Don’t Buy This Book (Yet!)

Please don’t order any copies of my upcoming novel “Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse” until its release day, October 4th, 2011.

Survivors Cover

The cover art was masterfully rendered by mixed media artist Tony Mauro, Jr. of New York. He took my vague one-minute verbal concept description, and he nailed it. I am very happy with his design and his choice of color palette. It really captures the essence of the novel. (The lead character, Andy Laine, is depicted on horseback in Texas, in the midst of The Crunch. You’ll see how closely Tony matched the storyline when you read the novel. Much of the novel is set in the Four Corners Region. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, so I’ll keep this brief.)

“Survivors” is unusual for a novel sequel. Instead of extending the story further into the future, it is contemporaneous with the action in my first novel, “Patriots”. But it is set in different locales, with mostly different characters. There are just a few crossover characters, such as Ian and Blanca Doyle (whom you will remember from “Patriots” as the husband and wife Laron Light Experimental airplane owners living near Luke Air Force Base.)

The novel is being published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. It will first be released in hardback, followed in 2012 by a trade paperback. (The latter is the same binding format used with “Patriots”.)

I should mention that the Kindle e-book and the audio book (via Amazon and Audible.com) are scheduled for the same release day. And I’m pleased to report that the award-winning Dick Hill is again doing the narration.

Again, please wait until October 4th to order your copy. By concentrating all of the orders on the release day (the “Book Bomb Day”), I hope to help propel the book into Amazon’s Top 20. Thanks!

Finding Prepper-Friendly Churches in The American Redoubt–Expanding The List

Based on some suggestions from SurvivalBlog readers, the following are several new entries to supplement the list of prepper-friendly churches in the American Redoubt that I already posted. (I’ve just updated the original list.)

Parenthetically, I’m often asked why I place an emphasis on Reformed churches. First and foremost, I believe this is a doctrinally-correct stance. (Your mileage may vary, but the Five Point Calvinist view matches my interpretation of the Bible.) Secondarily, those who hold to a mid-tribulation or post-tribulation eschatological view (as many people in Reformed circles do) tend to be more prone to prepping than those who hold to pre-tribulation rapture eschatology. After all, if someone hopes to be “beamed up” before any End Times wrath occurs, then why should they prepare to provide for their families?

Note: I intentionally used Wikipedia (a secular source) for links to foregoing descriptions of the various eschatological camps. This might seem an odd choice, but I did so because I don’t want to show an absolutist preference for any particular denomination or view. Eschatology is a sticky subject even within various Christian denominations, and I can assure you that it leads to some lively debate!

Here are the latest additions the American Redoubt recommended church list:

Idaho

New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Idaho Falls

United Reformed Church of Nampa, Nampa

Bonners Remnant Church, Bonners Ferry (a Saturday Sabbath congregational church)

Montana

Grace Bible Church, Bozeman

Old Paths Strict Baptist Church, Choteau

Three Lakes Community Bible Church, Troy

Yaak Community Church, Yaak

Eastern Oregon

Living Water, La Pine

Berean Baptist Temple, Pendleton

Eastern Washington

Covenant Of Grace Protestant Reformed, Spokane

Wyoming

Providence Reformed Church, Rock Springs

Note: There are of course many other good churches, synagogues, and Messianic congregations in the Redoubt States that I haven’t yet listed. You can find many of them with just a bit of time visiting denominational web sites and with search engines. Feel free to e-mail me your suggested additions to the list.

Letter Re: Prepping for Missionaries and Other Long-Term Foreign Workers

Jim:
The NGO Security Page Safety & Security Resources for Humanitarian Organizations page is a great site with lots of free NGO Security Manuals in PDF. These may be relevant to both Aid Workers overseas and civilians without military experience. The International Committee for the Red Cross Manual Staying alive: safety and security guidelines for humanitarian volunteers in conflict areas is particularly good at explaining the effects of military weapons to laymen who’s ideas about their effects come from watching too many B movies.

In my experience what gets foreigners in trouble overseas is cultural arrogance and doing reckless things they would not do in their own country. People will kill you in some countries for verbal abuse that a Westerner would treat as banter in the pub. Life is cheap overseas. Once I had to clean up after a French woman who refused to pay 50 cents extra for a motorbike taxi.

Do some cultural research before you go to another country so you don’t offend people by accident. In South East Asia where I work being exceedingly polite to old people and monks goes a long way to making me well liked. Ask yourself if the country goes unstable do you want to be obnoxious foreigner or the foreigner who we invited to our daughter’s wedding.

The other thing is to paraphrase something that Gabe Suarez says “Don’t do stupid things, in stupid places with stupid people at stupid times of night.” So many problems could be solved if people would just use some common sense and read the travel advisories, and travel books published by Fodor’s or Lonely Planet. It is politically incorrect to say it but Western Women need to adapt to the fact that it is a Man’s world outside of the developed countries. Dressing provocatively will get you in trouble.

Regards, – P.J.H.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Corey from the excellent new Survival Logic blog wrote me to mention that for a limited time Amazon is offering David Black’s primer Living off the Grid free of charge. (It is normally $10.28.) Corey notes: “If you don’t already have the Kindle software on your computer, it’ll prompt you to download a free copy and install to your PC. If you already have a Kindle reader, then it is even easier.”

   o o o

Yet another documentary jumps on the bandwagon: Livin’ for the Apocalypse. Judging by the title that they chose, I suspect that they might have in subtle ways attempted to make the subjects look like loonies. (A hat tip to Steve H. for the link.)

   o o o

Here is a bit of confirmation that the 47 states with budget problems would find some creative solution to raising revenue: More states considering pay-by-the-mile car taxes.

   o o o

Ron Paul remains media poison. (He was within 1% of besting Bachman’s votes in Iowa, yet the mainstream media refuses to call him a “top tier” candidate.)

   o o o

Silicon Valley billionaire funding creation of artificial libertarian islands. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.)

Notes from JWR:

To support the blog’s bandwidth costs and other expenses, we have launched a new, greatly expanded SurvivalBlog Amazon Store. I did my best to select gear that is made in the United States and Canada. Here how it works: If you click on one of our Amazon links and then “click through” to order ANY product from Amazon.com (not just the ones listed in our catalog), then we will earn a modest sales commission. Please shop with our our paid advertisers first. (See the ads in the right hand bar of the main blog page.) But if they don’t have what you are looking for, then you can shop via our Amazon store, and help support SurvivalBlog. Please keep our store links in mind for all of your Amazon.com purchases. Remember that you need to click on one of our SurvivalBlog Amazon Store links first, for SurvivalBlog to get the commission. Thanks!

—

Today we present another entry for Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 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, and C.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 36 ends on September 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.

The Other BOB: The Bugout Bank, by Ron A.

There’s another Bug Out Bag (BOB) in the prepper family that you need to meet. It’s the Bug Out Bank, something that should be an addition to everyone’s G.O.O.D. plan. With the chaos going on in the financial world, and the uncertainty that goes hand-in-hand, the importance of this element of your plan can’t be overlooked.

We all realize there’s a bad moon rising. Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. It’s worse that it appears from up close. The official, underreported unemployment rate is hovering around 10%. The debt ceiling “fix” was done with masking tape and rusted wire. And the results? Significant stock market plunges. Gold at record highs. Silver climbing like a cat up a tree with a pit bull behind it.

Gas is a dollar higher than just one year ago. Food costs are steadily climbing. International markets? Mayhem and manipulation. Domestic trends? Downgrades and credit crushes. Yikes.

How about your paycheck? If it’s like mine it not only hasn’t increased, it has been cut. No matter what the gnomes say, this is inflation and if you want to extrapolate the possible future, start thinking about what happens when you put the “h” word in front of it. Hyperinflation isn’t just for Banana Republics anymore.

So how can you protect yourself against the worsening storms? If you’ve taken the precaution of creating a Bug Out Bank, you’ll find yourself in a far stronger position than most, for both the short haul and the longer term.

I’ve created a small kit, roughly the size of a shaving bag, that contains items that I believe will allow me to put some space between my family and the worst of the chaos. With it I believe I can weather at least two weeks, buying me enough time to get to a safer haven or tightening up my bug-in location. Other elements of the bank should allow me to exist from that point forward with a decent financial foundation.

First, I’ve included duplicates of my credit card and bank debit / ATM card in case the electronic systems are still operational. I don’t have a lot of faith in that, but using a piece of plastic isn’t going to draw any attention and will save me from digging into my other reserves. Know where the ATMs are in your vicinity – at home, at work and along the path of any planned escape route. Look for ones that are out of the way. People will flock to the financial institutions in the case of a bank run, quickly emptying the machines, but may overlook the ATM in the local corner store or restaurant. Search them out and make a map. Withdraw your limit and make sure you do it as inconspicuously as possible.

Next, stock up on whatever you need by using your credit card. Be careful not to overspend and put yourself in debt! I know many won’t worry about that in a SHTF situation, but it’s still a good idea to be mindful of a false alarm or the eventuality of having to pay the bill. I also suggest smaller purchases to avoid being targeted as a “have” and followed by a spiteful “have not”. Besides, your stockpiles should already be well in place at this point. This is strictly for last minute purchases such as filling your gas tank or replenishing items you meant to buy but haven’t “gotten around to” yet.

Act quickly. Once the electronic banking systems go down, your plastic will be worthless. Second in my line of financial defense is enough cash to get me through the days when federal reserve notes are still being accepted as currency. People are creatures of habit. Even if things are looking extremely grim, it’s going to be hard for the average consumer-driven sheep to pass up a handful of cash. For that reason, in my Bug Out Bank I have a total of $1,250 in the following denominations:

$600 in hundred-dollar bills. I realize that it’s not likely I’ll get change for them, but the power of a $100 bill will remain a big allure to many. They should work to acquire large items or make necessary payoffs.

$450 in ten-dollar bills. This is what I consider the ideal denomination for average purchases.

$200 in one-dollar bills. I got these new and flat from bank to save space – you’ll never get circulated bills to lie flat and orderly. Perfect for paying in conjunction with the $10s or for smaller items where change cannot be made.

$20 in quarters. Useful for pay phones if cell phone service is unavailable or bus / train fare if you’re in a city. Failing those needs, Charles Bronson once devised another good use for them.

Now on to the meat of my Bug Out Bank: silver. Realizing that it calls for a bit of optimism that my first two stages (plastic and paper) will be functional for very long, I’ve prepared accordingly. As the mainstream media reports more and more about the value of gold and silver, and the fact that the general public is becoming more aware of the inherent precious metal value in pre-1965 US silver coins, I’ve converted a portion of my savings into them with the specific goal of using them as currency. In fact, I’m betting many readers here have done the same. Some stores, like this one, are already accepting them.

I have accumulated 550 silver dimes and 34 silver quarters. As of this writing they’re worth $2.80 and $7.00 each, respectively, for a total of about $1,780. I figure that will get me food, water, fuel or whatever else people have and are willing to barter for. The only downside is their weight. It’s not much, just under 4 pounds, but it is added weight just the same. It’s a trade off I’m more than willing to make, however. “Worth its weight in silver” comes to mind.

Be sure to store them in such a way that you don’t jingle like Scrooge McDuck as you walk around. I use coin rolls. The main reason is so I can take out just one roll at a time if I need to use a coin and not display a sack of treasure that alerts people to how much I really have. To avoid tell-tale clinking, paper bank rolls work nicely since I’m able to roll down the paper on unfilled rolls. I’ve also experimented with using plastic tubes and putting cotton in to fill any gaps. Cotton balls have other uses, so this is a good alternative.

That covers cash and cash equivalents. I know that’s a lot for most people. It is for me as well. I made a lot of sacrifices to get to these levels. Clearly not everyone has the same financial realities. But the plan can be scaled down to fit any budget. Grow the numbers as you’re able.

I also keep copies of my important documents in the Bug Out Bank. These serve to establish my identity and preserve the important information I will need during and after a G.O.O.D. scenario. I’m going under the assumption that I won’t have my wallet, and have therefore ensured that I have placed everything I need in the bag. These are color photocopied front and back and include:

  • Driver’s license
  • Social Security card (ironic, I know)
  • CCW identification card
  • Insurance cards

I keep originals of:

  • Credit cards and bank / ATM cards, as mentioned earlier
  • My passport and my family members’ U.S. passports

I also keep a USB/flash drive with scanned images of all of the above plus photo documentation of my home and automobiles with license plates showing. I have scanned copies of my will, house deed, car titles, insurance paperwork, health records and other important documents. I have photographs of my valuable possessions with serial numbers shown on a sheet of paper next to the item, where desired. Clearly, this information needs to be securely encrypted, something that has been covered on this web site before by people far more experienced than I.

I want to touch on some unique elements of my Bug Out Bank. These are items that currently can be bought for a few cents each in most cases. However, in the case of a long-term societal collapse, they’ll be difficult or impossible to create from scratch and will prove valuable as barter items. I’ve intentionally limited myself to these items due to their compact and lightweight nature. I have filled an Altoids tin or small pill bottle with each of the following:

  • Safety pins
  • Small and medium sized fish hooks
  • Aspirin
  • Ibuprofen
  • Anti-diarrheal pills

At this point it started to become tempting to trespass onto Bug Out Bag turf, so I resisted the urge and focused on what I was willing to carry that is most likely to be both barterable and in demand.

Realizing that possessing that much cash and silver carries a risk, I’ve also hired a sleeper security guard in the form of a lightweight, compact .38 special revolver. There’s no need for the gun/caliber debate here. This is strictly a “backup to my backup” gun and something that always stays in the bag. As always, be certain you follow your local laws regarding concealed carry and use of firearms. Concealment of the bag is also a priority, the method of which differs with each reader’s situation. Use your head – there’s obviously a lot at risk.

It took a lot of time, work and determination to get all the assets together for my Bug Out Bank, a constant evolution until I was able to reach my goal. I hope it can serve as an inspiration and template for yours. When you’re grabbing your pack, don’t forget this BOB. He can mean a huge difference in your ability to provide for yourself and your family.

Some Observations on the Precious Metals Markets

You might noticed that on Monday (August 15, 2011), the spot price of gold was fairly flat, but that spot silver was up substantially.

Just as I predicted last week, it appears that Mr. Market has belatedly realized that silver needs to catch up to the recent advance in gold prices. To get back to a 40-to-1 ratio, silver would have to advance to $43.41 per ounce.

In the long run, a ratio of 20-to-1 or perhaps even 16-to-1 is realistic. So again, if you have enough secure storage space, then buy silver rather than gold.

If you want to ratio trade out of gold into silver, I recommend that you do so soon.

And in related news, did you notice that spot platinum has jumped to $1,796 per ounce? Last week, I had mentioned that gold jumped up to within $2 of the price of platinum. But that didn’t last. It doesn’t take long for disparities to get worked out in a free market, or even in a quasi-free market.

Letter Re: Prepping for Missionaries and Other Long-Term Foreign Workers

Hello, 
I have been a regular reader of SurvivalBlog and am very grateful for your efforts in maintaining such a great resource for those of use concerned with survival-related topics.  I would like to make mention of a recently-published book that is one of the best I have read in this field: Everything That Follows Is Based on Recent, Real-Life Experience That Has Been Proven to Work: Professional Survival Solutions, by James Shepherd-Barron 

Here is a description: “James Shepherd-Barron has worked in more than 26 countries, including the conflict zones of Iraq, Kosovo, Croatia, Central Bosnia, Burundi, and Rwanda. Once a helicopter pilot for the British army, he now runs a humanitarian affairs consultancy, working with the Red Cross, World Health Organization, UNICEF, and other clients. When not “on mission,” he advises and trains senior UN operational staff.” 

It would be very appropriate to make reference to this book in relation to the recent Prepping for Missionaries post since Shepherd-Baron’s expertise is in training aid workers and missionaries to manage the challenges of living and working in crisis situations that are about as close as anyone can get to experiencing an actual WTSHTF scenario.  What’s unique about the book, compared to the dozens of survival books out there, is that Shepherd-Baron’s advice is based on what he, and thousands of other foreign aid workers and missionaries, have directly found to be effective in actual civil wars, disaster zones, and communities living through long-term crisis and conflict.  The title of the book is, perhaps, too long and difficult to remember.  But book itself has the advantage of being in a very compact, neutral paperback format without conspicuous words like “survival” in a large font on the cover: most survival books have covers that call attention to the reader when consulting the book in public places.  I have not personally been on a mission in a conflict or disaster area but I provided logistical and administrative support for aid and development projects managed by a major university and funded by USAID.  Shepherd-Barron’s book should be essential reading for everyone considering missionary work and for anyone concerned with the realities of surviving WTSHTF. 

Letter Re: Pat’s Product Reviews: Rossi Ranch Hand

Hello,
Pat says, “FedGov regulations mandate that you have to have at least a 16″ barrel on a rifle, with an overall length of 26” – if your rifle is any shorter, then there’s lots of red tape and have a $200 tax for a Short Barrel Rifle (SBR), and I just don’t care to give the FedGov any more reason to come knocking on my door. “

He then offers up a review of the lever-action $536 Rossi Ranch Hand Pistol, which has a 12″ barrel, 24″ length.

I would suggest Pat review the following pistol:

Romanian AK-47 Draco Pistol 7.62x39mm. They sell for around $350.

It is a semi-auto pistol in AK-47 that takes 30-round magazines and can also take a 90-round drum magazine. It has a 12.25″ barrel and has 21″ length. It weighs 5.5 pounds.

Just as the Rossi does not require any Fed red tape nor $200 SBT transfer tax, neither does the Draco.

Best Regards, – Dave C.

Economics and Investing:

Reader R.P.B. recommended this: World Debt Guide: Owe Dear (an interactive graphic showing sovereign debt versus GDP.)

Truckergirl sent this: 10 Signs That Economic Riots And Civil Unrest Inside The United States Are Now More Likely Than Ever.

Lorimer Wilson posted his analysis on the silver-to-gold price ratio and potential tops.

Daily Bell Briefs: SEC Goes After S&P / World Bank to the Rescue? / Death & Democracy in the Middle East / States to Embrace Online Gambling.

Some commentary from Tam (of the always entertaining View From The Porch blog): When everybody’s a millionaire…

Mr. M. sent this: Food Prices Could Hit Tipping Point for Global Unrest

Odds ‘n Sods:

C.D., suggested this great chart on food cravings: What You Want vs. What You Need. Most of these conditions could be prevented with a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement tablet (or powder), plus a bit of extra Magnesium, and plenty of water.

   o o o

You’ve got to have some place for your tangible investments: Booming business of fear: Sales of safes soar. OBTW, be sure to bolt down your safe securely, and conceal it well! Nothing beats a vault that is hidden behind a false wall. (Thanks to Eric S. for the link.)

   o o o

John R. pointed me to this frightening article: The Pentagon’s Fake Jihadists.

   o o o

On the front line of the riots with the police A police officer, whose anonymous blog has captivated thousands, tells of his shock, exhaustion and terror after confronting the mob. Here is an interesting companion piece: Britain’s in crisis: the real causes of chaos on streets.

   o o o

Tam over at the View From The Porch blog recently had a link to a story that will probably put a lump in your throat: Actions that make heroes: Medford man returns rare handgun to Medal of Honor winner.

Note from JWR:

Great news! We’ve tooled up with a new vendor to produce the SurvivalBlog 2005-2010 Archive CD-ROM. Now, unlike with Lulu.com, you don’t need to sign up for a membership. The new vendor (Kunaki) also accepts payments both via credit cards and PayPal. And the price is lower too! (Just $11, plus $4.30 postage, to most U.S. and European addresses.)