC

MENTAL HEALTH

Spiritual preparation; Bible, hymnbook, inspirational reading
Acoustic musical instruments and/or DVD/MP3 player and power source
Books, both fiction and non-fiction, including how-to books
Games and other forms of entertainment
Arrange group bonding activities to build trust before disaster strikes
Make sure everyone has a meaningful purpose and contribution to your group
Identify spiritual and/or emotional leader of your group
Purchase St. John’s Wort for potential depression
Nyquil or Benadryl for sleep
Caffeine or pseudoephedrine for needed wakefulness/alertness
Meclizine for potential anxiety

Rx

BACTROBAN ANTIBIOTIC CREAM or OINTMENT

Request a prescription for Bactroban (mupirocin) topical cream or ointment for superficial skin infections, mildly infected lacerations or abrasions, or small areas of impetigo

ED

MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS

Spend time bonding with your group, focusing on hope, purpose, and faith
Assess each member for prior and expected reactions under stress
Discuss how your group will respond if confronted with suicidal, panicky, or psychotic patient

Week 12

ORG

STOCK FOR A DOC

Obtain additional supplies a doctor or nurse could use, even if you can’t use them yourself

Suturing supplies
Plaster splinting and casting supplies
IV supplies

OTC

LIQUIDS and PERISHABLES

Hydrogen peroxide
Medical alcohol
Distilled vinegar
Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Sterile saline
Nyquil
Baby formula
IV fluids
Nutraceutical thyroid preparation
Potassium iodide

Rx

NERVE MEDICINE

Anxiety is a common problem now, and will likely worsen if disaster strikes

Discuss nerve medication with your physician and request a (small) supply of fast-acting medication for occasional use.   Possibilities include benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Ativan – which are controlled substances, and so your doctor may not agree), and Vistaril (a sedating, prescription antihistamine)
Consider requesting a slow-acting medication for chronic use, such as Buspar (a non-addicting medicine, but takes days to weeks for relief), or an SSRI (Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil) (equally slow to act)

ED

RADIATION and BIOTERRORISM

Determine the proximity of nearest nuclear reactor and typical wind patterns
Decide on radiation detection (dosimeter, Geiger counter) and consider procuring
Purchase KI (potassium iodide) for each member of your group (have multiple doses for children)
Decide which (if any) bioterrorist threats you plan to prepare for (anthrax, plague, botulism, others)
Educate yourself on how to protect yourself against specific bioterrorist threats

Week 13

ORG

REVIEW

Group meeting to assess any additional needs and to affirm success of preparations

Review each group member’s medical history and needs, especially for important life changes, such as pregnancy, childbirth, and any new health problems
Review each group member’s medical responsibilities, should disaster strike
Affirm each member’s contributions and success

OTC

REVIEW

Make written inventory of supplies you have acquired, location, and purpose
Review weeks 1 through 12 to assess for additional needs and/or shortages
If budget allows, procure additional stock of items most essential for your group
Check dates on items with short shelf-life (insulin, liquids) and re-stock as necessary
Be thankful that so many items are available over-the-counter to help your group and others

Rx

REVIEW

Make written inventory of prescription medications you have been able to acquire, location, and purpose
Make written list of supplies you would still like to procure
Have various group members make appointments with their physicians, who may have changed their position on personal preparedness, and may be more willing to prescribe

ED

REVIEW

Review what you have learned, and organize material into notebook(s)
Make sure all group members have access to needed information and know location of notebook(s)
Assess group members for progress, gaps in knowledge, and intentions for future learning
Encourage and thank all for their efforts and cooperation

 

Harry’s Book Review: The World Ends in Hickory Hollow

The World Ends in Hickory Hollow by Ardath Mayhar
Copyright 1985 and 2007 Publisher: The Borgo Press, An Imprint of Wildside Press
Audio, e-book, Nook & Secure PDF available
Suitable for children? Yes, by age 10+, depending on the child? (I recommend that parents read it first to evaluate.)

There are two things about this book which strike me as remarkable for the genre:
First, this is a book written by a woman and told from a woman’s point of view, and second, this book is very concise. With regard to the first point, I noticed that there was recently another SurvivalBlog book review with similar authorship and perspective, but these certainly seem to be the minority. It is nice to see that there are at least some women writing on these topics. As to the second point, I am going to provide a summary of the first twenty pages of this book. Notice how much the author has packed in and then consider for yourself if that is pro or con for your own preferences. It is a lot of story packed into only 160 pages. Spoilers ahead!

The story is of a young couple who grew up on adjacent farms, got married, moved to the big city, started their family and then realized that the life of the city was not good for them. They sold off their city house, quit their jobs and moved back to the country farms they had left. They had already gotten established in their new lifestyle when the lights went out. Being at the end of the line for service it was no shock for the lights to go out, and even a week later they didn’t think it all that remarkable that the lights were still out, but when they went into town for supplies they were surprised to find that the world seemed to have been deserted. Neighbor’s houses were clearly vacant, the road was empty and the stores closed. Only once they reached a small town did they notice a few wary folks watching from behind closed doors. Fortunately Zack’s (the husband’s) mom Allie was waiting for them. Knowing them, she expected they would not know what had happened. She filled them in with what details she had been able to glean from the radio. It was understood that a nuclear war had begun (note the original publication date of 1985) and bombs were dropped on the east coast, the Midwest, Colorado, Houston, and who knows where else. It seemed that everyone who survived the bombings responded by taking off to try to find their loved ones. Mom Allie just waited for the kids to come to her. The local town had chosen to set up a disaster shelter at the armory, but Mom Allie declined to move into there. Once Zack and Luce (the wife from whose perspective the story is told) arrived it was decided that Mom Allie would move back to the farm with them. Determining that the farm was already well stocked Mom Allie sent Zack down to the armory with her stash of home canned food to help out the other old timers who were down there and being fed “bought stuff”.

When Zack returned from the armory he still had the canned food plus nine other folks who wanted out of there and back to the farms. Thus is established the core of the community which the reader will follow. And that?s the first twenty pages. As novels go, there is a price to be paid for this degree of conciseness. There is only the barest level of character development for many of the players. By no means does this destroy the story. There is plenty of action and drama to keep the reader engaged in the story line, but it does cause the reader to pause and consider which particular character is this, and where have I seen them before? It is simply the price of efficiency. Survival of the small community is threatened by fallout, tornado, a band of savage prostitutes turned into looters, and a government official who shows up out of nowhere. Fallout poses a concern about which nothing can be done. There is no hard information about where bombs have been dropped nor where the winds may have taken the fallout. Geiger counters and potassium iodide are not even considered (and perhaps were not even available to the general public in 1985). At any rate, all our characters can do is hope for the best on this count. The tornado presents a surprise challenge. It is not that tornados were unheard of in Eastern Texas, but they were not to be expected in summer. Some of the old timers could recall it happening though, and there was the possibility that the nukes had impacted the weather patterns. Regardless of how it occurred, it created some problems and taught the lesson that no one is self sufficient, and no one is coming to help either.

The band of women, the Ungers, seem an unlikely proposition at first glance, but the creation of the problem is plausibly presented to the reader. In essence, the prostitute mother and her prostitute daughters have lost their clientele and business model and resort to looting in order to feed themselves, even using one of their own very young daughters to get unsuspecting surviving farmers to open their doors. Once these women gain access they then brutally beat the occupants, often to death, take all the food they can find and ransack the house. They pose a constant threat throughout the novel, and a growing threat as they refine their techniques. The collapse of society opens up a world of options for those who are already on the fringes. The government official is a surprise vestige of the old world, trying to keep alive the bureaucracy and imposition of those who thrive on such things. More than anything he showed how it will be that everyone will do their best to sustain the world they have lost. Don’t count on a collapse being the end of government imposition in private lives. By the end of the book a full year has elapsed. There are no illusions that going forward will be easy, but there are plans for the future and the old are teaching the young so that skill sets will not be lost. Overall, this novel is a good read. There are bad things which happen, but the action is not presented in full, graphic horror. The consequence of those actions are clear however. There is certainly a good deal of drama, but much is left to the reader?s own imagination. I did not notice any profanity. The novel is very quick and concise. This may be better for some, worse for others. Don?t read this book expecting to find detailed information which will help you survive. What this book will show you is the value of a variety of skill sets and of the knowledge of the old ones who have lived through a rougher world.

Pat’s Product Review: Bear & Son Bold Action Folders

I was more than a little anxious to get to the new Bear OPS “Bold Action” automatic folder for SurvivalBlog. For those who may not be aware of who Bear & Son Cutlery are, they have been around since 1991 and have a very extensive line of knives and tools for everyday tasks, as well as for survival, hunting and for collectors. Be sure to log onto their site to see their complete line-up. However, for this article, we’re only looking at their new division of Bear OPS. The stated goal of Bear OPS is to produce the “best knives made in the USA.” Only USA manufactured parts, material, and a dedicated workforce work in this division. They only use premium 154 CM or CPM-S30V steel for these blades and they do their own heat-treat, water-jet and CNC grinding to finish their blades. You also get a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all Bear OPS knives and tools.

My long-time friend, Tom Ables, is handling the outside public relations and marketing for Bear & Son Cutlery. When he told me about the new Bold Action tactical folders from the Bear OPS division, I was more than a little excited to get my hands on a sample or two. Tom Ables spent about 30 years doing the marketing for another major cutlery player, and he knows cutlery inside and out. Now, the new Bold Action automatic folders are only available for those who live in enlightened states that allow automatic folders, or those in the military or law enforcement. However, don’t despair, Bear OPS has a good number of other folders that will take care of your needs if you can’t legally own an automatic folder.

I received two Bold Action folders for this article, one is the AC-110-B4-T – that has a Tanto-style blade, and the other is the AC-1-B4-T that has a modified drop-style point – probably one of the most useful blade styles ever. Either blade style comes in a 3-inch length, and is made from premium CPM-S30V stainless steel, and is .115-inches thick. The blades are heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of Rc58-60 – not too hard and not too soft – they will hold an edge a good long time, and will be easier to re-sharpen compared to blades having a higher Rockwell hardness. You can also get either Bold Action with a bead-blasted blade or a black Ti coating .Mine came with the latter. The handle material is G-10, which is super-tough, with grip edges for a secure hold. You can also opt to have good-looking Cocobolo wood. Closed length is 4-1/8″ and it weighs 6 ounces. There is a pocket/clothing clip for tip-down carry.

Now, as for the button for the automatic opening on the Bold Action. The button is slightly recessed into the handle – the button is of a good size, too. Several automatic folders I’ve tested over the years, that have opened in my pocket because the button got bumped and it usually resulted in the open blade “stabbing” me in the leg, or a cut to my hand when I reached in my pocket. Some automatic folders now have an additional safety that locks the button so the blade can’t accidentally deploy while in your pocket. The Bold Action does away with any added safety by simply recessing the open button a little bit into the handle scales – nice job, Bear!

I couldn’t find any flaws in the blade or the handle scales on either sample, they were done up right in my opinion. I prefer a slightly longer blade on a folder for self-defense purposes, however the 3-inch blade on the Bold Action is plenty long enough for Every Day Carry (EDC) purposes. To be sure, a pocket knife will probably be used 99% of the time for everyday cutting chores, so the 3-inch blade isn’t any sort of a handicap in my book. The blades opened with authority and locked in place solidly – I can’t say that for all the auto opening knives I’ve tested of the years – so had way too much side-to-side play when opened. This is not the case with the Bear OPS Bold Action folders.

There is also a nice lanyard hole in the butt on the Bold Action folders, and the liners appear to be stainless steel. To open the Bold Action, simple depress the button and the blade flies open and locks in place. To close the blade, use the same button – press in on it, and you can then close the blade, and it honestly does lock in place solidly! What can be simpler? Both the Tanto and Drop Point blades felt good in my hand – not too big and not too small. I like enough handle to hold onto in a folder or fixed blade knife, and even though the blades on these knives are only 3-inches long, there was more than enough handle to hold onto.

I used the Tanto blade more in my testing than the drop point blade – I’m just partial to Tanto-style blades for some reason – nothing I can put my hand on, but I like Tanto blades a bit more than drop point – even though it has been proven that drop point blades are more useful for more tasks. Go figure. Almost daily, UPS or FedEx brings me a package or two, and I reach for whatever folding knife I have in my pockets to cut the boxes open. I also used the Bold Action folders for chores around the kitchen, and I honestly do a lot of cooking in our house, and the Bold Action handled all my kitchen chores from slicing tomatoes to cutting cucumbers and meat. I also spent some time cutting poly rope – now if you’ve ever tried cutting poly rope, you know that a lot of knife blades will simply slip right off this slick rope – no problem for the CPM-S30V blades on the Bold Action. I also tested some wet hemp rope – again, wet rope is very difficult to cut – ask any sailor – and I had no problems with the Bold Action samples.

The Bold Action AC-110-B4-T retails for $230, a good chunk of change. But this is one rugged little automatic folder, that would make a welcome addition as an EDC folder. And, I like the idea of Made In The USA and the Limited Lifetime Warranty. I was pretty impressed with the Bold Action samples. And, I’m going to request some more knives from Bear & Son Cutlery to test for SurvivalBlog readers. They really do have quite an extensive line-up of knives and tools, including Damascus blades, filleting knives, double-edge fighting knives, Bowie hunters, multi-type tools, and multi-blade knives. They also make butterfly knives and a host of other tools – too many to list here. Be sure to check out the   Bear & Son Cutlery web site and the Bear OPS web page for a look at all they have to offer. I’m betting good money you’ll find quite a few knives and tools you’ll want to add to your survival needs or just for collecting. I’m looking forward to testing more of their products. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Experience with a Restrictive State Pistol Permit Process

Jim,
Thank you for your ‘forward’ as well as the article: Experience with a Restrictive State Pistol Permit Process. We in New Jersey experience similar issues. A regular citizen cannot even obtain a carry permit here. It is basically limited to retired police and that even has to be basically approved or recommended by their former chief. There are limited others that may obtain like private investigators. Even with the concealed carry for retired police they must pay a yearly fee plus qualify (at an additional cost) as if still a police officer two times per year. It really would be nice to be allowed to exercise our second amendment right here. Each pistol must have a permit as well. First you must apply for a Firearms ID card to even be able to purchase ammunition! The process is daunting. You must apply to your local police station. You must be fingerprinted. You must answer and sign a questionnaire about crime/mental health issues.( I don’t particularly see that as so invasive.) But you must also allow them to access mental health records as well as contact your employer! The employer contact is especially intrusive. They may not like guns and what business of theirs to give opinion as to whether or no you can buy a gun! May be a reason for them to let you go but of course they would never say that! Sickening. Family members are going through this now and employer of one is questioning why they want it. None of their business! I guess this state is truly trying to dissuade anyone from even wanting to go through it. Same thing for a pistol permit! And all this takes months. Some of my family members applied two months ago and a letter just went to employer. Also, if you move to a new town, you must reapply for the ID card at that location’s police department. The whole process completed all over! This also happens if you marry and change your name as well — reapply! How is this allowing any privacy to honest crime-free citizens? Thank you and God Bless! – Diana