Economics and Investing:

John R. recommended this: Perpetual QE Without the Billboard (Jim Willie)

K.T. sent a link to a video of Chris Martenson’s presentation at the Gold & Silver Meeting in Madrid. This is a great lecture and hence a hour well-spent! A key question: Are you living in a state that is a energy exporter or an energy importer? (Think: Geothermal, coal, natural gas, and oil.) Plan ahead, and relocate your family strategically.

G.P. suggested: IMF rescue of Italy will spark global uprising

Michael A. alerted me to this: US gives money to Eurozone. (And much of it will come out of thin air.) Some analysis: Where Are We?

L.C. sent this: The Run On Europe Begins: “Once Runs Like This Get Started, They Can Accelerate Fast”

Items from The Economatrix:

Euro In Danger, Europe Races For Debt Solution

Fitch Keeps US AAA Credit Rating But Dims Outlook

S&P Downgrades Top US Banks’ Credit Ratings

Moody’s Continues Fanning The Eurozone Debt Crisis Flames

Financial Red Alert:  Europe Stands On Verge of “Apocalyptic” Debt Crisis With Only Days Remaining

Odds ‘n Sods:

Stephen F. flagged an article about a spiral pump at the The No Tech Magazine web site. They have a wealth of information and links. 

   o o o

Rand Paul warns preppers that the government considers you terrorists. (A hat tip to Joseph R. for the link.)

   o o o

Furious at Latest U.S. Attack, Pakistan Shuts Down Resupply Routes to Afghanistan “Permanently”

   o o o

Horse meat may be back on the menu. (The number of horses already being shipped to Canada for slaughter was already huge. Ditto for the dog food trade here in the U.S., via rendering. Now, horses might end up on dinner tables here in the States. Here is a troubling, unanswered question: Who will prevent contamination of the viande de cheval by euthanasia drugs, since most horses are euthanized?)

   o o o

At the same time the “Russian” SCADA water plant attack in Illinois has had its attribution questioned, we read: Hacker says he broke into Texas water plant, others. And here is a related article: Hacker ‘makes a point’ after DHS downplays Russian SCADA cyberattack. (Thanks to SurvivalBlog’s Mike Williamson for the links.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt….I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple." – Thomas Jefferson

Announcing the SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Prize Winners for Round 37

We’ve completed the judging for Round 37 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest:

First Prize goes to Paul B., for Staple Foods Storage By The Numbers, posted on November 10th. He will receive: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.)A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Second Prize goes to J.M. for Rawhide and Brain Tanning, posted on November 23rd. He will receive: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize goes to Masquita for How to Make Lye Soap, posted on November 30th. She will receive: 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.

Honorable Mention Prizes ($30 Amazon.com gift certificates) go to the authors of these articles:

The Ultimate Altoids Tin Survival Kit, by J.C.R.

Gauze and Water: A Combat Medic’s Guide to Preparedness Medicine, by Walker

Sleeping With the Friendlies, by Heidi C.

Experience Building a Missouri Masonry Stove, by Tiasabaki

First Aid: From Sprained Ankles to Gunshot Wounds, by Big Country

Field-Test Improvements to a Go Bag, by Todd S.

Homestead Food Production by Mary A.

How to Defend a Retreat Against Wheeled Vehicle Threats, by B.W. in Pennsylvania

Land of Plenty–Establishing or Reclaiming an Orchard, by D.V.

Some Seed Saving Advice, by Lydia S.

Note to all prize winners: Please e-mail me, so that I have your current contact information.

I also have some great news: Starting with the next round (Round 38) the top prize in the First Prize package will include a gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand. Also, JRH Enterprises has upgraded their medic kit prize to a Tactical Trauma Bag #3 — a $200 value! (Also part of the First Prize package.) I greatly appreciate their generosity.

Round 38 begins today. As usual, we ran out of room for articles that were received in the last week of Round 37, so we we’ve begun posting those extra articles today.

Please start writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

How to Find a Doctor to Help You Prepare, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

Last week I received disturbing news from a reader.  His physician was ready and willing to help him prepare for a protracted sailboat cruise.  He planned to be gone several months, and requested medicine to take along, just in case he or his family became ill – sounds reasonable to me. 

However, before the doctor wrote the prescriptions, the practice manager stepped in and vetoed the idea.  Turns out, the doctors were salaried, hence subject to the constraints of their employers.
In thinking back to my earlier article on SurvivalBlog (How to Get Your Doctor to Help You Stockpile Medicine), I did not address the issue of what sort of doctor is likely to help survivalists with their preparations.  However, this point is worth discussing, especially if you have been turned down.
The following are five things to consider in finding a physician to help you prepare for an uncertain future.

  1. Age.  Young doctors are not thinking about the end of things. Their careers and family life are just beginning.  With medical education and residency extending to thirty years of age or more, even at forty doctors are still paying off loans and getting started with child-raising.  Psychologically, doctors (as well as patients) in this age group are little focused on a crumbling future.  However, doctors age 50 or more are more likely to see the American economy with some historical perspective, and are therefore much more likely to be genuinely concerned – and hence more likely to assist in prepping.
  2. Faith.  If a person’s only acquaintance with Armageddon is via the movies, they probably have little understanding of Biblical prophecy.  Not that Christians are the only ones to see the writing on the wall, but a person who has studied the book of Revelation is more likely to believe the world may come to an end in our generation – the first generation with the capability of destroying civilization.  It’s not that difficult to know where your doctor stands.  Look for telltale wall hangings, or quotes, or magazines, or simply ask.
  3. Independence.  More and more doctors are becoming salaried employees.  With this comes responsibility to the group, the corporation, the practice manager, etc.  The majority of doctors also have contracts with insurance companies, who audit their charts periodically.  (You may not know that your personal records are subject to these audits, but they well may be, whenever someone else is paying the bill.)  Independent fee-for-service doctors currently “enjoy” the most freedom to practice as they like (often at the price of decreased income).  Also, independent physicians are more likely to think independently.
  4. Size.  Group practices are becoming the norm for many reasons, the largest being economic concerns.  Solo practitioners and two-physician partnerships are becoming non-viable, and doctors are selling out to larger corporations at a record rate.  However, there are still a few “dinosaurs” around, mostly doctors who have been in practice a number of years, and who are “riding it out.”  These docs may not be taking new patients, but it doesn’t hurt to ask, especially if you’re willing to pay cash. Solo practitioners are much more likely to be of the independent mindset, per above.
  5. Politics.  What does your doctor think about our country?  Does he agree with you when you profess fear for the economy?  If not, why would he help you prep? Lots of doctors (at least primary care doctors) feel the economic pinch.  Those who don’t may not believe a crisis is imminent and hence be less sensitive to your concerns.

If your doctor is young, wealthy, and part of a group practice, odds are against a prepper mentality.  Look for someone with a few decades under his or her belt, maybe someone who drives a 10-year-old car, and goes to church.

Lastly, even if you have medical insurance, you are permitted to contract privately with your doctor for uncovered services (if your doctor is willing).  You would need to ask your doctor ahead of time about arranging a private consultation and paying for this apart from your insurance. (Editor’s Note: Dr. Koelker is SurvivalBlog’s primary Medical Editor, the author of the popular book 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care. She is also the Editor of ArmageddonMedicine.net.)

A Grandfather’s Advice on How to Survive and Thrive, by M.R.B.

I have managed to learn about two really important things in my lifetime.  I’m not talking about plumbing, math, how to tie my shoes, how to make waffles, and the countless skills I have acquired.  I’m talking about really important things.  The first is understanding money.

Think about the game Monopoly?  Each player is given some paper money (ones, fives, tens, etc.) with instructions that this money can be used to buy property and pay fines, rent, and get out of jail.  With our game hats on we enter the world where these pieces of paper are money.  We roll the dice and take our turns at buying and selling and making a living.  We experience ‘up’ turns and ‘down’ turns.  At some point when the game is over – the pieces of paper return to their intrinsic value.  They still look the same – but they were only money while the game was being played – while everyone agreed to their value.

What about dollar bills — are dollars real money??  What is the intrinsic value of a dollar??  Or is the dollar only money as long as the current game is being played?  What if some players ran out of money – decided to take a break – go to the printer and print up more dollars –then they divide this extra money among themselves (not everyone – not you – not me – just them)  and then return to the game  ready to play some more.   How would you feel about the game?  How would you feel about dollars being money? 
Are you aware that the private banking concern – The Federal Reserve – created over $3 trillion dollars out of thin air since the beginning of the financial crisis?  Why??  Some of the world players ran out of money.  Out of the 6+ billion people on the face of the earth – how much did you get? How about you, your family, any and all friends you know, your neighbors – what’s the sum total that group received?

The dollar is the world reserve currency, therefore, people all over the world recognize it and consider it money.  But is the dollar inherently money?  Or is it money only because we have been told by those in authority that it is money and we (the 99) go along with it?  We trade dollars every day for food and fuel and all sorts of things that we want more than the dollars themselves – so it seems like money.  What would happen if people’s conscientiousness was raised to understanding our monetary system is being manipulated and debased – and they decided to quit the game and trade in something with intrinsic value?   How would you position yourself and family?  Would you hold dollars or would you want to hold something with intrinsic value?

A dollar is simply a piece of paper to which we attribute a value – it is used as a convenience like a check from our checking account.  And similar to a check it may, or may not, represent money.  Most of us have experienced a bounced check – a piece of paper that was supposed to be worth money but ended up not worth anything because we didn’t have sufficient funds in the account.  The American dollar has the same limitation – it is backed by nothing but a promise.  Up until 1971, it was backed by gold, that year President Nixon removed gold backing.  This left the dollar as a fiat currency – supported solely by a government guaranty.   Soon all the countries of the world followed America’s example and turned to fiat.  We now live in a world of promises.

Your wealth is the total sum of your valuable assets that you possess and resources and skills in your control.  If your wealth is primarily concentrated in dollars and/or debt, at this point in history you have placed yourself in a precarious position.  So if you have a savings account of $100,000, you have the right to withdraw 100,000 pieces of paper – dollars.  As long as countries around the world continue to have faith in the dollar having value, you can spend those dollars for ‘stuff’; but I personally try to get out of dollars as well as dollar denominated assets. Why?  — because dollars are the middle class and poor man’s choice for savings.  Banks don’t value your dollars – that’s why they presently offer only ½ % interest.  If they could use and therefore, wanted your dollars, they would give you a decent rate.  Savvy people want tangible assets that they can possess. 

If you have a house worth $200,000 with a $100,000 note attached, you potentially have $100,000 principal and $100,000 debt.  In order to realize any money you would have to sell your house – pay off your debt and pocket the rest.  But first you need to find a buyer who either has cash or qualifies for a $200,000 loan — something that is becoming harder and harder to find.  It is a buyer’s market with over 18 million vacant houses and growing in the USA.  Under normal circumstances I would consider the principal as part of your wealth, but in today’s financial mess we are in, I would not count my chickens before they hatch.

It is my belief that a house can be considered part of your wealth only if you own it – same for your cars, furniture, etc.  Debt trumps assets.  And if you own your house, have a garden, fruit and nuts trees, berry bushes, a well or spring, firewood, guns and ammunition, chickens, … — these all would be part of your wealth.  If you operate a business from your home – consider it part of your wealth factor.  And if your customers are local and your necessary raw materials can be found locally – so much the better.
So – careful when you count your money – you might be counting the wrong things.

The second thing is: how to stay in love.
I’m not claiming to be an expert nor am I thinking I have learned it all.  I just think after 36 years with the same partner and we are still in love means I might have some words of wisdom.  I’m also not saying all those years were perfect – it has been a learning experience.
The first thing I call –“Your turn, my turn”.  A couple decades back we bought a massage table.  My wife was studying some advanced nursing techniques having to do with therapeutic touch.  She practiced on me and in turn, I practiced on her.  Touching each other for the soul purpose of healing and making the other feel good re-energized our relationship.   Her turn – my turn – her turn – my turn.  In the early months it went back and forth daily.

Then she finished her classes and it slowed down.  Sometimes we would go for a week or two without practicing.  Sometimes we would forget whose turn it was.  Sometimes we would disagree on whose turn it was and neither of us would step up to the plate – feeling the other was getting a better deal.  But eventually we would start again – Your turn, my turn.  I liked getting my head massaged and she liked getting her feet massaged best.

As years passed, we lost the need to have equal turns.  There was one period when my wife worked and I was home.  She would come home very tired from a long shift and a two-hour round trip.  I would massage her feet every night while we watched television.  Sometimes she attempted to return the favor but often fell asleep.  For the most part, that was okay with me because I loved to show her my love and affection.  Sometime later, I had a heart attack and needed a couple weeks to recover from stent surgery.  She wasn’t working at the time and took care of me daily which included many head rubs.  More recently I had another heart attack which required open heart surgery.  This time I was down for almost two months.  She took incredible care of me and rubbed my head daily. 

The point is – staying in love requires unselfish action and expression.  At the top of my list of things to do each day is to express my love to my wife – to show her respect and appreciation.  I love to do little things for her – bring her coffee, let her dog out for her in the middle of the night – stay on top of the garbage and trash – wash the dishes – buy her flowers – make a fire in the morning before she wakes.  And I am very blessed to have a wife who puts me at the top of her list.

Touching and being touched in a non-sexual manner is an important part of a healthy relationship – foot rubs, head rubs, kissing, hugging, and walking hand in hand — the interactions that seem to come naturally in the early part of a relationship.  If and when they wane, it’s time for “your turn, my turn” to keep your love fresh and alive and take it to the next level.  And by the way, “my turn, your turn” doesn’t work for a very good reason.

So, there you have it – my thoughts on love and money – two things I don’t want to lose as we move through these uncertain times.

Letter Re: Gauze and Water: A Combat Medic’s Guide to Preparedness Medicine

Background: I converted my wife to prepping, working on the “kids”. Thirty Five years in EMS and 22 as an Emergency Medicine physician: prior work with Appleseed and Western Rifle Shooter’s Association travel course on Grid Down Medicine at its inception. Some austere medical and rescue training and operations, no military (I failed the physical).  I fully endorse your previous recommendations for the various medical education/training resources cited.
 
I would like to confirm Walker’s position, that for a mobile/bugout situation humping the ruck, his kit and strategy make a lot of sense. Protection from environmental factors, sanitation, water, and maybe food are all essentials that need to be considered when on the move or on bivy.   I would like to focus on three comments, from my experience and training, that bear consideration.
 
1.       The IV kit and saline. In a grid down, without rule of law, etc. scenario, 1000 cc of normal saline, the IV fluid most available outside the military, is of very little use acutely. Old (15th century and forward) logic suggested that a 3:1 ratio of fluid replacement to blood loss would result in symptomatic improvement of the receiver. With the dawn of ‘resuscitation’ science in the early 60’s, IV fluid was applied empirically (by rule of logic, not necessarily science) for several decades, until the wisdom of early surgical intervention for profound hemorrhage took hold (“The Golden Hour”). The current Military Trauma Combat Casualty Care guidelines look at more concentrated solutions for those ‘few’ that would benefit with a system of Medical Evacuation to definitive surgery, and even then, more often with head-injured patients than those with ‘simple’ bleeding wounds.  While the benefit of IV replenishment surrounding the performance of definitive, hospital type care, is provable, the volume required to treat a single patient without the probability of logistic support and evacuation would well exceed the capacity to carry, or limit your mobility . [For example, the standard non-blood IV fluid replacement for hemorrhagic (bleeding) shock is 40 cc per kg. That calculates out over 3 Liters for an adult. American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, Advanced Trauma Life Support program for Physicians recommend not more that 2 liters per person, plus blood, if hyotension (absent radial pulse/delayed capillary refill/altered mental status) persists. Value / effort ratio is not favorable in the crisis situation, if you have no logistics tail  In addition, current data from the war zones has evolved to the recognition that IV therapy to raise the blood pressure in the non head injured patient, without control of the internal bleeding tends to increase the bleeding. (Head injury patients represent a class of patients that are still recommended to raise the blood pressurein spite of the bleeding risk, because what we know about isolated brain injury demands good blood pressure, and we don’t have enough  data to withhold therapy while applying our other findings).
 
2.       The same experience resulted in a re-prioritization of immediate life saving care to gain control of lethal (exsanguinating) hemorrhage prior to airway-breathing issues, a major paradigm shift from prior decades of instruction. The mil teaches the Combat Life Saver (infantry) the use of the Naso-pharyngeal airway. There are some risks. But the “combitube” airway, and it’s current replacement, the King (brand) Laryngeal Tracheal Airway (LTA) also pose a logistics dilemma. The Combi-Tube and LTA are both only of use in the victim with no gag, i.e. deeply comatose and unresponsive. We place them for airway protection (though other tubes are better, they require a higher, perishable, skill set) and mostly to permit us to artificially breath for the patient. If you have no logistic to support the medical evacuation, and the device to provide breathing while awaiting that transport, the effort could be considered misdirected. We call this a “triage” decision, and in the grid down, inadequate personnel or equipment to manage, this patient would be “expectant”…awaiting death. Hard reality, but for the good of the rest of the crew, one that needs to be considered.
 
3.       As an old Red Cross First Aider before my other training, I have to second the endorsement on the triangular bandages, and the knowledge to apply in a variety of configurations. For a minimal weight penalty, and an increase in utility to ‘preserve the force’ during evacuation with otherwise minor orthopedic injuries (sprains and strains) I might select to include a 2” or 4” roll of stick to itself roller bandage, known commercially as COBAN, or a roll of 2” athletic tape (a little more substantial than the silk tape, which utility has been amply described by Walker) and the training /skill to use them for foot/ankle/knee/wrist/shoulder/hip bracing.
 
 
In summary, I agree with Walker on the “minimalist’ effective 24 hour overland bug out first aid kit, with the notes above. In my opinion, his kit ‘implies’ that there are still rescue resources and advanced tactic medical care available within a few hours, which may not be a true situation. His 72 hour kit is also sound. Think through your likely situation (natural disaster with resources expected in 12-24-72-or longer hours; grid up or down; medical care or transport assist available or not; base camp or mobile) when you select your components.
 
And finally, the “gear” only allows the prepared mind to manage the hurdles more efficiently, and does not replace training and critical decision making. – Pacer

Economics and Investing:

MF Global: Proof that the U.S. government is not able or willing to protect investors. (Thanks to Jeff H. for the link.)

Karl Smith: The Euro-Crisis is Much Worse Than It Looks

Just as if they were cranking up the printing presses: Top central banks move to avoid global liquidity crunch.

Meanwhile, overseas: China cuts reserve ratio in move to inject cash. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)

Harrisburg: a city at war with itself. (The first major U.S. city to declare bankruptcy. The first of many, I fear.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Prepare For Riots In Euro Collapse, Foreign Office Warns

European Banks Frantically Trying To Dump $7 Trillion of Cr*p Assets, But No One Will Buy Them

Venezuela Brings Home Gold Reserves

Today’s Currency War May Be Tomorrow’s Crisis

Note from JWR:

Today we present the last entry for Round 37 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. (We had a few too many entries to post in this round. The extras will be posted and judged in the next round.) The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.)A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 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 37 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

How to Make Lye Soap, by Masquita

WARNING: Lye is highly caustic and will degrade organic tissue. Do not allow lye to touch your skin, breathe in the fumes or be taken internally in any way. It will cause chemical burns, permanent scarring or blindness. Do not ever combine lye with aluminum, magnesium, zinc, tin, chromium, brass or bronze. When using or making lye, always wear protective equipment including safety glasses and chemical resistant gloves, and have adequate ventilation.
 
 
Basic homemade lye soap is useful for so much more than cleaning up the language of wayward children. Grandma used to rub it on dirty stains before washing. It is very soothing to sensitive skin, since the glycerin contained in homemade soap helps to clear acne, eczema and psoriasis. It eliminates the “human scent” on hunters. When rubbed on a poison oak, ivy or sumac reaction it will cool the itching when allowed to dry. Grandma used to tie a bar in an old sock and hang it on the porch as a bug repellent, and spread the scrapings around the base of the house to repel ants, termites, snakes, spiders and roaches. It was often used as a lubricant on machinery, drawers, and hinges.

Soap was discovered in Ancient Babylon as early as 2800 BC. It is thought to have been made for the first time when grease from the cooking pot boiled over and combined with the ashes from the camp fire. Our forefathers picked up the resulting soap and found that it was a good tool to keep themselves clean. Modern soap was made in regular practice as early as 300 AD in Germany .

The Saponification process
In its simplest form, soap is made from oil or fat, water and lye. Now, we buy concentrated lye and dissolve it in water before combining it with oil, but before modern lye could be bought at the store, people would take the hardwood ashes from their cookstove, store it in an old carved out tree or wooden barrel, and then pour rainwater through it to make the lye. They would test the strength of the lye by floating an egg in it. Then they would pour the lye into the warmed fat and stir it. When the fat and lye are combined, a chemical reaction takes place. There is no lye or fat left—they are combined to make something called soap.

Store bought lye is known as Sodium Hydroxide since it has more salt than does homemade lye, which is called Potassium Hydroxide. Sodium Hydroxide makes a much harder soap than Potassium Hydroxide. To make a harder soap out of homemade lye, add ½ tsp. of table salt for each pound of fat.

Tallow (beef fat), lard (pork fat) or vegetable oils can be used as the base for soap. These fats are called triglycerides. When the triglyceride is treated with lye, it rapidly forms the ester bond and releases glycerol (glycerin), the natural byproduct of saponification. Most homemade soap contains glycerin, which is why it’s so good for the skin; many commercial operations remove it for other applications.

Making the Lye
Lye making requires hardwood ash. Hardwoods include any fruit or nut trees and any of the following:  Alder, Apple, Ash, Aspen , Beech, Birch, Cherry, Cottonwood, Dogwood, Elm, Gum, Hickory , Locust, Maple, Oak, Olive, Pear, Poplar, Rosewood, Walnut, or Willow . Softwoods are to be avoided for this function: Cedar, Spruce, Pine, Fir, Hemlock, or Cypress .

In a wooden barrel or hollow tree, drill some holes in the very bottom, then set it up on a stand to allow room below for a pot to catch the lye water. Some people make a barrel with a removable plug which they remove after letting the water sit in the ash.  Under the stand, set a wooden or glass pot to catch the drip.

In the barrel, put first a layer of gravel, then a layer of straw or dried grass. Fill up the barrel with hardwood ash. When you are ready to make the lye, pour rainwater or other soft water through the ash. The minerals in hard water will interfere with the chemical reaction between the lye and the fat. The water may take up to a few days to drain through. The spent ashes can be composted or added to the garden.

In a specified purpose soap-making pot such as cast iron, boil the lye until a fresh, in-shell egg will float on top, with about half of the egg still above the surface of the lye. If it’s too high, add more water, if it won’t float, it needs to cook down a lot more or else be poured through a new batch of ashes. The egg will need to be destroyed after use. Another test of the lye strength is to dip a bird feather in it, and if it dissolves, the lye is strong enough. Don’t test it with your finger; if it’s strong enough, it will eat off the skin.

Rendering The Fat
After the animal (beef or pork) is butchered, take the fat and skin that you set aside and fill a heavy bottomed pot. Pork is the preferred fat for soapmaking. It’s best to render it outside so as to not stink up the house. We have used a homemade propane burner on legs, with a funnel to channel the air to make the flame hotter. Something similar could be made to use with wood heat. Simmer the fat in the pot, then ladle the liquid fat out of the cooking pot. We killed a 400 lb. hog and got about 10 gallons of rendered fat.

Making Soap—The Cold Process
If using commercially produced lye, it’s possible to use a cold process, where you warm the fat and dissolve the lye in water, then add the lye water to the fat and put in a blender and mix it, then pour into a mold. The emulsification starts when it “traces” with a spoon dragged over the rippled mixture.  It has to set for 6 weeks in the mold to be properly mixed.

1 lb. Commercial Lye soap recipe
¼ c. commercially produced lye
¾ c. soft water
2 c. (1 lb.) fat

6 lb. Commercial Lye soap recipe
13 oz commercially produced lye
1 ½ pt. soft water
12 c. (6 lb.) fat

Instructions: Suit up in safety goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Start with room temperature or cooler water. [Correction by JWR.] Add the lye to the water. This will warm the water substantially. Stir well, making sure you don’t breathe in the fumes. Set the mixture aside to cool, preferably outside or in a well ventilated area.

Melt all the oils together in a lye-tolerant pan. Allow them to cool to approximately 110°F or within 5° of the lye water.

Add the lye water to the melted oils, never the oil to the lye water. Stir vigorously until “trace” occurs. This can be done in a blender if you so desire. If you are stirring by hand, it may take an hour or more for it to trace.

Pour the traced soap mixture into your molds. Cover. Cut after 3-7 days. Allow to sit for a full 6 weeks to cure and finish the saponification process.

Making Soap—The Cooked Process
It isn’t recommended to use homemade lye with the cold process. The cooked-down lye water is added to the fat and then mixed as it cooks. The reactive time is shorter, since the mixing is done in the pot instead of setting in the mold. It still needs to set for four weeks or so to harden.

1 lb. Homemade Lye soap recipe
¾ c. lye water
½ tsp. salt
2 c. fat

6 lb. Homemade Lye soap recipe
4 ½ c. lye water
1 Tbsp. salt
12 c. (6 lb.) fat

The amount of lye will vary, depending on its strength. This is a starting measurement. The old timers would mix it up and see how well it set. If it was still watery, they’d add more lye and cook it some more. If it set up too hard, they’d add more water, because they didn’t want the soap to crack.

Mix the lye water, salt and fat in the pot. They need to be about the same temperature. The mixture is then heated and stirred until the emulsification (trace) happens. The heating and stirring enables adjustment of the amount of fat or lye, but nothing should be added until it is well heated. Pour into the mold. Cover. Cut after 3-7 days. Allow to harden 4-6 weeks.

Additives
Essential oils can be added to the fats before the lye is added. You can choose your own combination. The amount of essential oils needs to be part of the total amount of fat, so the soap isn’t made soft from too much oil. Botanicals, herbs, oatmeal, citrus peels, or any other desired additives can be added after the soap traces, and then it can be poured into the mold.

Molds
No metal should be used as a soap mold. It’s best to use a flexible material such as plastic, for ease of removal. I mostly search thrift stores for old plastic storage boxes. The old-timers made wooden molds with removable bottoms. Or you can line a glass mold with plastic wrap before pouring in the soap.

Once you’ve used homemade lye soap, you’ll never go back to the store bought stuff. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s so much better than anything found on a store shelf.

The SPLC’s Demonization of SurvivalBlog and “Montana Extremists”

I’ve heard from several readers about the absolute hatchet job that was recently inflicted upon me. The statist Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) issued a wholesale smear against me, Pastor Chuck Baldwin, and Stewart Rhodes of Oath Keepers. This was well-documented here: Brandon Smith: SPLC Labels Montana Patriots as “Extremist”.

The SPLC is is famous for interspersing legitimate conservative public figures amidst lists of assorted racists, neo-Nazis, xenophobes, anti-Semites, criminals, and Grade A Whackamos. This is the classic “Guilt By Association” smear technique. In my case, it could better be called “Guilt By Non-Association”, since I have no connection with them, whatsoever. The SPLC even tried to label me as some sort of anti-government malcontent, simply because I use a Common Law presentation of my given name and my family’s surname. (With a comma betwixt, to distinguish between the two forms of appellation.)

Just read my Precepts page, any of my published books, or even my Wikipedia biography page. You will soon see that I am an anti-racist and pro-Israel. (And see for example, my American Redoubt page, where I posted: ” I can also forthrightly state that I have more in common with Orthodox Jews and Messianic Jews than I do with atheist Libertarians. I’m a white guy, but I have much more in common with black Baptists or Chinese Lutherans than I do with white Buddhists or white New Age crystal channelers.”

The bottom line: Please take purported “intelligence” reports published by the SPLC (and parroted by their fellow travelers) for what they are: none-too-subtle gray propaganda.

Seven Letters Re: Type 1 Diabetes–There Has to Be a Way to Prepare

Dear Editor:
Regarding primitive means of extracting insulin, I direct your readers to this article (PDF and images available here.)
 
Note that the term ‘spirit’ in the paper means pure ethyl alcohol, and modern ethyl rubbing alcohol is not suitable as it contains denaturing poisons.
It’s known that the mixtures must be kept at ice water temperatures or the insulin will be degraded. This is not intended for a kitchen chemist, some knowledge of chemistry and lab technique is preferred.
 
Referencing this article is not intended to give medical advice. – A.N. Onymieux

 

Hey Jim,
I read the call for an insulin producing procedure so I spent some time searching and came across a useful thread over at The Survivalist Boards. I am sure they are looking for more detail but thought I would send it just in case it could help them.

Thanks  – Tim

 

Mr Rawles,
I do not want to make it sound like I know anything about type 1 Diabetes. I know my mother has it or she has Type 2 and uses insulin for that. She used to control it with a pills but now has to inject. I never gave it much thought until my step-father recently passed away.

I also try not to buy into conspiracy theory’s. I do believe in many ways that money changes the out come of many decisions and this could be one of them. Let’s face it, insulin is big money.

A prepper fiend told me that he was type I and that he had a very good supply of insulin. He was working on saving up to buy a solar refrigerator and with that he might be able to live for two years after a complete lose of supply. I did not like the sound of it. Putting a time on it just did not site right with me so I did some research.

What I found was a patent applied for in 1970 titled: FREEZE STABILIZED INSULIN, United States Patent 3683635.

Basically, the the concept is to flash freeze insulin in liquid nitrogen. By doing this the liquid freeze within seconds and the water does not get to separate and form crystals.

My fiend found this very interesting and decide to try it for himself. He now rotates some of his supply through this process and he is still alive after over a full year. The reason I say some is that according to the information the shelf life expiration date is delayed. If the expiration is 1 year and you use this process at the 6 month mark, then you still have 6 months left when you thaw it. If this part is true then you really do not need to rotate or even use what you freeze. You just have to be able to keep it frozen. A really good solar freezer might be in order.

Your first question after reading this is going to be about obtaining liquid nitrogen. Most compressed gas suppliers sell it for medical use. You first have to buy a special thermos from them for about $25. Just tell them you are a chef and need it for some crazy dish your are making or to make something you saw on food network.

Good luck, and I pray no one will ever need to use the foregoing. – John M.

 

Mr Rawles,
I did a bit of searching and found a formula. It is pretty complicated but there are some practical bits of advice that are more realistic.

The plan was posted by a doctor and his wife who is a nurse and are both preppers and host a radio show on the subject. – Tricia

Dear JWR:
Israel Pharma Company has developed  ORAMED – Oral insulin.  this may be the long term solution, making it through studies, looking hopeful.

Thanks for what you do!  God Bless You. – Elizabeth B.

 

James Wesley:
The Doom and Bloom Blog has covered how to make insulin and penicillin, but you will need some chemistry knowledge and the equipment listed.To keep stored insulin cool in summer a roman evaporative cooler would work best as it only uses water and can be made out of 2 [unglazed] vases or [unglazed terra cotta] planter pots (with duct tape), a sheet and sand. Even though these where used by the ancient romans most videos showing how to make it are for charities in Africa [falsely] claiming that a Muslim invented it–long after Cleopatra was drinking iced drinks made by using these overnight in a dry area. How well they function depends on humidity. A warning about these coolers is that they can hit freezing temps which would be bad for insulin. It shouldn’t be a problem in the summertime especially if you use 2 wide mouth planters, but Egyptians and Romans could make small amounts of ice overnight. Duct tape would be effective to use with the holes on the bottom of planter pots:
Roman pottery cooler.

Making Penicillin at home.

Making Insulin.

I have a diabetic friend who I printed out instructions for but past the 6 months that insulin can be stored,he would probably have to take the recipe to the nearest teaching hospital, along with a live pig or bull. – Steve M.

 

Dear Mr. Rawles:
In regard to the letter from the father of a diabetic, on needing a recipe for Insulin.   Below is the recipe.
 
Not sound to gloomy, but I feel that in a survival situation, the requirements for making insulin are essentially impossible for anything less than a well equipped lab with one or more well
trained technicians.    The chemical requirements are daunting, the equipment extensive, the infrastructure (electricity, de-ionized water, etc. )  make it unlikely that a single person
could make insulin of sufficient purity and quantity to keep a Type 1 diabetic alive.  
 
In Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven’s novel, Lucifer’s Hammer,  one of the characters is a  Type 1 diabetic. He dies a few weeks / months after the meteorite impact, of Diabetic Coma.   I have to confess, I have thought about this before, and it appears that it is the inescapable conclusion. 
 
Preparation of Insulin:
 
Best and Scott who are responsible for the preparation of Insulin in the Insulin Division of the Connaught Laboratories have tested all the available methods and have appropriated certain details from many of these, several new procedures have been found advantageous have been introduced by them. The yield of Insulin obtained by Best and Scott at the Connaught Laboratories, by a preliminary extraction with dilute sulphuric acid followed by alcohol is 1,800 to 2,220 units per kg. of pancreas. [Here is a quote from Best and Scott:]

The [fairly modern] method of preparation is as follows. The beef or pork pancreas is finely minced in a larger grinder and the minced material is then treated with 5 c.c. of concentrated sulphuric acid, appropriately diluted, per pound of glands. The mixture is stirred for a period of three or four hours and 95% alcohol is added until the concentration of alcohol is 60% to 70%. Two extractions of the glands are made. The solid material is then partially removed by centrifuging the mixture and the solution is further clarified by filtering through paper. The filtrate is practically neutralized with NaOH. The clear filtrate is concentrated in vacuo to about 1/15 of its original volume. The concentrate is then heated to 50oC which results in the separation of lipoid and other materials, which are removed by filtration. Ammonium sulphate (37 grams. per 100 c.c.) is then added to the concentrate and a protein material containing all the Insulin floats to the top of the liquid. The precipitate is skimmed off and dissolved in hot acid alcohol. When the precipitate has completely dissolved, 10 volumes of warm alcohol are added. The solution is then neutralized with NaOH and cooled to room temperature, and kept in a refrigerator at 5oC for two days. At the end of this time the dark coloured supernatant alcohol is decanted off. The alcohol contains practically no potency. The precipitate is dried in vacuo to remove all trace of the alcohol. It is then dissolved in acid water, in which it is readily soluble. The solution is made alkaline with NaOH to PH 7.3 to 7.5. At this alkalinity a dark coloured precipitate settles out, and is immediately centrifuged off. This precipitate is washed once or twice with alkaline water of PH 9.0 and the washings are added to the main liquid. It is important that this process be carried out fairly quickly as Insulin is destroyed in alkaline solution. The acidity is adjusted to PH 5.0 and a white precipitate readily settles out. Tricresol is added to a concentration of 0.3% in order to assist in the isoelectric precipitation and to act as a preservative. After standing one week in the ice chest the supernatant liquid is decanted off and the resultant liquid is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate is then dissolved in a small quantity of acid water. A second isoelectric precipitation is carried out by adjusting the acidity to a PH of approximately 5.0. After standing over night the resultant precipitate is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate, which contains the active principle in a comparatively pure form, is dissolved in acid water and the hydrogen ion concentration adjusted to PH 2.5. The material is carefully tested to determine the potency and is then diluted to the desired strength of 10, 20, 40 or 80 units per c.c. Tricresol is added to secure a concentration of 0.1 percent. Sufficient sodium chloride is added to make the solution isotonic. The Insulin solution is passed through a Mandler filter. After passing through the filter the Insulin is retested carefully to determine its potency. There is practically no loss in berkefelding. The tested Insulin is poured into sterile glass vials with aseptic precautions and the sterility of the final product thoroughly tested by approved methods.

The method of estimating the potency of Insulin solutions is based on the effect that Insulin produces upon the blood sugar of normal animals. Rabbits serve as the test animal. They are starved for twenty four hours before the administration of Insulin. Their weight should be approximately 2 kg. Insulin is distributed in strengths of 10, 20, 40 and 80 units per c.c. The unit is one third of the amount of material required to lower the blood sugar of a 2 kg. rabbit which has fasted twenty four hours from the normal level (0.118 percent) to 0.045 percent over a period of five hours. In a moderately severe case of diabetes one unit causes about 2.5 grammes of carbohydrate to be utilized. In earlier and milder cases, as a rule, one unit has a greater effect, accounting for three to five grammes of carbohydrate.

Regards, – P.W.

Two Letters Re: No-Name AR-15s

Dear JWR:
I first became involved with the AR-15 platform in around 1990. My first two ARs were what I refer to as “garage builds”– someone’s amassed parts or parts kits and threw them together
These guns had both used and new parts, including at that time used M16 parts, and neither gun worked correctly or were very accurate.
It was due to these two poorly performing guns that I learned to work on the AR design.
Since then I’ve built and repaired around 150 guns.

In the past 20 years I’ve seen Colts, Bushmasters along with about every brand crash and burn, and I’ve seen the lesser known one do the same. But as pointed out in the article most of the makers of AR-15 type rifles do not make their own parts.

Like a chain, an AR is no stronger than its weakest part, I had a factory Bushmaster fail out of the box, when the buffer retainer plunger sheered within the first 5 rounds, and I have had Kit guns that have run over 5,000 rounds without a hiccup. Also proper assembly is paramount, and that is why sometimes the lower cost guns do not perform.
I have also seen no name kit guns hold sub MOA, and top end factory guns that wouldn’t go under an inch off a rest.

Preppers need to learn how their gun works, and do some research on what are possible problems, that they may need to address.
For the AR platform I’d recommend the following spare parts: 2 complete sets of springs, Spare extractor and pin, add a couple of additional extractor springs (make sure they have the rubber insert), 2-Spare buffer retainers and springs, 3 to 5 sets of gas rings, 1-Bolt carrier key and bolt set, 1 spare gas tube, 2 spare disconnectors (sear).
It pays to have both a set of drift punches and a set of roll pin punches, and while not cheap a set of roll pin starter punches especially for the really tiny pins, and a military armorer’s manual for the M16.s

When an AR fails to function the first thing I check is if the carrier key is loose on the bolt carrier, even the smallest amount of looseness can cause problems, if the bolts are not damaged I just re-tighten them, some say to replace them, but as I said if they are not damaged I re-tighten and re-stake, some prefer Lock-Tite to staking and both work, but do not use permanent [clear] type Lock-Tite, as you may one day need to replace that key. But that has fixed close to 90% of the ailing ARs that I have attended to.  Next would be the gas rings, then the gas tube. If your AR wants to sometimes double or triple fire you likely have a worn disconnector. Make sure to also replace disconnect spring when you do the repair.

While you have the hammer and trigger out inspect the back of the hammer where it engages the trigger nose, and inspect the nose of the trigger for wear, there was a rash of poorly hardened Chinese parts on the market for awhile. Also, do not attempt a “trigger job”, as only the surface area of the trigger is hardened. (NO Files or Dremel tools allowed) if you must, then use a fine india square stone.

Keep your AR clean and keep it lubed, I use bore cleaner and a bore snake on the barrel, everything else I hose down with carburetor cleaner, wipe off and dry, then lube with DuPont Silicone with Teflon. One important point with lubrication: What works in Florida, may not work in northern Alaska. – J.D.F.

 

JWR,
While I agree with the majority of Pat’s Product Review, there are a few things to consider when purchasing a new rifle. I have tried out a number of different ARs over the years, and consider myself pretty well versed on the subject. When it comes down to it, sometimes you get what you pay for. On the flip side of that coin, sometimes you pay extra for a name. Personally, I love my Colt. There are a ton of other great ones out there for a lot less money. I like the Colt because it is what I carried in the military and still carry as a full time LEO.

Whether you build a rifle from the receiver up or purchase a complete rifle, buy it right the first time or it will cost you more money in the long run. Also, if you decide to build the rifle yourself, be aware of differing sizes in parts kits for the [hammer and trigger] pin sizes. There are a lot of very affordable kits on the market right now that are a size .173″. Beware, these don’t fit most receivers. Get the right parts, as they are often not returnable. Most will take a .154″ sized pin kit. I have had really good luck with Colt parts, as well as Rock River. I have heard of problems with a few less expensive parts kits, so do your research before you buy. If you simply can’t pass up a great deal on a less expensive parts kit, then you’d better buy two to keep Murphy at bay.

Bells and whistles and accessories for AR rifle platforms can be debated forever. As a last item to consider for first time AR Rifle buyer: Don’t be misled by the term” chrome moly”. The chrome-moly versus chrome lined barrels are about $100 difference. When you buy one for the long haul, go for the chrome lined barrel. When it comes right down to it, the chrome is harder, will last longer, and will take the abuse of being heated up by extended rapid fire far better than the chrome-moly. Buy right the first time, save yourself problems and hassle.

Thanks for all you do. – Chip S.