Letter Re: Celiac Disease: The Gluten-Free Prepping Challenge

We are a family of survivalists and almost all of us are gluten free, some out of necessity and some by choice.  Here are some thoughts and resources for gluten free food.
 
Later this year, there is a Gluten Free Expo convention in Sandy, Utah starting October 12.  If you can’t attend, check out the vendors page (there are many) to identify other resources for gluten free food.
 
Augason Farms has #10 cans of food that are certified gluten free, including oats.   It’s a great company and easy to talk to them on the phone.  If you want to purchase without a credit card, they can help you calculate the total of an order you’d like to place and wait for you to send a check or money order.  Thus far I have tried the Buttermilk pancake mix and the Chocolate Morning Moo.  The pancake mix only requires the addition of water and makes nice, tasty pancakes, but I might add a Tablespoon of coconut or almond flour to next time to add fiber.  The Morning Moo is very tasty, doesn’t have as much calcium as a powdered milk, but makes up thicker like a milkshake. It also requires the addition of just water.  I will be stocking more of these in my pantry.  A family member reported to me that he tried the Gluten Free Chili and that he thought it was good, too.  They carry a French bread mix which I haven’t tried yet.  It requires only water, cider vinegar and yeast to be mixed with it.
 
Side note on buying the canned products:  One very important consideration when buying any food product, is to compare the serving size on the package to what you think is a serving size when you eat it.  I made the recipe on the Augason Farms Buttermilk Pancakes for my husband and I, and we think two servings is our serving size when making a breakfast of pancakes.  Try the foods you buy, then realistically assess what your storage needs are from your past experience with the food, rather than what the package says.  If it says 47 servings, it might really be about 23 servings per can. Plan accordingly.
 
There’s a newsletter for gluten free cooking from Mary Frances, who has bread/biscuits/doughnuts recipes and teaches on line how to cook gluten free. She tries to provide alternatives for other food intolerances, like dairy or soy so she may be a great resource for some. (many celiacs also have difficulty with dairy ingredients) Her bread recipes include ingredients such as brown rice flour and sorghum, and those can be stored in whole form and ground into flour later.  She does charge a fee for her lessons, but with what she’s investing in time to make this available, it is well worth it.  Some of her recipes are free and online, including her latest addition, the gluten free doughnut! 
 
I noted that in the article the author was storing pasta.  Why couldn’t quinoa be stored whole and ground later to make homemade pasta with a hand cranked pasta cutter? You would have longer term storage that way.  Here are links to some quinoa pasta recipes online: One and Two and Three.  It would be important to store the other ingredients like the arrowroot to do this.
 
For a new resource on gluten free diets, anyone with gluten issues should seriously consider a “paleolithic diet” and there are many new cookbooks on the market.  The Paleolithic diet is naturally gluten free, and based on foods our ancient ancestors ate.  Many of the ingredients are foods you can grow or hunt.  I received one of these books for Christmas, Paleo Comfort Foods: Homestyle Cooking for a Gluten-Free Kitchen by Julie and Charles Mayfield.   The paleolithic diet is having me rethink some of my food storage strategies.  The pumpkin pancakes are amazing with molasses.
 
This is only a partial list; some product names you can look for in the store or online also include: 
Bob’s Red Mill – many (but not all) are gluten free, bread mix, brownies, cornbread and more
Pamela’s – pancake mixes, cookies, etc
Udi’s- granola (and the best bread I’ve eaten gluten free, comes frozen)
Lundberg – they have a “couscous” made from brown rice;
Hodgson Mill – for pasta
Glutino – pasta, pie crust mix, cookies, many products
Quinoa corporation – pasta under the label Ancient Harvest
Ener-G – for bread crumbs
Amy’s – some of her burritos (frozen) are gluten free
 
While these foods are prepackaged, it is possible to extend the shelf life with freezing.  We have frozen flours to make them last longer and it worked quite well.  It’s important to rotate your prepackaged foods regardless of this, and know that when the power grid goes down then the clock starts ticking faster on the shelf life.  If you live in a cold climate, you may be able to continue the freezing process during the winter by moving your whole chest freezer to a bear proof outdoor structure like a garage or shed.
 
The convenience of these prepackaged foods will come in handy as we are busy defending our retreat or just tired to the bone from gardening.  When we run out of these, we will need to cook more from scratch. Fortunately, we do not really need to have these prepackaged foods to live and many of the processed gluten free foods lack fiber.  It is extremely important to find ways to increase the fiber in a gluten free diet.  A company called Coconut Secret makes a canned coconut flour that is 40% dietary fiber and also supplies protein.  Two tablespoons of the coconut flour adds 8 grams of fiber! We add this to many of our recipes, like pancakes and bread to add fiber back in.  Almonds and bean flours also add fiber to your recipe and you may be able to grow one or both of these to grind.   
 
Rice, corn, teff, buckwheat, nuts, quinoa and potatoes all provide carbohydrates, fiber and nutrients, and cooking from scratch with these in TEOTWAWKI will be a more natural way to stay gluten free.  While processed foods are a treat, leaving them behind will actually be healthier.  But for now, I am going to try the Mary Frances doughnut recipe. – Mrs. R.L.B.

Economics and Investing:

Japan posts record trade deficit while real estate values go deep into the 1980s. US has decade long collapse in real estate values in spite of record low mortgage rates. The path of two lost decades in US real estate values is looking very similar to Japan.

Ben in Nevada sent this: The price of cooking the books (Describes inflation statistics fraud in Argentina)

In tough economy, people turning in rare, unique items in for cash

G.G. flagged this: A new recession seems inevitable

Items from The Economatrix:

False Recovery 2.0:  It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like 2011

Jim Rogers: Gold to Rise Much Higher in this Decade, Do Not Sell It!

Latest Resignations From World Banks and Governments

Disability Fraud Holds Down US Unemployment Rate

Japan, China to Promote Yen-Yuan Currency Exchange

Odds ‘n Sods:

T.S. recommended a video that may be a glimpse of TEOTWAWKI: Syria: the horror of Homs, a city at war

   o o o

G.G. flagged this: Toy Guns Becoming A Criminal Offense?

   o o o

Several readers sent this: Ice To See You: 30,000-Year-Old Flower Revived. (Perhaps Scrat had the right idea.)

   o o o

Fred K. wrote to mention: “Here is the link to the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy which is available for viewing on line for no cost. Obviously when the Internet goes down this will be of no value, but for now, for those who cannot afford the book, the material is still available for free viewing. Also, here is a link to the Merck Manual for Home Health. (Available free, as well.)

   o o o

Stephen and Kris mentioned that there are some useful insights the late 1980s BBC television series The Victorian Kitchen Garden

The Mainstream Media’s Blatant Anti-Preparedness Bias

It seems that any time that there is a crime that involves someone who lives outside of city limits and that owns guns or that lives with any degree of self-sufficiency, then they are immediately branded as a “survivalist.” This label gets slapped on regardless of whether or not the perpetrator has had any training or inclinations toward survivalism. The outlaw Claude Dallas was a prime example. Dallas was an eccentric 19th Century anachronist rather than a survivalist. But the mainstream media uses the label “survivalist”, almost by default any time that a criminal flees into a National Forest, if he ever had so much as weekend Boy Scout training or watched re-runs of Survivor Man.

SurvivalBlog reader Tim J. recently sent me this article: Mystery mountain man to Utah cabin owner: Get off my mountain. Take a few minutes to read that article. This is just the latest example of the media misusing the term “survivalist.” By definition, a survivalist is someone who trains and prepares tools and supplies in advance for self-sufficiency to overcome disasters. But backwoods burglars have to steal because they aren’t properly prepared and because they lack genuine self-sufficiency skills. They aren’t true survivalists. An early example of this media sensationalism was the case of Bill Moreland, the so-called “Wildman” or “Ridge Runner” of the Clearwater National Forest. (Moreland’s criminal exploits were detailed in the book Calked Boots and Other Northwest Writings by Bert Russell.) Then of course there was Eric Rudolph, who was also mislabeled as a survivalist. If he had been a real survivalist, then he wouldn’t have to be scrounging in grocery store dumpsters–which reportedly is how Rudolph got spotted and arrested. (Although some claim that he was lingering behind a supermarket awaiting a scheduled pick up by one of his supporters.)

Movies like The Survivors, Blast From the Past, and Phase 7 do more than just poke fun at survivalists. They either subtly or overtly make any anyone that prepares for disasters look mentally imbalanced. The latest example is the upcoming film The Divide starring Michael Biehn. Judging from the film’s brief trailer, it casts the survivalist (Biehn) to be, like Sarah Connor, a “Grade A Whackamo.”

Some people in the preparedness movement now consider the term survivalist so tainted that they have exclusively adopted the term prepper. There are even those that try to distinguish between two camps: the survivalists and the preppers. That is absurd. Anyone that says: “Oh no, don’t call me a survivalist, I’m a prepper!” is essentially conceding defeat to the anti-preparedness bias of the media.

I am not ashamed to call myself a survivalist. The statist mass media–in newspapers, magazines, and television–has consistently done their best to castigate and trivialize survivalists, because we don’t match their Big City-centric and government dependent world view. They try to make us look like we are living in a fantasy land. But the truth is that it is they that are deluded, thinking that big government is their all-capable savior and that disaster won’t affect them personally. They are so deeply submerged in normalcy bias that they see disaster preparedness as paranoia. I pity them.

Pat’s Product Review: The Stronghold Haywire Klamper

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes up with one of those “gee, why didn’t I think of that” inventions? I know I do! And, what is amazing is, the product under review here, the Stronghold Haywire Klamper, is also one of those “wow, is that simple” inventions.
 
Have you ever had a radiator hose break under the hood of your car? I know I have, on quite a few occasions over my 60+ years on this earth. Or, have you had a hose clamp let loose on you, and in your e-box, you have every size hose clamp – except the one you need? Yeah, me too! I used to do a lot of off-roading – not as much as I used to, as it has cost me a lot of money in repairs – and have a muffler clamp or tail pipe clamp break – leaving your muffler or tail pipe hanging on the ground? Yeah, me too – one time too many – and the baling wire or rope I had in my e-box didn’t hold up very long.
 
I’m sure you’ve all had some camping equipment break on you, and it always happens at the worse possible time, and you would have given anything to have the right repair kit handy to put the broken parts back together. Sure, I’m a big duct tape fan, and it’s excellent for making all manner of repairs, most of the time, the repairs are short-lived or temporary at best. I’ve used baling wire, military trip wire, electrical wire – whatever I could lay my hands on, to get me and my gear back up and running, until I got back to civilization, and I could make a better repair, or replace the broken gear. I’m betting a few of you, especially hunters, have taken a tumble or rolled a horse with their rifle or shotgun, and broke or cracked the wrist on their long guns, haven’t you?
 
Well, I’m here to tell you, there’s a better, and a much easier way, to make repairs, when you need to bind two pieces of “whatever” back together. I received the Stronghold Haywire Klamper – with a short handwritten note, for test and evaluation several weeks ago from Wilson at Pantry Paratus.) I thought for a few minutes “what am I supposed to do with this “haywire” thing – I don’t live on a farm or a ranch – I have a tiny homestead, in a rural area of Oregon, so I didn’t know what use this device would be to me. Boy, I hate it when I’m wrong.
 
After wondering what good a “haywire” clamper would be to me, I decided to check out the video on the Pantry Paratus web site. Boy, were my eyes opened to a very, very neat tool, that everyone should have in their rig or pack, or both. What we have with the Stronghold Haywire Klamper is a tool, with some 14-15 gauge wire, that can bind together all manner of gear and equipment, and do it in short order and without much chance of doing it wrong. In the video, you will see a man demonstrating a hammer, with an obviously seriously cracked wooden handle, that has already been repaired with this device. However, he takes the wire repair off the hammer, and shows the viewer just how damaged the wooden handle is, then takes a minute to make a repair with the clamp and wire, and proceeds to pound nails with the hammer. It was impressive.
 
The Stronghold Haywire Klamper is a simple metal clamp/tensioning device, that comes with some 14-15 gauge wire, and complete instructions for use in a package that only weighs about 4 ounces. You can add more wire to the kit – and I strongly suggest you do – and you can make all manner of repairs in an emergency situation. The only other thing you will also need is, a good Leatherman-type tool. (And if you’re serious about survival, you must have some type of multi-tool in your gear. I keep my Leatherman on my belt, and use it practically every day – I’d be lost without it.)
 
So, how does this neat little device work? Well, the video on the web site will show it much better than I can explain it, so be sure to check it out. I played around with this little invention, and found I could make all manner of repair in short order. It was so easy, I kept asking myself if I was doing something “wrong” – as many things don’t work as advertised, or when you buy them and get them home.
 
I’ve made duct tape repairs on split radiator hoses before, however, they usually don’t last very long. With the Haywire device, you can make a duct tape repair even stronger, by first applying the duct tape over the split hose, then wrapping/clamping the provided wire around the repaired area and tightening it down over the duct tape. Also, if a hose clamp gives way, you can make a clamp using the haywire device in a minute or two, and it will probably be stronger than the original hose clamp was.
 
How about making an improvised spear with your hunting knife? Easy enough to do, if you have a quality hollow handle survival knife. Supposed all you have is a regular fixed blade hunting knife? Yeah, I’ve tried making a spear myself, by lashing a knife to a stick or tree branch – it doesn’t hold up very well. With the haywire device, you can clamp your fixed blade hunting knife to a stick, pole or tree limb, and have no fear of the knife coming off – until you want it to.
 
Have you ever tried binding two pieces of wood together, let’s say, in the shape of a cross? Yeah, harder to do than said. The haywire device will allow you to easily make a cross out of wood, metal or even two different materials – and it will stay together. I can think of hundreds of repairs that you can make with this device, and I’m sure you will, too. The possibilities seem endless when you start thinking about all the repairs you can make – and make the repairs stronger than just about anything else, and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without the Stronghold Haywire Klamper in your car’s e-box or your pack.
 
Now, my problem is, deciding which rig to put my haywire in. Probably put it in my GMC Yukon, until I can get a second one, and put that in my wife’s Dodge Durango. I might even pick-up a few more haywire devices, and put ’em in each of our bug out bags – along with a good supply of extra 14 or 15 gauge wire.
 
The full retail asking price on the Stronghold Haywire Klamper is $24.95. At first, you’re gonna think that’s a bit steep, for such a simple device. However, the first time you use the haywire for an emergency repair, you’re gonna think it’s worth a thousand dollars or more. I was totally blown away by how simple this device is – and how well-made it is. (They are made in the U.S.A.) I was also amazed at how many things you can repair with it. I don’t normally get overly excited by new products that I test and evaluate. However, with the Stronghold Haywire Klamper – I’m giving it my 100% endorsement – and I rarely endorse products – and I mean rarely! To say you “need” this product is an understatement – this is a must-have piece of gear that every serious survivalist and military servicemember should have in their kit – at all times. Get one!

No More Thyroid Meds…Now What?, by Dr. Bob

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At the request of a reader via e-mail, we will review the topic of thyroid disease from a survival perspective.  Levothyroxine is the most frequent medication that we are consulted about at Surviving Healthy.  Thyroid supplementation is the one of the most frequent prescription medications currently prescribed here in the US.  There is a huge debate about which supplementation is better, why some fail Synthroid, why some only respond to Armour thyroid, among other debates.  Those are beyond my scope as a Family Practitioner, and this article will not add to the confusion of these issues, but will instead address how to handle a life without thyroid supplementation if you find yourself in that spot and how you may be able to prevent being in that spot at all.

When the SHTF, we all expect that pharmacies will be quickly overrun by mobs and rioting and medications will simply be hoarded by gangsters and criminals or simply burned to dust.  In either case, you will not be able to head down to the corner drug and get a bottle of Synthroid after the crash.   You then run out within 89 days, and if you are anything like the rest of us, you will not have the good luck of filling a 90 day Rx the day before the crash!  Medications will certainly be something that the government is very likely to use as a control mechanism against our freedom, and we strongly recommend that all chronic medications be carefully planned now and that preppers are fully stocked for 3-5 years.  It may be longer than that without pharmacies on the corner, but at least that gives some time to rebuild and let the Patriots win back our country.  Certainly the experts have a much better predictive expertise than we do, and we defer to their books and articles for your education.

The first issue to address is abruptness of hypothyroidism.  If the crash hit when you had one single dose left, you are in trouble.  Acute discontinuation is a bad idea and will make the symptoms worse than a slower stopping of medication.  So, let’s say you are the typical non-prepping American, it all goes bad on the 20th day of your 30 day bottle.  You have 10 pills left.  You are still in trouble and thyroid is likely to be the least of your problems!  But, take the doses as you slowly stop over the next 30 days.  One pill on the 21st, then another maybe the 25th, then start with 1/2 pills every other day, then every 3rd day, then every 5th day, etc. until they are gone.  Same general formula applies if you are a good little prepper and you have 80 pills left in a 90 day bottle.  But, you can start to see that 80 pills is not going to really help you much.

This is why we do what we do!  If you have a filter and a 1,000 rounds of ammo, which you hope you do not have to use, why would you not have 1,000 of your thyroid pills?  It just doesn’t make sense.  If you are lucky enough to be on Levothyroxine generic, the cost is less than $200 per 1,000 to order 90+% of the time.  Take advantage of our consulting services and get your medication now, before you may not be able to.  We surely do not know the day and time, do you?  We do not mark up the cost of your medications a penny because we are truly trying to provide a service, use it!  There was no intent to start a Survivinghealthy.com commercial when writing this, but please plan ahead.  If you have another way to get your thyroid medication stockpiled, that is great.  Please just do it now.  The great thing about medication and food, you can always start using it and it doesn’t go to waste.

What happens to a person when they run out of their thyroid medication?  There are two major physiologic events that occur with lack of thyroid.  One is a general slowing of metabolism.  This will cause fatigue, tiredness, slow speech and thought, cold intolerance, constipation, some weight gain, and slowing of the heart.  Not exactly survival-friendly symptoms.  The second thing that happens is and accumulation of proteins (matrix glycosaminoglycans for you organic chemistry nerds) in the tissues.  This leads to coarse hair and skin, face puffiness, enlarged tongue, and hoarseness.  All of these symptoms are more easily identified in younger patients, as aging itself is blamed for all of the symptoms listed above.  We will now review each organ system in more detail to scare you into action.

The skin has decreased blood flow in hypothyroid patients and is cool and pale.  As the skin dies off on the surface from this lack of blood flow, the skin is rough.  Sweating decreases, skin can yellow, hair is coarse and can fall out, and nails are brittle.  When the hypothyroidism progresses, swelling of the legs can become quite marked due to the buildup of the proteins in the leg tissue compounded with the lack of blood flow.  Joint pains, aches, and even stiffness can occur; but are not common complaints.

The eyes can protrude if the hypothyroid develops with a condition that “burns out” the thyroid called Graves’ hyperthyroidism.  This protrusion can continue even after the person then becomes hypothyroid.  (This would occur after TEOTWAWKI, not previously).  The puffiness can develop around the eyes called periorbital edema, which is again caused by the protein buildup.  Staring and eye weakness can also develop, making a hypothyroid person not very helpful as a contributor to your groups’ survival efforts.

There can be some increased risk of bleeding and anemia due to changes in the blood.  Pernicious anemia can develop at higher rates in hypothyroid patients also (see Vitamin review for details).  Women that are in their childbearing years are at higher risk for the anemia.

The heart is not able to pump as effectively, due to decreases in both heart rate and muscle effectiveness.  Why the rate slows is still a mystery physiologically.  (Doesn’t science know everything now?).  Due to these changes, exercise capacity and shortness or breath are both decreased.  For patients that already have heart disease, usually symptoms worsen when they are then additionally hypothyroid.  Some people can suffer from other cardiovascular abnormalities such as a mild buildup of fluid around the heart, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The respiratory system is impaired itself, besides the effects of the cardiovascular system.  Exercise capacity decreases, along with fatigue, shortness of breath, and runny nose.  Muscle weakness can eventually affect the respiratory muscles causing hypoventilation.  This then can cause a buildup of CO2 and decreased O2.  Obese folks are at a higher risk for this when also hypothyroid.  Sleep apnea can occur, mostly due to the large tongue that may develop.

The gastrointestinal system can experience gut motility decreases which then causes constipation, which is usually the most common symptom that hypothyroid patients complain of.  This can usually be used by the majority of hypothyroid patients to track the effectiveness of their supplementation, which is very helpful if there is no lab to check their levels.  With this decrease in digestive force, cramping and bloating can also occur.  Taste can decrease, stomach muscle weakness, absorption problems, and sometimes even fluid buildup around the liver.

Reproductive problems in both men and women can result from hypothyroidism.  This is due to hormonal changes that result from the lack of thyroid.  Women have menstrual problems that affect their cycles and therefore fertility.  Men have ED, decreased libido, and sperm abnormalities when hypothyroid.

Neurologically, the most serious symptom that affects survival is the slowing of general thinking abilities with prolonged hypothyroidism.  There are also sensation problems that can occur that affect the hands and feet, due to not only the effect on the nerves but also the decreased blood flow mentioned above.  Carpal tunnel syndrome is common with decreased thyroid.

Metabolically, many different problems can occur when a deficient person goes without thyroid supplementation.  Low sodium, increased creatinine, cholesterol increases, homocysteine increases, and decreased drug clearance all occur.  This decrease in drug clearance can affect the dosing of simple medications, especially any pain medications.  Also affected are epilepsy meds and anticoagulant meds (even aspirin).  The flip side of this is the problem that medications can also be less effective for hypothyroid patients at their standard doses.

Those of you with hypothyroidism are probably scared out of your mind right now, so do something about it.  Get your meds stockpiled now.  You may have gotten that message already, but it deserves repeating.  Also important, if you have someone in your survival family or group, make sure they are supplied so they can continue to effectively contribute to the group.  Remember to taper any doses of thyroid medication available over as long a period of time possible when facing that reality.  Thanks again to our readers and the readers of SurvivalBlog for continuing to request articles like this to make all of us better prepared.

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JWR Adds: Dr. Bob is is one of the few consulting physicians in the U.S. who prescribes antibiotics for disaster preparedness as part of his normal scope of practice. His web site is: SurvivingHealthy.com.

Letter Re: Lexan for Bulletproof Windows

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Dear James,
I have recently purchased raw land to build my retreat. Soon I will begin building a home, and wish to equip it with windows which can resist small arms fire. I can obtain Lexan in 1/2″ thickness, and my question is, will I need two pieces of glazing in each window, or three (or more)? I do not think it likely that I will be shot at with anything larger that .50 caliber. Your thoughts on the matter are most welcome. Thanks, – Zoomer

JWR Replies: To begin, I must warn readers that acrylic Plexiglas and polycarbonate Lexan are significantly different materials. Lexan is flexible, while Plexiglas is quite brittle. Some other flexible transparent polycarbonate plastics include Armormax, Cyrolon, Hygard, Lexgard, Makroclear, Makrolon, and Tuffak. So only use one of these for ballistic protection applications, not Plexiglas!

Your intent to use multiple laminations of 1/2″ thick Lexan is not without precedent. But its sounds easier than it really is, in practical application. One sheet (of 1/2″ thickness) Lexan will stop single hits from a .22 Long Rifle (LR) rimfire, but not repeated hits if they are well-aimed. Two thicknesses will stop 9mm, but they won’t stop any bullets at higher velocity. Unfortunately, it would take more than 3″ of just Lexan to stop most rifle bullets, and probably much more than that to stop .30 caliber steel-cored AP bullets from a 7.62mm NATO, .30-06, or 7.62x54r. And I would assume that stopping .50 BMG AP or API would require more than foot of thickness of just Lexan, but I haven’t been able to find an unclassified source on this. For comparison: the Springfield .30-06 produces a muzzle energies up to 3,000 foot-pounds, while .50 BMG ball produces up to 15,000 foot-pounds! (An unclassified industry white paper Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation is quite instructive. Detailed ballistic protection specifications for military armored glass developed by the US and UK military are classified.)

The armored glass used in many current lightly-armored vehicles such as the up-armored M1114 HMMWV are up to 3.5″ thick (depending on armoring generation), and use proprietary sandwiches of transparent polycarbonate plastics and laminated glass. Lighter-weight armored glass made for limousines are even more exotic (and costly), but are still quite thick and heavy.) One of the very best is Global Security Glazing’s Secur-Tem + Poly, which has been tested to NIJ Level IV protection against single .30-06 hits. But even this is still 2.11 inches thick, and it weighs 24.38 pounds per square foot. The cost per square foot for this material is quite high.

The most efficient bullet resistant windows are made by bonding alternating layers of Lexan and laminated glass. Note that if you are making your own, that the inner-most layer should always be Lexan rather than glass, to prevent glass fragment spalling. (Just because a bullet is stopped, doesn’t protect you from getting splattered with fragments, as the inner-most layer flexes with a hypersonic shock wave.) It is notable that most modern armored vehicles have a spall liner.

So, say that you want to build a house with “.50 caliber bullet proof windows”? Unfortunately, the cost of even .30 AP protection would probably be prohibitive for constructing any residential windows larger that 12″ x 12″, and even then their transparency would definitely suffer. With more and more laminations, a window becomes progressively more opaque–that is, translucent rather than transparent.

Lastly, you need to consider that the window frame that you use will have to be wide, very stout, and very firmly attached. Otherwise, your window laminate will pop out with the impact of the first shot, leaving the opening unprotected. Windows with narrow or otherwise unsubstantial frames would also be vulnerable to attack by sledgehammers. A wedge shaped cross-section (achieved by making the outer layers progressively larger surface area sheets, and a tapered window frame, to match) is the most effective way to protect against such attacks.

Reader George S. wrote to add: The Schott Glass/ GEMTRON Vincennes, Inidiana glass production line has been shut down, but their production of laminate glass direct vision panels for the recent-generation Oshkosh military MRAP armored vehicles is still in operation.

Letter Re: The SKS: A Battle Rifle on the Cheap

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Hello James,
Just a short article for the financially stressed who want a battle rifle. Not all of us can shell out $1,500 to $2,500 for the latest battle rifle with $800 to $3,000 worth of optics on it. But there is hope for us. Here in the south, you can usually pick up a good used Norinco (read Chinese) SKS for $150. (But I’ve heard that they cost more, elsewhere.) I have one that I found that was in excellent condition. These are very reliable weapons with chromed chamber and bore. One with some surface rust may go for $100 if the guy is desperate for cash. A friend bought one like this last month, for$ 100. It was a little rusty and scratched up, but functional. The guy needed beer money, sad. If worst comes to worst, go to a gun show with $200 in your pocket. You should secure an SKS and have money left over for a USA steel 30 rd. or TAPCO 20 round detachable magazine, or two. You can find, at the same show, a black plastic sporter stock, used for about $35, or so. I did, and so can you.

Note: The sporter-stocked SKS doesn’t freak out most policeman. But one a folding job with pistol grip, and Picatinny rails all over it probably will. Trust me!

Now, you need better sights. My SKS did not shoot good groups (8-9 inch @ 100 yards.) like my AR-15 does (1.5 inch @ 100 yards.) I’m 68, so did not like the open sights. I replaced them with a $26 Williams peep for some improvement, but the eye is still too far from the peep for a moving target. Went to Tech sights web site and found two styles of rear-mounted peeps for the SKS. I took a chance and risked $45 for the TS-100 model plus $6.00 shipping. The improvement was astounding! I now have over 50% plus more sight radius, from front to rear. Group diameters are cut in half, and this with El-Cheapo Russian ammo. Most aftermarket stocks for the SKS will accept the detachable magazines. If not, then you can carefully file them out so as to accept them. The best for me, was the American made 30 round steel magazine. It feeds flawlessly with any type of ammo. In my experience the Tapco 20 rounders re good too, but will not feed reliably with Brown Bear ammo. I called Tapco, and the man said this was becoming a common complaint. The coating on the Brown Bear sticks to the sides of the plastic mag body if you load it to full capacity. With only 10 or 11, it will do fine. With the cheap stuff, the Tapco magazine works well, but not as perfectly as the steel magazine. YMMV! I also avoid using the TAPCO magazine for the  hollow point ammo. I’m shooting FMJ pointed from now on.

Okay, we’ve got your SKS, say $150, plus the sporter stock for $35 (at a gun show), two steel 30 round USA mags at $40 (gun show), and the tech sight @ $51 Priority mail from Tech Sight.   Comes to $276. The sights are new, all else may be used, but in nice condition. Well done. One of the best features of the SKS is the cheap ammo. I just ordered another 500 rounds of Tula pointed 7.62×39 from a distributor for $104 plus $22 shipping. I can live with this!

Don’t just buy this and throw it in a closet. Work with it, shoot it, clean it, learn to field strip it, and care for it like a newborn child. Use real gun oil on it, never WD-40. BTW, The bolt has to be withdrawn to insert these magazines. If you shoot it dry, the carrier catch should hold the bolt back so you can easily remove the mag. If sill loaded, you must pull the bolt back and hold it back while removing the mag. Takes 3 hands at first, but you will soon learn the easy way to do it. You ARE going to practice doing this, I’m sure. Right? Any rust on it? Get #0000 Stainless Steel wool (the finest), and make a one inch diameter ball of it. Soak this with gun oil and RUB. This will remove most light rust, but will not affect any remaining finish. Rubbing with a copper penny (pre-82) held in small Vice Grips pliers will remove more stubborn rust. Copper won’t scratch steel! These served me well in my 10 year stint in gun repair. My apologies for so much of this being out of sequence, but I hope you can acquire your own Battle rifle. Not the best, but acceptable, until you can do better. Remember the old military saying “take care of your rifle, and someday it will take care of you. As we approach the precipice of TEOTWAWKI I wish each of you my best. Make sure Jesus Christ is your Savior, so you won’t have to go you know where. God Bless you. ????? ????. – Mack, in Lower Slobovia

Economics and Investing:

Diana sent this little history lesson: When the $1 Note Was Silver-Backed

Cable TV show ignites modern-day Alaska Gold Rush. Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.

Loyal content contributor R.B.S. sent this: In tough economy, people turning in rare, unique items in for cash

Items from The Economatrix:

Pawn Stars:  Five Household Items With Hidden Value

Iran Threatens To Extend Oil Embargo

Analysts Warn Oil Could Pass $200 on Iran Tensions

8 Reasons Why the Greek Debt Deal May Not Stop a Chaotic Greek Debt Default

Odds ‘n Sods:

On Thursday, March 1, Matt Bracken’s first novel Enemies Foreign and Domestic will be put into Amazon Kindle’s free library, for a period of only four or five days. Mark your calendar, and tell your friends. BTW, I highly recommend Matt’s novels. His latest novel, Castigo Cay, is another page-turner.

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Diana was the first of several readers to send this news from The American Redoubt: Wyoming House advances doomsday bill. “State representatives on Friday advanced legislation to launch a study into what Wyoming should do in the event of a complete economic or political collapse in the United States.” JWR Asks: So…. Which blog have they been reading?

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Of interest to those living near Columbia, South Carolina: A prepper conference is planned Saturday, March  3, 2012 at Christian Life Church, 2700 Bush River Road Columbia, South Carolina. When you go these events, wear your SurvivalBlog or Bennington Flag t-shirt. You never know who you might bump into. For ticket information see this YouTube video.

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The World War Three files: For 30 years the papers have been kept secret. Now, the extraordinary story of how Whitehall drew up terrifyingly detailed plans for nuclear armageddon can finally be revealed. SurvivalBlog readers will find the description of widespread looting and massive refugee outflows from the major cities of particular interest.

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Manny B. sent this: If there was a total meltdown of society, how long would the GPS system continue to work?

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Shrinking Sky! Cloud Tops Dropping Closer to Earth, NASA Satellite Finds. (A hat tip to K.A.F. for the link.)

Recipe of the Week:

R.G.’s Cinnamon & Spice Cookies

Here is an old family favorite.  This fits right in with SurvivalBlog as it stores well and travels well.

4 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
5 egg yolks
1 egg white (set additional egg whites aside)
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 cup of honey, warmed

Sift dry ingredients on a board or in a bowl. Add eggs and enough honey to make a medium stiff dough. roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2-inch rounds (I use a juice glass.) Brush with slightly beaten egg whites. Dip in a mixture sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown, at 350 degrees.

Chef’s Notes:

My grandparents came to this country from Austria-Hungary in 1908. This is a recipe that my grandmother brought with her. This is my favorite cookie. These cookies are keep extremely well (they contain no shortening) and are great for mailing to servicemen and women.

For colorful Holiday cookies you can use a cinnamon-sugar mix colored by a couple of drops of food coloring.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

A reader mentioned a very useful blog on Survival cooking, recipes and menu-planning.

John and Abigail Adams sent us the URL for a site on North American Indian Recipes.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have tested extensively? Then please e-mail it to us for posting. Thanks!

Note From JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 39 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) 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 F-50 hand well pump (a $349 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 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.

Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M.

Much has been written about what particular guns are best for home defense and SHTF, but I haven’t seen much about taking care of these weapons when gunsmiths are not around.  Let’s look at what typically causes firearms to fail. 

As a gunsmith, the main cause of firing malfunctions I see is dirt.  This can be crud built up from dust collecting in oil forming a grease-like substance, or rust, or build-up from burned powder (carbon), or residue from the casings or shells.

The second most encountered problems stem from magazines, or broken or weak springs.  Lost pins or screws, and broken extractors or firing pins tend to be the next [most common] group of failures.

So how do you prepare for these problems?  First, if you don’t have an owner’s manual for your gun, go to the manufacturer’s web site and download one.  It will give you information on proper operation, how to field strip the gun for cleaning, and lubrication instructions.  If it is an older gun, you may be able to find a manual at StevesPages.com.  The next document you should have is an exploded parts list and instructions on disassembly and assembly of the firearm.  Many of these are also available at StevesPages.com. 

The next thing you will need is a good cleaning kit.  Be sure you have lots of patches, and extra bore brushes for your particular caliber.  A chamber brush is also helpful.  There are all types of bore cleaner solvents.  Pick your flavor.  Here is a recipe for a great bore cleaner that you can make up yourself.  It was invented by C.E. ”Ed” Harris. You can always bottle some of it for barter later.  It is the widely-used “Ed’s Red” (ER).   This cleaner has an action very similar to standard military issue rifle bore cleaner, such as Mil-C-372B. Users report it is more effective than Hoppe’s for removing plastic fouling in shotgun bores, or caked carbon fouling in semi-automatic rifles or pistols, or in removing leading in revolvers. It is not as effective as Sweets 7.62, Hoppe’s Bench Rest Nine or Shooter’s Choice for fast removal of heavy copper fouling in rifle bores. However, because “ER” is more effective in removing caked carbon and abrasive primer residues than other cleaners, metal fouling is greatly reduced when “ER” is used on a continuing basis.  It is inexpensive, effective, provides good corrosion protection and adequate residual lubrication so that routine “oiling” after cleaning is rarely necessary, except for long-term storage of over 1 year, or harsh service environments, such as salt water exposure.

CONTENTS: Ed’s Red Bore Cleaner
1 part Dexron II, IIe or III Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF), GM Spec. D-20265 or later.
1 part Kerosene – deodorized, K1
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS #64741-49-9, or may substitute “Stoddard Solvent”, CAS #8052-41-3, or equivalent, (aka “Varsol”)
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.
(Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon. It is okay to substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS FOR “ER” BORE CLEANER:

[JWR Adds This Warning: All of the usual precautions for handling caustic and flammable solvent fluids must be taken, such as wearing goggles and rubber gloves.]

Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean 1 gallon metal, chemical resistant, heavy gauge PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also okay. Do NOT use a HDPE container, which is permeable, because the acetone will eventually evaporate. The acetone in ER will also attack HDPE, causing the container to collapse, making a big mess!

Add the ATF first. Use the empty ATF container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly mixed. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin it into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved. Divert a small quantity, up to 4 ounces per quart of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for optional use as an “ER-compatible” gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the remaining mix.

Label with necessary SAFETY WARNINGS: RIFLE BORE CLEANER, CAUTION: FLAMMABLE MIXTURE, HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.  Flammable mixture! Keep away from heat, sparks or flame. FIRST AID, If swallowed DO NOT induce vomiting, call physician immediately. In case of eye contact immediately flush thoroughly with water and call a physician. For skin contact wash thoroughly.

The lanolin can be found at better pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens.  Ask the pharmacist, they usually have it in the back, not out on the shelves.

Ed’s Red will not dissolve copper fouling, so have some copper remover solution on hand.  Be aware that the ammonia in the copper remover can damage stock finishes, and will dissolve brass bore brushes.  Have some extra brushes on hand, or use a stainless steel brush.

The next item to have on hand is a quality gun oil.  They are all pretty good.  Note above that you can make your own from ATF/kerosene mix.  If you want to improve on this, add a little lanolin.  The lanolin provides longer term protection, since some of the other ingredients will eventually evaporate.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING “Ed’s Red (ER)” Bore Cleaner:
Open the firearm action and ensure the bore is clear. Cleaning is most effective when done while the barrel is still warm to the touch from firing. Saturate a cotton patch with bore cleaner, wrap or impale on jag and push it through the bore from breech to muzzle. The patch should be a snug fit. Let the first patch fall off and do not pull it back into the bore.
Wet a second patch, and similarly start it into the bore from the breech, this time scrubbing from the throat area forward in 4-5″ strokes and gradually advancing until the patch emerges out the muzzle. Waiting approximately 1 minute to let the bore cleaner soak will improve its action.

For pitted, heavily carbon-fouled guns, leaded revolvers or neglected bores a bronze brush wet with bore cleaner may be used to remove stubborn deposits. This is unnecessary for smooth, target-grade barrels in routine use.

Use a final wet patch pushed straight through the bore to flush out loosened residue dissolved by Ed’s Red. Let the patch fall off the jag without pulling it back into the bore. If you are finished firing, leaving the bore wet will protect it from rust for 1 year under average conditions.

If the lanolin is incorporated into the mixture, it will protect the firearm from rust for up to two years. For longer term use Lee Liquid Alox as a Cosmoline substitute. “ER” will readily remove hardened Alox or Cosmoline.
Wipe spilled Ed’s Red from exterior surfaces before storing the gun. While Ed’s Red is harmless to blue and nickel finishes, the acetone it contains is harmful to most wood finishes.
Before firing again, push two dry patches through the bore and dry the chamber, using a patch wrapped around a suitably sized brush or jag. First shot point of impact usually will not be disturbed by Ed’s Red if the bore is cleaned as described. It is always good practice to clean your guns twice, two days a apart whenever using corrosively-primed ammunition, just to make sure you get all the corrosive residue out. [JWR Adds: If in doubt about the priming used in any batch of military surplus ammunition or any ammunition of any description that is made in Eastern Europe or China, clean your guns repeatedly!]

Remember, after cleaning, you can apply a thin layer of oil to protect from rust.  Blued or parkerized finishes will still rust.  But notice, I say “thin”.  Excess oil will attract dirt, and can freeze an action in very cold weather.

Now, for spare parts.  Replacement spring sets are available for most guns, usually for about $10 to $20.  They are inexpensive, and can be purchased from www.Brownells.com  or www.Midway.com.   The other items I would recommend are replacement pin kits, a spare firing pin, and a spare extractor.  If you have an odd or old gun, you may be able to find parts from Numrich at www.GunPartsCorp.com.  Some guns like an AR-15 have critical spare parts kits available for around $35.  Even if you don’t feel comfortable replacing some of these parts, gunsmiths will be around, and if you have the parts, and diagrams, they can fix it for you.

Recommended tools would include a basic gunsmithing screwdriver set, some pin punches, a plastic faced or rawhide hammer, needle nose pliers, and some sort of vise, with padding for the jaws.  Specialty tools might be a broken shell extractor for your caliber rifle.

Battery powered optical sights are great, but be sure to have spare batteries, and some sort of iron back-up sights in the event they break.  Extra magazines are also essential.

I don’t want to get into specific guns to buy, but I would recommend a “reliable” one.  Cheap or worn-out guns should be replaced now.  You can keep old ones for barter, but don’t rely on them for yourself.  Also, some guns can cycle reliably on any ammo you feed it, while others are very sensitive to different loads and brands.  You may not be able to have the luxury of buying the exact brand that you like in a SHTF situation, so maybe it is time to trade for one that is happy with anything.  Most new guns need at least 500 rounds run through to properly break them in.  Another good reason to practice!

Another good source of information on particular firearms are the gun forums online.  For instance, GlockTalk.com, AK-Builder.com, FALFiles.com, or AR-15.com. You will learn pretty much all that you need to learn from them.  Just remember, as with this and any info you find on the internet, use common sense applying it.