Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog’s Pat Cascio sent this: After the Quake, Japanese Shop for Survival

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A reminder that another Self Reliance Expo will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 18-19, 2012. There will be more than 64 training classes, including a suturing class. (That one always has overflow attendance.) Karen Hood will be the keynote speaker. There are lots of interesting panel discussions including Women in Prepping — a five woman panel. There will be a half dozen SurvivalBlog advertisers there including The Appleseed Project. SurvivalBlog’s Central Rockies Regional Editor (“L.K.O.”) will be attending.

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Geoff S. spotted this: Radioactive man? Milford resident pulled over by state police

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Some bad legislation: Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs to Introduce “Stop Shoot First Laws” Amendment

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Reader Lee M. suggested this: Power outage maps for all 50 states plus as many other countries as I can find

Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

An Arrow Re-Fletching Project by H. of Bradenton

I decided to begin approaching the problem of surviving a possible collapse from the perspective of after it happened rather than before. And unless there is some extraordinary and unlikely event that sweeps this nation, one commodity that will certainly be depleted is firearm ammunition. There will be no running up to Wal-Mart or you local gunsmith shop to purchase more. Exotic and uncommon calibers will virtually disappear; whereas the more common will be in high demand. Trade and barter will eventually ensue to replenish to some extent expended rounds; but, that will come from an ever-diminishing original supply. With time, some remanufacturing may take place. Reloading from also lessening stocks of powder, primer, cases and slugs will occur.

So my K.I.S.S. mind-set led me to investigate the more original launched projectile weapon. The good old bow and arrow. After dusting off several old recurve bows I had buried in closet depths and locating some usable bowstrings for them, I turned my attention to a small cache of equally dated arrows I’d found stored with those bows. The shafts were still straight, even on the wooden ones. The nocks fine; albeit, the inexpensive target plastic ones were a bit brittle from having just dried out as the compounds used had lost their plasticizers due to slow evaporation. Worse, the plastic fletching had felt that same effect turning the feathers into crumbling stripes of color glued to the side of the shafts. Even some equally old aluminum shafted arrows with more flexible rubber fletching had fallen prey to the same issue. “When had I last used these?” was my question. Time passes – it had been over 25 years by my recollection.

Forgetting that I was thinking survival post-event, I ran up to my local sporting goods store and was amazed at the current prices for new arrows. I was even more surprised when I visited three of my local infamous Wal-Marts and found only one arrow in stock between them. Inquiring from a sales clerk what was up with that, I learned that “for some reason, we can’t keep arrows in stock, they are sold out by the end of the day that they are put on the shelf”. I guess I wasn’t the only person who’d made the mental leap towards an alternative projectile in my area. Looking about the Internet, I found that the best volume price for a quick cheap wooden target arrow restock was through AllCourtSports.  At $138 delivered, not a bad deal. Almost immediate gratification, and the arrows arrived in good shape, were fairly true and shoot well.

But what about those old arrows laying about? In days to come, my new arrows were surely going to suffer the same fate as those. Add in breakage, loss and deformation, I quickly realized I’d better check out the old skills of making them; or at least, remaking them. So, along with some 17,000 other folks, I watched some videos on YouTube seeing the ‘from scratch’ art of manufacturing primitive arrows. Some 30 or so videos burned into my eyes later, I’d gleaned the basics. You need a shaft that is straight (or you are able to straighten it), you need a nock cut or fastened onto one end, a point or arrowhead on the other, if you’re feeling especially aesthetic you can add your own distinctive ‘cresting’ – bands of color or paint in general and last, you need to fletch it.

Virtually all arrows I know of only have 3 feathers or vanes. The one perpendicularly mounted to the nock cut/slot called the cock feather and the other two called the shaft feathers mounted around the shaft at 120 degree intervals of the circle. What could be simpler? Just slice and sand off the old fletching and re-glue some new feathers! And after watching the videos, I’d seen just how ‘simple’ it was to take a feather found or acquired in some manner, slice it along the main vein, trim, glue and tie it onto the shaft. Did I hear, “yeah, right”? Well whoever you are, you’ve been to this point and know that those fellows are adepts and quite good at what they are doing. The small matter of practical experience and an intimate knowledge with feathers, hoof glues and the patience of Job.

Needless to say, my initial experiments went a bit to the S portion of SHTF. I quickly learned that all feathers are not created equal. Some feathers slice fairly well along the quill/calamus – some don’t, some feathers have a disturbing tendency to lose their barbs and vanes just falling apart, and all natural feathers have this real exasperating quality of attracting any glue within 20′ and turning that neatly cut and sized portion of a feather into a glob of plumaceous mess. Did I mention patience? And let’s not even go into the need for having three exactly shaped and weighted feathers. Just suffice it to say, that is a ‘must’.

Quickly deciding that hoof glue was not for me, I upgraded my technique to using modern adhesives. I found the best one to be Loctite Stik’ n Seal Outdoor/Exteriores for Metal, Ceramic, Wood, Glass, Rubber, Leather, Manmade & Plastics.  pn.@ upc – o 79340 23782 7, component IDH# 1415813. It has exactly the qualities I’d found I wanted. A fairly quick 5 minutes provided a good gripping tack set to where the new feather/vane will not fall off. Yet, you can still reposition it for over an hour. That same repositioning is crucial to get the 120 degree angle as close to correct as can be between the the three feathers. It, the sealant allows you to bend the bond, yet hold the feather without coming off the shaft to achieve a feather true perpendicular to the axis of the shaft installation. It can be easily applied in the exact stream/extruded size you need to follow the glue side of the feather along the quill and doesn’t flow hardly at all once the vane/feather is stuck to the shaft. Finally, the adhesive works equally well with wood, plastic, aluminum and yes – real feathers.

After trying over a dozen caulks, glues, epoxies – all I can say is a ‘Thanks’ to Mr. Loctite. One small tube is enough for over 50 complete re-fletches. And the biggest benefit I hate to admit, is that if you forget to recap the tube between feathers – the tube doesn’t harden. Only a tiny bit at the opening skins over with extremely little loss of adhesive.

The material for the feathers, once I’d made the mental shift from solely ‘found in nature’ materials in my mind, was the next big decision. After trying feathers found from my local bird population ranging from crows (not too bad actually those), to doves, blue-jays (I really like the color, but splitting them is almost impossible), woodpeckers, cranes, herons, vultures (probably the best natural feather I tried – but those fellows aren’t real sociable and their feathers if found are pretty ragged), blackbirds, orioles and even some ducks that have given up on the concept of migration that live around my home year-round; finally I had to come to the realization that feathers are just inferior to manmade materials in terms of uniformity, workability and durability. So I started seeking the best material that I could find that was common and either free or inexpensive.

After carefully removing a couple of remaining still intact plastic/rubber feathers from a couple of my surviving arrows cache I created a template onto a bit of poster board for tracing to any material I decided on. The uniformity issue was now solved. But what material? I needed something thin, weatherproof, easy to shape, flat, pliable enough to bend slightly in an instant as the arrow passed by the bow’s arrow rest and recover/return to its needed shape for straight flight. Obviously any paper product wouldn’t suffice. Nor would splints of wood, metal or any other hard material. I was beginning to see why feathers had been used for millennia, only to be supplanted by modern plastics once invented. Having already had my share of fun and games with the local avian population offerings, I looked to plastic.

Plastic seems to come in the thickness required by me in either too stiff or too soft of qualities. I tried many. From packaging materials such as vacuum box/wrap used for electronics to containers such as detergent bottles and jugs. None were quite right. Too heavy, too rigid, a tendency to deform or take on a bend that wouldn’t be convinced to uncurl. About to give up and while preparing some carrots at dinner time one evening during this experimental period, I looked down at the plastic cutting mat/counter protector I was using at the time. You’ve undoubtedly at least seen one of these. Approximately 12″ x 18″ plastic sheets that do not let a knife cut through them easily and perfect for a quick cutting surface on top of you kitchen counter. They are sold in packages of 2 to 10. Not a one-use disposable item; rather, a longer term usage item that usually lasts around 2-3 months or so before you finally score through the plastic during use. Cheap, available anywhere – and best, I had some. They are just the right thickness; however, the issue with as the feathers brush by the bow’ arrow rest still remained. A small, minor deflection that was unpredictable and unoffsetable kept happening when I tried the material. New material, that is. About a week later, once again chopping up some onions on an older plastic cutting sheet, I noticed it was time at last to replace the 6 month plus old mat I was using (my apologies Julia Child, but I hate to cook and don’t wear out my utensils very fast). I saw a small slice hole had gone through. As I went to the cupboard to get a new mat out of a package there and about to toss out the old mat into the recycle bin – the thought ‘recycle’ just set off the bells of innovation.

I don’t know if anyone has ever really noticed that as a one of those cutting mats get used, etched, marred and worn, they get softer, more pliable, more bendable. So much so that they can easily break along the scored lines. Just like the vanes on a bird’s feather do. The only real difference is that nature provides the microscopic barbs that allow the feather to reassemble/rehook-up to a usable flying mechanism. But, the etches and scratches in the plastic mat after being well-used create the closest material I’ve found that mimics the natural feather. It is just the right ‘softness’, has the ability to bend in a small wave/curve and recover its original flatness.

The pass-by the arrow rest issue was solved when I tested this worn plastic on an arrow shaft. I found that by selecting material from the area of the mat that had been most used, I’d discovered a free, previously thrown out material that makes for a perfect fletching substitute for natural feathers. All that remained was to cut out some 39 feathers for the 13 shafts I had saved, glue them on and carefully position them, mark/color the cock feather red with a permanent marker and find that I now had the means and method to easily replace the fletching on my old wood and aluminum arrow shafts. It takes about 5 minutes per feather – apply glue to the quill, place the cock feather, wait 5, apply the first shaft feather, wait 5, apply the final shaft feather – rotating the shaft so that each feather is upright at the time of its installation.

I’d say that the one question some friends of mine have asked most was just how did I get the 120 angle right? And without using some elaborate geometric protractor method or something like that?

Whether you remove the old remaining fletching or are starting fresh with a new shaft, the first step is to either re-nock or observe the nock on the shaft. We all know that the nock slips over the bowstring. The cock feather is always the first feather to be repositioned on the shaft. Exactly perpendicular to the nock cut-out. Okay, now how to know where to place the shaft feathers? Especially if the original line of the cleaned-off feathers is missing or on a new shaft has never there at all? The answer is in the nock. Literally. The nock bisects the diameter of the shaft. But it is not a perfect diameter line. It has a width. That width is just slightly more at the bottom of the cut – the bottom of the ‘U’. That ‘U’, the side of that ‘U’ (there is a reason I keep writing the capital letter) on the side away from the cock feather, due to the diameter of the shaft, the size and proportion of the needed bowstring cut-out size is almost exactly 120 degrees ‘around the circle. All a person has to do is draw a pencil line using the ‘U’ side mentioned to the arrow shaft and that is the point where the nock-most rear of the vane/feather line starts. Keeping the shaft feathers parallel to the first applied cock feather will ensure that the you form the perfect 3 vane triangular arrangement you need. No math, no drafting tools – nothing more that a tiny pencil line or knife score/nick. And as I mentioned above when discussing the adhesive, any minor resetting or nudging can come after the initial first tack.

I found that it is best to create some jig to hold the arrow shaft in place, to keep it from rolling while allowing for the feathers to not touch the work surface below. All feathers/vanes are mounted/glued so that they are standing straight up along the glue line. Glue is best applied to the feather quill, not the arrow shaft. The scratches and etches in the plastic also allow for minor bending and adjustment to the feather during adhesion to the shaft.

All in all, once I figured out the process and the materials, the actual job of re-fletching the arrows worked out to about 30 minutes apiece start to a finished product. A good way to spend some time just rediscovering that our ancestors were far more patient and noticed a lot more than I did at first.

Preparedness for Dark Times, by John D.

I am a deputy sheriff in Louisiana and patrol primarily on the night shift. A few nights ago my shift was alerted that the main city in our parish was under a complete “black out”, meaning a total loss of ALL electricity. The reason for the blackout was unknown but the repercussions were great. The power stayed out for a mere hour and a half, but that was all it took to cause  chaos all throughout the city. In this hour and a half multiple shootings occurred, multiple wrecks occurred on the highways and city streets, and multiple stores and businesses were broken into and looted due to security systems malfunctioning. All within that small hour and a half. It really shows how fragile the order in our cities hangs in the balance. People who would probably have been watching television or engaging in other peaceful activities, were gathering in the streets starting fights. All because the lights and tv turned off. Wow. Only a handful of people had nothing to worry about because they were prepared with a few necessities such as: flashlights, food, water, protection (I.e.  Rifle, handgun, or shotgun). 

I am writing this to remind you of the importance of being prepared for a “lights out” situation like this. This type of thing happens all the time and can happen in your area  anytime. These are some minimum guidelines for what you need on hand in a two to three week blackout scenario. It doesn’t matter how much food and water you have if you can’t see it. It doesn’t matter how many guns and and ammo you have if you can’t see to shoot them. And it certainly doesn’t matter how many great flashlights, lamps, and lanterns you have if you don’t have food, water, and defense because looters can walk  straight into your home and take anything and everything they please (including your life)!

I will be so bold as to say if the blackout had continued throughout the night it would have escalated into an all-out riot. You might say “no way! Not in America! This isn’t Europe!”. Yes, in America, small town America. People have become so dependent on electricity and have been brainwashed into a “welfare mentality” meaning everything is somehow ” owed” to them to the point that when something breaks their cycle, I.e. a “blackout” they will do anything necessary to “get (by force)” what they want. More commonly known as “looting”. You will start to see this type of thing happening more and more in the near future because history always repeats itself. Look what happened in New Orleans, Louisiana  after Hurricane Katrina. A large storm causes long term power loss and flooding. And because no one stocks more than a day or two worth of food what do they do? They take what they want; by killing, looting, and plundering. Civil neighborhoods turned into all out war zones! Very few people were prepared for what occurred. It was several days until order was semi restored and weeks until it was fully restored. This is very close to home, and it could happen to you at any moment! Don’t be a pacifist. Understand me when I tell you this is the real deal.

  As a well informed survival minded individual there are a few things you should have prepared for the event of a ” Total blackout”.

1) Light:

I recommend  having a couple different forms of light on hand for such a situation.

A) Low light.

If living in a well populated area you don’t want to bring attention to your house. So you will want to keep a lantern ( oil, kerosene, or battery powered) or candles to be able to move freely within your dwelling without being spotted easily. A low light can be spotted short at short range but with draw much less attention then a generator lighting the whole house. While a generator can be very useful, using it can mark you as a target for looters. I personally like “crank” lanterns that you simply crank to recharge. Oil and kerosene lamps burn long hours on small amounts of fuel and are highly efficient. Also keep two or three small headlights on hand, they make lots of things much easier when your hands are free.  

B) High intensity light

I recommend a high powered light small enough to be easily handheld in order to use with a handgun. LED lights use very little battery while providing a very bright beam. My personal favorite is the Streamlight \Strion (rechargeable AC or DC voltage). It lasts up to eight hours and is highly dependable. It can be fixed to a  rifle, shotgun, or used free with a handgun. A very bright light is highly useful in a tactical situation. A concentrated beam will blind attackers momentarily and provide a easily followed field of vision allowing for faster target acquisition. Don’t go without this! If you can’t identify your target then you may end up shooting your neighbor. There are multiple lights similar to the Streamlight Strion on the market ranging from forty to one hundred dollars that are just as capable. 

 C) Batteries

If using battery powered light keep enough batteries on hand to run them for two weeks. Rechargeable batteries will save you money in the long run, but are highly expensive.  Although you can use an DC car charger to charge them in your vehicle. I would suggest having several “shake” flashlights on hand. They last a good length of time off of two minutes of shaking.

2) A one month supply of food.

While I personally advise several months supply,  but you should have at least a months supply for a blackout situation. I recommend easily stored, long lasting foods such as MRE’s and canned goods for your months supply. Try to keep some of your supply in easily transportable containers in case there is a need to bug out with little or no time to pack. There is a few tricks to keeping food in your freezer good for a few days. Put several bottles of water in your freezer filled not quite to the brim. These will freeze  keeping most of your food in the “safe zone” for  two to three days.

3) A large supply of water.

Water can be easily stored in 5 gallon bottles lining your garage or basement. Between cooking and drinking I would  have no less than twenty,  five gallon bottles. I also highly recommend having  some sort of water filtration system for when your supply dwindles to supply you water from natural sources .

4) Home defense.

    A) firearms

I recommend a pump 12 gauge shotgun, two .40 caliber handguns, And an assault rifle, which will be highly useful in many situations including the event of “bugging out”. I would stress the need for regular practice with your home defense firearms. You need to be proficient with each one. Under pressure you are only as good as your training! “Practice makes perfect” rings very true when it comes to this. Take any “home defense” courses possible. A shotgun in skilled hands is one of the most effective weapons in home defense. A handgun will be very useful as a secondary weapon. And a high capacity assault rifle ( Such as an AK-47, AR-15, or Mini-14) will save your life in a firefight. You don’t want to be out-gunned!

    B)  Ammunition.

I recommend 00 buckshot for 12 gauge, and hollow point ammunition for handguns. With a minimum of three magazines, and 500 rounds per firearm. Remember, this is merely the minimum of what you should have. I would recommend 5,000 per firearm and ten magazines for each as a for more adequate supply . Keep your ammo in a dry place in airtight containers where it is easily accessible.

    C)  A plan. 

When looters come pounding on your door you can call 9-11,  but don’t expect a quick response if any due to the high call volume. Block doors and windows with heavy furniture or appliances, but keep in mind you need a quick escape route, I.e. a window or side door. Have Bug Out Bags ready for the event of riots or fire. Have at least $250 cash in hand,  seeing that credit or debit cards will get you nothing with the power off.  

Lastly, keep in mind that roads may be blocked, so use a vehicle that can drive off road if needed in the event of a bug out (SUV or Truck). Map several routes out of the city. I recommend using GPS as long as the system is working. This will make detours much more effective when roads are impassible. Have a destination pre-planned that is not in the city. A friend or relative in the country is ideal if you don’t have a preplanned bug out destination. 

These are some rough guidelines that may help you be more prepared for a blackout situation. Keep in mind that ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms can potentially cause this scenario. Don’t be naive, be prepared!

Note: this is targeting people who live in urban areas, as country people tend to have most of the things on my list in stock and are used to power outages. These are minimal guidelines for mere survival, I would strongly suggest more food, water, and defense (guns and ammo) than listed. Good luck!

JWR Adds: Be sure to see the many articles in the SurvivalBlog archives that discuss tritium sights and light amplification (“starlight”) night vision equipment.

Letter Re: Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store

Dear Mr Rawles,
I’ve been reading your archives. I loved the December, 2011 SurvivalBlog article titled Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store. This one is a natural for me.  One way that I have been collecting barterable items is at yard/garage/estate sales.  Estate sales in particular are excellent for the micro store collection.  You hit the kitchen area and get current food items for your own stores and then the bathroom for bandages and sample size items such as soap, shampoo, shaving gel, toothpaste and so forth.  I’m not talking about items used but items never opened; I have even found various supplements also never opened.  I told my sister the nurse that if TSHTF I have a small hospital for her.  Leg brace boots are also really very cheap and can come in very handy.  

One item I have seen a ton of is sewing supply; I am partial to those heavy duty needle packs that are bound to come in handy for patching up heavier gear, am looking for upholstery thread that would go well with those kits, or dental floss can used if needed.  As far as cigarettes, I can get those at half the cost from Indian tribe stores, I have placed individual packs in Seal-a-Meal bags and vacuum packed them and placed them in the freezer, also did that with cigars I picked up at a yard sale.  I don’t smoke but know that if a smoker is desperate enough, anything will do 

Another item that I think is very handy are those small pouches of seasonings, they have become quite expensive at a grocery store, up to $1.89 each. At estate and garage sales I pay a quarter or less for them. If you have potatoes, pasta or rice, one packet of flavoring will go a long way.  I do plan to get some of those little bottles of liquor that are sold on air flights, those are an excellent idea.  Going on to the garage area is great for fishing gear and tools.  I have come home with prepper items along with a few collectibles to sell on eBay.  The profit from what I sell on eBay covers the cost of my prepper item purchases. 

I was curious however, about my plan to move from Washington to Idaho. When I do find a small town to live in, wouldn’t those people already be prepper-minded thus making a micro store a moot point?  Just wondering.  My husband said we could just set up shop to an area that was not prepper-minded and sell/barter there.

Keep up this wonderful work and call me, – Prepper on the cheap.
   
JWR Replies: Don’t worry about the lack of a barter market in a region with more predominant preparedness and self-sufficiency. Even there, you will find plenty of people that are not well prepared, or those who have overlooked some items that they will need. The sure bets will be expendable items like soap, tape, detergent, lubricants (especially two-stroke fuel-mixing oil), common caliber ammunition, salt, seeds, various liquid fuels, adhesives, batteries, flat earth tone camouflaging paints, and so forth.

Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this: One in Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed

John Williams: The Real Unemployment Rate: 22%?Not 8.1%–The coming fiscal cliff: hyperinflation on track for 2014

The wrecking ball of hidden inflation and Fed based strategies – food inflation far outpacing overall inflation and eating away at the purchasing power of 46,000,000 Americans on food stamps.

Jim Willie: Gold Cover Clause Guidance

Items from The Economatrix:

Anti-Gold Propaganda Push, Gold Cover Clause For Enabling Competing New Currencies

The Fed, Wall Street Prepare To Unleash Crisis 2.0

Faber Sees Crash Like in 1987 if US Stocks Climb Higher

The Economy Is Muddling Along a Cliff’s Edge

Odds ‘n Sods:

More about vertical gardens.

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Reader Rhonda T. mentioned an interactive map on privileges for homosexuals.  Why is this appropriate to mention in SurvivalBlog? She explains: “Since this topic is often inversely related to a state’s depth of religious conviction, its also a good (if inverse) indicator of conservative states–which might help someone in their relocation decision.  You know, us ‘God and Guns’ folks”. JWR’s Comment: Once again, the American Redoubt states had a good showing, but it is clear that Oregon and Washington have succumbed to California-style political correctness.

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Perhaps we were wise to move our server to Sweden: The FBI took — and mysteriously returned — their server. Here’s their story . (Thanks to Karen D. for the link.)

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Veteran SurvivalBlog contributor K.A.F. sent us this: Washington state health officials declare whooping cough epidemic, seek CDC help as cases soar

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The Southern Agrarian has a review of the Bison hand pump. There is also a post showing the installation of the pump in tandem with a submersible electric pump.

Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Three Bug Out Considerations You Probably Haven’t Considered, by Jonathan G.

For most preppers, the action plan for a TEOTWAWKI scenario can be neatly categorized into basically one of two categories:  Bug in or Bug out.  Many people live in rural areas with sufficient security and provisions to be able to go to ground in the event of a disaster and ride out the storm.  “Sufficient” security might include bunkers, shooters, stockpiles of ammunition and weapons, spare parts, etc.  “Sufficient” provisions might be enough food to get the defense force and extended family of the principal through to the harvest, and enough seeds to ensure that the harvest will feed the crew indefinitely.  For many rural preppers, this scenario is an attainable goal.  For many urban preppers, however, this goal could never be realistically accomplished.  For that reason, we have to consider the possibility of bugging out.
There are some relatively standard considerations that almost anybody with a functional brain housing group would think through prior to bugging out.  Where am I going to get fuel?  What type of vehicle do I need?  How much food and water should I be taking with me?  Where am I going?  These are the basics of bugging out, and many of the conversations I see around the topic within the forums are geared towards that end.  These are great considerations, and they need to be considered as a bare minimum before attempting a bug out.  But, having experienced moving through combat zones for most of my adult life, I’d like to offer some other considerations that may not be so obvious.

As a caveat, these considerations are based upon several assumptions.  First, we are assuming that the power grid is down.  Second, we are assuming that the domestic security situation has degraded to the point that the police are no longer capable of providing safety and order (if they ever were capable to begin with).  Therefore, based upon those two assumptions, we have to further assume that traveling is a very dangerous activity.  People will be looking for targets of opportunity for any chance of finding food, water, or supplies. 
Here are some not-so-obvious considerations for bugging out based upon those assumptions:
What are my primary and alternate routes going to look like?  Yes, I said “alternate route.”  While it may be expedient to travel along paved roads to arrive at your bug out location, it may not be realistic.  There are several reasons why traveling along paved roads may not be the best idea you’ve ever had (remembering that we are assuming the security situation has degraded significantly):

  1. Paved roads are highly visible.  Traveling along paved roads will draw attention, particularly in a scenario where practically all vehicular traffic has ceased because of fuel shortages and security concerns.  Doing so may expose you to bands of roving thieves and other not-so-friendly types. 
  2. Bridges and overpasses make excellent choke points.  This means there is only one direction that you can travel, and it also means that you are in an extremely weak position to defend against a well-planned ambush.  It’s worth saying that if I weren’t a prepper who was working towards building supplies for my family, and the apocalyptic disaster happened upon me, I would probably use this method to feed my family.  A good ambush can be executed with a few well-placed individuals given the correct terrain.  An overpass or a bridge is the correct terrain.  It’s best just to avoid them.
  3. Roads may be impassable.  Think about a scenario where traffic was so bad that sat in their cars for days and didn’t move.  Many would eventually just leave the cars in the middle of the road and head home.  Remember, we’re talking about an urban situation here.  You might not even be able to fit your bug out vehicle down those roads. 
  4. Some people are capable of making shots at 500+ meters.  If you were driving down the side of a major highway, your enemies would be able to see you from far enough away that you would never hear the bullet that killed you.  There is relatively little cover and concealment on highways. (Obviously it is hard to drive through cover and concealment.) 

Since your primary route was probably a highway, I’d like to challenge you to come up with an alternate plan.  Let’s try it on foot this time, through the woods if possible, or at a bare minimum through back streets where ambushes would be less likely.  If you’re a smart cookie, as many of you are, the thought of reaching your bug out location on foot will immediately trigger several other considerations.  Here’s a small list of things to think about:

  1. How will I navigate?  Since we are assuming the power grid is down, you probably won’t have a charge on your fancy little GPS system (if the satellites are still functional).  You’re going to need a good, old-fashioned map and compass to get where you’re going.  Do you know how use land navigation techniques?  You’d better start thinking about taking a class. 
  2. How much food and water can you carry on your person?  This might necessitate changing your overall bug out location. 
  3. How good is the cover and concealment along your alternate route?  Will it provide sufficient concealment for your needs, or do you need to augment your concealment through camouflage clothing?  What type of camouflage is most effective in your environment?
  4. How much private property are you going to need to cross to arrive at your location?  Can you detour through a publicly owned National forest or other location where you are less likely to run into the security forces of other private citizens?  Remember, trespassing during a major disaster might get you shot repeatedly.

Where are my en-route safe havens?  “What the heck is a safe haven?” you may be asking.  Think Custer’s Last Stand.  Where are you going to go when the stuff hits the fan right in the middle of your trip to the bug out location? 
For obvious reasons, I recommend having as many safe havens built into your route as possible.  One safe haven for every mile or two would be ideal.  They need to be thoroughly discussed, known by all members of the travel party, and visibly marked on all of the maps (of which everyone should have a copy).  A good safe haven will offer limited entry access, ballistic protection, cover, and concealment.  Concrete buildings work great.  Bathrooms within concrete buildings work even better (there is only one door in, the doors can typically be locked from the inside, and they are usually made out of concrete).  In a pinch, a thick grove of trees can serve as a great safe haven as it offers the bare minimum of ballistic protection, cover, and concealment.  You get the idea.  Here are a few additional things to consider about safe havens:

  1. Public buildings such as fire stations and park buildings are less likely to be defended by gun-toting militia members.  You might even run into a friendly fireman who has medical knowledge if you’re lucky, but most likely all government operations will have ceased by this point.  If you choose to utilize someone else’s property for a safe haven, you need to be prepared to fight for it.  This might not be the best idea, considering you might be getting chased at the time.  Even Hitler couldn’t win a two front war.  Think about it.
  2. You need a running password.  In the event that your group is split up, everyone will have directions to rendezvous at the closest safe haven.  The first person to arrive will secure the location and wait.  If other members of the group are inbound in a hurry, they need to have some way to communicate that they are secure and not under duress.  I suggest sign/countersign.  It can be as simple as a number combination.  For instance, let’s say our number combination was seven.   I might challenge the runner with the number “Four.”  The runner would reply with a verbal “Three” and, since those two numbers add up to seven, I would know that all is well and not feel compelled to shoot my friend.
  3. Ideally, a safe haven would not be too far off of your route.  It’s best if they lie along your route so that everyone knows where they are and how to get there.  The fewer the barriers between your route and your safe haven, the more quickly you can travel there when SHTF.  For instance, a river between your route and your safe haven could be disastrous. 

Do I need geocaches of critical supplies?  Since we’re now on foot, we obviously can’t carry as much as we would like.  We might need extra food, supplies, medical kits, ammunition, and more.  Since we can’t reasonably carry them with us, we have no choice to but to store them along our route.  I suggest planning en-route waypoints where critical resupply caches can be pre-positioned.  I would bury them if at all possible, on uncontested land (like somewhere deep within a national forest).  Mark them on your map, and then build the waypoints into your route.  If you get there and don’t need the supplies, leave them alone.  You never know when you might come back through. 

Obviously, you would need to develop some way of storing your cache in such a way that your supplies would not be ruined.  You have to keep it dry and serviceable despite weather and potentially having been buries for a long time.  Also, you need to think of a way to mark the cache so that it’s obvious to you but won’t cause cousin Earl from the local farm to dig up your supplies out of curiosity. 
As a general rule, I recommend one geo cache for each day of foot travel required to reach your bug out location.  Of course, many people will label me paranoid and crazy for even suggesting the practice, but then I guess I am a bit batty. 

I hope this article has helped someone think of a few extra considerations about bugging out that might save their life if TEOTWAWKI ever actually happens.  As always, any prepping is better than no prepping, so take it one step at a time and do it over time as you become able.  You’ll never regret being prepared. 

Consider Your Cordage, by Andrew G.

It is very regrettable that more often than not, those who prepare for surviving the future are viewed by society as being isolationist, separatists, and downright anti-social. Sure, this can be blamed on the media, propaganda, and perhaps a few loose cannons out there, but it’s also in part because many “preppers” do fall prey to a fearful “bunker” mindset. Sometimes even removing themselves from society at large. I wonder if more people would see the value of advanced preparation if they witnessed more preppers offering positive contributions to the general welfare of others in their community, state, and nation? Certainly many are providing such benefits to the communities in which they live, but could we do better…?

For our family, getting started with such changes necessitated a change of thinking. We had to first see that the value in getting more involved with people when a more fearful response seems appropriate at a times. We’ve had to learn to ignore the knee-jerk, fearful, run-and-hide reactions in favor of a more sound-minded approach. So setting aside fear, we’ve come to some conclusions that we believe would be beneficial to every family in every community. Like most wisdom we’ve learned, our journey into this understanding began with the words of wisdom found in the Scriptures. If you’re not a person of faith, please don’t stop reading – this is for you too!

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12

King Solomon, the attributed author of the above scripture verse, was reputed to to be the wisest person to ever live. In his profound wisdom, Solomon understood the simple truth that there is great advantage to doing things together.

We live during a time when such wisdom appears to be on the decline. Along with what should be common sense – advance preparation for the unexpected – many in our communities have also lost touch with the value that achieving together is better than failing alone. This wrong thinking can often infiltrate even the most prepared survivalist mind. It’s easy to think of every possible tool, supply, or scenario, and so easily forget this concept. 

Many Americans pride themselves on a rugged individualism. Certainly it’s good for an individual to be personally prepared and equipped to endure difficult times and challenges. There are times when such individualism is appropriate. However, there are also times when this is not at all appropriate. If I’m lost in the woods, being rugged, prepared and self-reliant is good. I need those to take care of myself. However, if my wife or children were to be lost in the woods with me, I must lay aside my individualism to a degree in order to provide the best possible outcome for them as well. Caring only about myself isn’t going to profit them very much.

It’s often said that the survivalist is the eternal optimist. This is said because it is the survivalist who plans for and expects to prevail in future difficult times. Yet despite such optimism, one of the chief challenges of the survivalist’s preparations is the understanding that such preparations take quite a bit of time, energy, and resources. 

Enter Solomon’s wisdom. 

We must be like Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3) and understand that with different seasons in life comes the need to adapt, change, and set aside some of our natural tendencies. Though not without it’s own challenges, we’ve discovered that nearly every part of preparing our minds, body, and shelters for the future is easier and more rewarding when done with other like-minded families or individuals.

Nearly every part of preparing to thrive and survive in the future is far more achievable when endeavored together with trustworthy friends, family, and neighbors.  As Solomon so aptly puts it… “One may be overpowered” – that is, one person and one family can indeed be prepared for the future, but unfortunately, they can also be easily overpowered. Consider for a moment the well-prepared family seeking to stave off masses of hungry, frantic, and unprepared people. This would be difficult alone and could result in loss, injury or death. 

It’s easy to see the value of being with others in the midst of an emergency, but consider for a moment the value of working with others before –  to prepare for an emergency.  Left to our own person or family, we’ll offer experience lack – lack of finances, time, energy, resources, attitude, or ideas. While more people doesn’t always mean less lack, there’s a better-than-average chance that more people to help will help, not hurt.. We lose jobs, get sick, get busy, and lose heart. Sometimes, even getting started in preparing is overwhelming. How is it then that we can hope to survive in future bleak times? These and many other reasons should cause is to consider the wisdom and benefits of preparing for the future together with others.

In our own experience, we’re finding it quite enriching to engage other like-minded families in our plans to prepare for an uncertain future. This not only holds hope for future benefit, but makes life quite a bit more enjoyable today as well! Every day brings with it new ideas, extra help, and new motivation. Each new challenge is met with access to more resources, knowledge, and information.  It’s a great joy to discover that a friend already owns a needed resource, or is willing to lend a hand with some heavy lifting. Perhaps best of all has been the camaraderie in this often-lonely journey. Not only are our own plans for the future becoming more solid and well-defined, but each person in our family is becoming personally fortified by the formation of meaningful and enduring relationships – from the youngest to the oldest. There’s a deep sense of satisfaction and strength in working with others. Every passing day we grow more and more confident that we can accomplish what we’ve set out to do. 

This is also helpful on many other levels. We’re benefiting from the diversity of personalities, the sharing of ideas, and the value of fellowship. We’re also resting easier with the expectation that we’ll endure future hardships together with others we can count on. We’re no longer “Surv I valists”,  but “Survival US ts” and man, is there a difference! When hard times come, we’re not likely to be overpowered no matter if those hard times be an enemy, fatigue, tragedy, or even our own attitude. Whatever comes our way, we’ll not be quickly broken. Our defense is stronger!

It’s especially interesting that Solomon notes that a cord of three strands cannot be quickly broken. Many would assume that Solomon is implying three braided or twisted strands. Three individual strands would certainly be stronger than one, however, three braided strands would usually offer even more strength. To do this, there needs to be some involvement or “braiding” of the strands. For our family, this translates into us spending as much time and energy on these relationships as we do in readiness preparation. We get together, we get to know one another better. We are trusting our lives and future with one another. Why? Because these relationships – and all our relationships ARE the future. Why do we hope to survive future hardship if not to enjoy the world that we’ll eventually live in? These relationships are the purpose that we want to endure beyond the next disaster or calamity. We hope for a safe and abundant future for ourselves and our loved ones on the other side of the whatever calamity might come upon us. No, this isn’t what most sheeple think of when they hear “survivalists”, but it’s our view that survivalists do what they do because  people matter and are worth the effort.

We’ve often discovered that getting others involved with us is hard at times. You know, braided rope is usually stronger than twisted rope for one reason – friction. Braiding usually creates the most friction between each strand in a rope and this friction  adds additional strength. So it can be in relationships! Honestly, the more we get to know others,  the more we encounter relational “friction”. Like many, sometimes this causes us to not desire the help of others. Ahhhhh… we must remember Solomon’s advice. Friction between people  is a natural and normal part of functioning as a team. So we don’t lose heart. We solidify in our minds these truths. We resolve to embrace friction, because it’s our differences, not our similarities that give us strength. After all, if two of us are the same, one of us is unnecessary. We continue to find that it’s not the people that are just like us that provide the best opportunity for working together, but those we didn’t expect. Remember this as you venture onward.

We hope you’ll take some time to consider what kind of “cord” you’re building. Can it endure hardship, or is it overcome easily? Consider the wise words of Solomon… Consider your cordage! Braid some more strands to your cord and better prepare yourself and your family for what lies ahead. Share your knowledge with others and invite them into your plans and preparations. In doing so, you’ll find strength, encouragement, hope and the best possible chance of surviving the future.

More Derivatives Market Mayhem: The JPMorgan Debacle

The mainstream media is abuzz with stories about JPMorgan’s $2 Billion in trading losses in just the past six weeks. Here some typical coverage: JPMorgan Hit by ‘Egregious’ Trading Loss of $2 Billion. The culprit? It was derivatives.

Ah yes, those pesky derivatives. Ich habe es Ihnen gesagt (way back in 2006.)

I won’t re-hash the details of the JP Morgan debacle that have come to light, because they have already been spelled out by many journalists. The best analysis that I’ve found thusfar came from the editors of Zero Hedge, in this piece: The “World’s Largest Prop Trading Desk” Just Went Bust. The facts are all there. There is also some good commentary at Fierce Finance: JPMorgan “hedges” look like prop bets.

What are the implications of this mayhem? They are all bad, especially for Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), Credit Default Swaps (CDSes) and other collateralized debt obligation (CDO) derivatives. The band of fools in JPMorgan’s Chief Investment Office (CIO) were buying up CDOs at the same time wiser heads in the banking world were avoiding them like proverbial hot potatoes. It is noteworthy that most of these derivatives were purchased after the 2008 credit crisis. In the greedy eyes of the JP Morgan derivatives trading staff, buying this paper after it had taken a 20% haircut appeared to be a bargain. To compound their problems, not only they take on CDS contracts, but they created additional hedges around those derivatives. This is like taking a bet on a bet. What idiots. There is lots of conjecture about what was really going on in Morgan’s CIO. Was it all a hedge on inflation that went awry, because deflation lingered longer than expected? It may be weeks before the cognoscenti speak and we learn the full story. But one thing is certain: There is a fine line between hedging and proprietary (“prop”) trading, and the CIO appears to have crossed the line. And their hedges were big enough that they shifted the landscape of the entire CDS market. (They have hundreds of billions of dollars in derivative contracts in play at any given time. The counterparty risk is huge.)

The world of derivatives is a wilderness of mirrors. There are far more reflections (or vehicles) than there are real assets. There are synthetic CDOs–these are collateralized debt obligations (CDO) that are based on credit default swaps (CDSs) rather than physical debt securities. There are passive CDOs, and managed CDOs. (Those CDOs were what caused the huge writedowns of both Citigroup and Merrill Lynch.) There are Structured Investment Vehicles (SIVs), Super SIVs, and SIV-lites, all created by packaging multiple CDOs. SIVs are vehicles that allow banks to borrow short and lend long. There are variable interest entities (VIEs)–one of the favorites of the now-defunct Enron Corporation. Then there are Qualified SPEs (Special Purpose Entities or QSPEs) and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which are entirely new corporate entities–usually set up offshore–just for the purpose of handling SIVs and various CDOs. Ask presidential candidate Mitt Romney to explain these, since he is an expert. But then, he might not want to talk about it. So instead, read Moorad Choudhry’s book “Structured Credit Products: Credit Derivatives and Synthetic Securitisation.”

There is nothing quite like buying into a falling market. On Wall Street, they call that “catching a falling knife.” Many of the Credit Default Swaps that the JPMorgan CIO was trading were investment grade corporate bonds. But some, no doubt, were tied to real estate–the notorious residential mortgage backed securities (RMBSes). With so many foreclosures now hitting the market, the bottom for residential real estate in the United States is still nowhere in sight. And RMBSes are the main “assets” underlying most of those CDOs. In this amorphous era of the Fed’s Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP), the practice of borrowing short and lending long can’t go on for much longer. At some point, interest rates will rise, and there will be blood in the streets. We must also consider that JP Morgan isn’t the only trading firm holding this stinky paper. There are probably lots of others that pursued similar hedging strategies. But because of its size, JPMorgan got all the recent publicity. I suspect that the full extent of the losses–especially those by other banking and hedge firms–have not yet been reported.

The bottom line, predictably, is that it is the American Taxpayers who are the ultimate guarantors for the losses caused by their folly. In the millennial era, the banksters consistently bet big, knowing that if they lose, then there will always be another bailout. They have a the certain knowledge that they have the Federal government in their back pocket. (The lack of a criminal indictment of MF Global Chairman Jon Corzine was clear evidence of that.) The “Too Big to Fail” mantra is now so engrained that the bankers feel invulnerable. This is one reason that the derivatives casino has grown tremendously. Of course they are willing to gamble when it is a “heads I win, and tails you lose” proposition! Banks that have their losses guaranteed by the government (and ultimately, by our tax dollars) shouldn’t be sitting at a casino table, slurping down liquor. But in effect, that is just where they are.

What will be the end result of JPMorgan’s huge losses in derivatives? Just a wait a few months. We likely hear post facto that there was a quiet bailout, measured in billions. The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) is alive and well.

Economics and Investing:

Kevin S. sent this: Fed clears China’s first US bank takeover

Faber Sees ’87-Type Crash if U.S. Stocks Rise Without QE3

Andre sent this: Banks prepare for the return of the drachma

From G.G.: Postal Service quarterly loss widens to $3.2 billion

Items from The Economatrix:

Housing Bottom?  Fannie Mae Won’t Seek Tax Dollars

Wages Bolster Spending as Americans as Americans Extend Hours

US March Wholesale Inventories Rise 0.3%, Sales Climb 0.5%

Home Prices Rise in Half of U.S. Cities as Markets Stabilize

Odds ‘n Sods:

Avoid Social Breakdown. Become Resilient. (Thanks to Kevin S. for the link.)

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Over at Global Guerillas: Big Twitter is Here

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Reader S. R. mentioned that there are some school teacher positions open in a retreat-worthy region: Navajo Public Schools. S.R. describes Jackson County, Oklahoma: “…a nice rural area with
good well water at about 10-to-30 foot depth, a long growing season, and that produces wheat, Cotton, Peanuts, and Beef.” They are looking to hire a Computer teacher, Secondary Special Ed teacher and likely a Foreign Language teacher.

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Ed. M. recommended an essay on ballistic home defense over at Oleg Volk’s site: Riots vs. pogroms. “Modern homes are not built as fortresses. They are only as strong as the people defending them.” OBTW, the photo of the man holding the antique riotgun is none other than SurvivalBlog’s own Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson.

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Some Canadian provinces attempt to create “back door” gun registries.