Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Folks, did you hear that? The authorities in L.A. say there’s nothing to worry about. I’d love to see their dumb faces when Malibu and Beverly Hills get sucked into the gurgling maw of the Pacific. Where are they going to plug in their electric cars then? Ha, ha, ha.” – Woody Harrelson as Charlie Frost, in the movie 2012

Letter Re: Another Job Opportunity in Northwest Montana: CNC Machining Programmer

Jim
First of all, thank you for your blog. I read it every night. I read your post about an employee search in Montana last night. I am doing a similar search. I need a highly skilled CNC programmer and I just can’t find one. We are located in Kalispell, Montana.

We presently manufacture rifle barrels, pistol barrels and complete rifles. I am looking at buying a $300,000 machining center, but until I find at least one person to program it and set it up then I can’t put in the order. [Some additional information on the company deleted, for OPSEC.] With the new CNC machine, we will be able to make M1911 pistols, AK-47s, bolt action rifles, AR-15s and many others. I am trying to talk my chrome lining supplier into setting up a branch out here in Montana. Anyone who is a fully-qualified CNC programmer and willing to relocate to Kalispell should e-mail me their resume. Sincerely, – Brian Sipe, President, Montana Rifleman, Inc.

Note from JWR:

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.

Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids and Hygiene, by Jason L.

Everyone knows the rules, stock up on as many beans, bullets and Band-Aids as you can afford. As important as the big three are I feel that Hygiene is more important than some. Over the last few months I have been monitoring my family’s use of shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, toothpaste and bathroom amenities. I can firmly tell you I am not prepared for this area.

How often do we just jump in the shower, grab the shampoo and squeeze a glob onto our hands before washing our hair for 20 seconds and washing it all away? My family likes using body wash and this is done the same way. Grab the squishy ball, squirt some on then wash away the grim. This is fine when we have a Wal-Mart, dollar store or other resource to buy more soap next week but how long will it last and do you have enough saved up? I recently completed a survey of my family on how much shop we use. I am going to make some suggestion on how to make yours stretch longer.

My son and I use the most soap. Maybe we are wasteful or maybe we just get dirtier I’m not sure. I do know that I used a bottle of Dove body wash in 3 weeks. That’s 13.5 ounces in 21 days, about .64oz per washing. My son used slightly more and my wife slightly less though she consumed allot more shampoo (I’ll attribute that to my thinning hair and her long luscious hair). I then tried an experiment where I reused some soap squirt bottles. I was able to get allot more soap/per washing with this approach. I was able to stretch my 13.5 oz several months. It did not feel like I was using that much less soap and the squishy ball still made allot of suds but the total really added up. A few times I would need to double pump when I had been working under a car or in the ditch but for 90% of my washes this worked fine.
 
A great way to clean up quickly before coming inside was suggest on another site I read. Since then I have tried it and it works rather well. Simply put a bar of soap in an old onion bag and hang near an outside water source (mine is near a frost free hydrant). The advantage is readily avail soap and the neat works well to really scrub the grim.

Toothpaste is another big spender for us. We grab the tube and squeeze out as much as we want. I’ve made myself and my son a ¼” rule. We now put on ¼” of toothpaste and brush away. I see no difference when I am done except we don’t have the toothpaste boogers that always end up in the sink after washing because we use all the toothpaste we put on our brushes. A side note from a friend, by brushing 1-2 times a week with your opposite hand you stimulate the other side of your brain which helps make you more ambidextrous (this could be useful in a firefight if something was to happen to your dominate arm).

I always get a kick out of someone stocking 1,000 rolls of toilet paper. I see this is impractical and a wasteful use of resources. I am going to stock some but more for a barter item for people that think they need it. In the last several years I have traveled to several countries and while they have toilet paper a majority of the people I have stayed with do not use it. How do they clean themselves? They way everyone did 200 years ago. WATER, simply use some water to clean your butt and wash your hands good with antibacterial soap. You can store hundred of gallons of soap in less area than it would take to store 200 rolls of toilet paper and it would last you so much longer. Also using toilet paper your septic system will fill up rather quickly. If you do not having running water and a septic system that is working correctly I would suggest digging a cesspool. I have seen these made by simply digging a 6’-8’ deep pit 8’-10’ diameter and laying cement blocks on edge. You then put some type of lid on the structure and cover with 2-3′ of dirt. Leaving a cess pool uncovered is asking for trouble. This is a pooling place and leach field in one. It’s not currently looked upon favorably but would work fine after TEOTWAWKI. I feel this is a much better approach to the dig and bury method suggested by some. In the case were no running water is avail I would suggest making a form of outhouse to sit above one You could use reclaimed water from the roof to flush a toilet and have a vent several feel above the outhouse.

We often shop dollar stores for cheap antibacterial soap. Generally we can get a 1gal jug for fewer than five bucks. Don’t be afraid to check the clearance racks at holidays for the unique seasonal scents like burn turkey, eggnog, holiday mint and pine tree up your nose. These go on sale dirt cheap and after TEOTWAWKI no one is going to care what they smell like as long as they don’t smell like a wet dog and are clean. I also get LAVA brand soap from Wal-Mart. I get the 2pack in the automotive department for under $4, if you shop the beauty section it’s more. I don’t know why but I’ll walk the extra 100 feet to automotive to save the money. By shopping for cheaper brands and specials we have been able to accumulate a year’s supply of soap for under $100.

How will you do laundry after TEOTWAWKI? I certainly don’t want to use my fuel to run the clothes washer. Maybe you have an alternative like this wonder washer ? I do not have one yet but this is high on my list. You can watch reviews of it on YouTube. Until then I have installed a double bowl utility tub in our washroom. I have been told that you can force soap through cloths by using a plunger. I would recommend a separate new never used plunger for such activities. Start with your cleanest wash first and move to the dirty stuff after you go. The gray water I routed outside via PVC piping into a raised garden to utilize the spent water best. My wife washes several things by hand now and while it may not be fun she can do laundry in this fashion if need be. Laundry detergent should be stock up as well. I normally stick with name brand soap but for stocking I use and off brand powdered detergent. By shopping around at places like bobbarker.com you can buy 45 lbs of detergent in a 5 gallon bucket for $40. This is a great fast way to have the soap one needs on hand to do cloths. We all know that we will be working hard and longer and will get much dirtier WTSHTF make sure you have enough to keep clean.

My house is fed water with an underground spring that has a shallow well pump connected to it.  We pipe our water just over ½ mile to our houses. This spring use to run to the factory that use to site where my property is currently located. It has been in use for well over 100 years and to my knowledge has never dried up. There is enough drop from the spring location to my house to supply me with fresh water. I simply need a way to move it though the house and heat it for showers. I am in the midst of working on either a solar powered setup with 12 volt DC RV pumps or by a water wheel using an AC generator head. The Solar may be my best option for now, however after TEOTWAWKI I doubt that the EPA would bother me much if I installed a Pelton wheel on the stream that runs through my property.
 
To heat my water I am going to rely on an old fashioned wood stove. I do not have the particulars worked out yet but my plan includes having a Kitchen Queen cook stove that I can use for heating water and cooking on. In the summer this would force us out of our house so a smaller stove would be able to boil water. I am working on acquiring a solar heater that I can connect to run in the warmer months of the year for showers, washing et cetera. This again will require some type of 12 volt DC pumping system to supply water up to the roof and then gravity will take over and bring the water back down to be used.

I feel that being clean will be one of the best luxuries when TEOTWAWKI happens. I also feel that if you are not clean you will be more apt to get sick. It’s something we take for granted now but by making some small changes you can find out how much soap, shampoo and toothpaste you will need to stay healthy and clean.

Four Letters Re: Para Ord Pistols and Serpa Holsters

SurvivalBloggers:
I normally don’t respond to criticisms of my articles, we are all entitled to our opinions on guns. However, I would like to point out that the letter G.N. sent to SurvivalBlog about my Para USA P-14 articles needs some clarification.
 
First of all, I can only report on the guns that I have personally tested – period! I’m sure some folks might have had problems with their Para Power Extractor – then again, regular extractors break as well. I have owned several Para 1911s over the years, some with the Power Extractor, and some without – and I had zero problems with neither extractor system.
 
I’m not one who believes everything I read in gun forums on the ‘net. If you were to believe everything or even half of what you read, you’d believe that no one makes a good gun, especially a good 1911. And, I’m not only talking about 1911s – if you believe what you read on many web sites about guns, every gun made is “junk” according to most people who post blogs or their opinions. If all these guns were junk, how can any gun company stay in business? And, if G.N. believes that Para USA makes junk guns, then why are they growing, year-after-year, and with more and more models? I don’t think Para could build guns with no one buying them.
 
As for the Mec-Gar magazines that were supplied with my P-14, I’ve found that Mec-Gar makes some of the best magazines in the world. In fact, they supply magazines to nearly 50 gun companies. If Mec-Gar is making such bad magazines, then why do so many gun companies use their magazines? If G.N. can manufacture better magazines than Mec-Gar does, then he should do so, and not criticize someone else’s products!
 
As to the Serpa holster from Blackhawk! Products. Once again, I believe that G.N. is nit-picking here. It would seem that G.N. has his preferences, just as we all do, and he reports, without providing any facts, that there has been numerous accidents with people drawing their handguns from a Serpa holster and the gun going off. Well, if people simply followed the rules, and kept their finger off the trigger until the sights are on the target, they wouldn’t have any problems. I’m not personally aware of any such incidents involving the Serpa holsters. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but I’m not aware of it, You can have an accident using any type of holster – period!
 
The Para P-14 I tested had their new Generation II Para Kote on it – perhaps G.N. failed to read this, or research this on his own. Once again, it would appear to me that, G.N .is just nit-picking my review on the P-14, the magazines and the Serpa holster.
 
Look, I give an honest review on all the products I test for SurvivalBlog, as well as the magazines that I write for. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’ve been involved in shooting for about 45 years. If I didn’t know what I was talking about, then I wouldn’t earn a paycheck from the gun magazines I write for. I would like to suggest that G.N. do his own review of Para USA products, I don’t claim to be any sort of “expert” in anything. If there was something negative to report in a gun, knife, holster, ammo or any other products I test and evaluate for SurvivalBlog, I’d report my findings. I’m not under contract to any company to give their products favorable reviews – I call ’em the way I see ’em. – Pat Cascio

 

JWR,
I purchased a Para-USA GI Expert .45 ACP two years ago.  I broke one of the magazine followers the first night (my fault) and called Para the next day.  The friendly voice in parts said he’d send me a new one free!  When they arrived, they’d sent two of them so I’d have a spare.   They have great customer service!

At the range I had two stove-pipe jams with cheap steel-case ammo, but all else (FMJ and hollowpoints) fed and ejected fine.  After the first 200 rounds there were no jams, even the steel-case crap.   It now has about 1,000 rounds though it, with zero problems.   Talk about accurate?   For this being their bottom priced model, it has a match barrel that shoots tighter groups than I can hold.

Yes, the black finish is wearing where it contacts the holster.  I bought this pistol to shoot, not stare at.   I use a black Sharpie to cover worn areas, and used bright orange paint to cover the rear of the front sight.  I recently added Crimson Trace laser grips for after dark.  It’s a great pistol for CCW and home defense.
 
Also, I use Serpa holsters daily with various Glocks, SIGs, and the 1911. I’ve never had any problems – ever.  Never been to a range where my Serpa holsters were considered a problem, either.
 
Stay low, – GeoMonkey

Mr. Rawles,  
Another problem with the Blackhawk Serpa holsters in when you use them hard in the dirt. We train Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and hand-to-hand in a pit. The dirt clogs up the release and you cannot get the handgun out of the holster. – N.H. Hillbilly

 

Jim:
I have been using Serpa holsters for several years with Glocks and a M9 during a mobilization to Iraq. The release for Glocks and M9’s positions the trigger finger alongside the frame above the trigger. To press the trigger the shooter has to curl his/her trigger finger and drop it down to enter the trigger guard. As long as the shooter keeps the finger straight it is virtually impossible (unless one has extremely short fingers) to hit the trigger even if you drop the finger down in line with the trigger. All you will do is touch the front of the trigger guard. The problem occurs when a shooter curls his finger to hit the release and then gets sloppy about not keeping the trigger finger touching the frame until the sights come on target. Bottom line is, KEEP YOUR FINGER STRAIGHT and outside of the triggerguard unless your weapon is aimed at the target. (Safety Rule #2). People shouldn’t blame equipment for sloppy gun handling. – Bill N.

Economics and Investing:

J.J.H. sent this: US taxpayers could be on hook for Europe bailout

Europe’s Response To Geithner’s Advice: “I’d Like To Hear How The United States Will Reduce Its Deficits … And Its Debts”. (Thanks to Jonathan B. for the link.)

J.B.G. sent this: Eurozone: A nightmare scenarios.

John R. was the first of several readers to mention The Economic Collapse video Part 1 and Part 2.

Items from The Economatrix:

Dumpster Diving?

Geithner:  Economy in “An Early Stage” of Crisis

US Poverty Rate Spikes as Incomes Decline

Fuel Pump Woes Won’t Go Away

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” – 2 Timothy 2:15-16 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries 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.

Something Is Always Better Than Nothing, by V.G.

For someone who was never a “prepper”, Hurricanes here in the South, will make you one, or at least a beginner, and in this tight economy, a little “Something is always better than nothing”.  I live in an area just north of Houston, Texas. My husband has always been of the mindset “you never know when we may need it”, so I have always had to deal with his “stock up on this or that” or “next time you go to the store, you need to get this or that”, you never “know” when we might need it or even “don’t throw that away, it’ll be useful later on”.  Things you don’t normally or wouldn’t think of are exactly the type of things “Oh, I wish I had that” you need or want.

How did I come to be a “beginning prepper”?  Well, instead of me giving you the full lengthy story or a repeat of a similar one, go read “Whether and When to Bug Out – Hurricanes! by TJD in Houston” on Thursday April 28, 2011.  He hit the nail on the head in that article, dead on. We were prepared for Hurricane Ike (because we chose to stay at home as opposed to leave like Rita’s “Hurricane trip from Hell”). But that opened my eyes to prepping, not only for hurricanes but for when TSHTF as well.. I just wished I had found your web site (and impressive, helpful lists/links) prior to Ike to have been able to see what else we needed then, even though we did fine. We already had quite a bit without realizing we were “prepping” thanks to us loving the outdoors and camping, and to be able to “check off” what we have, has been extremely helpful.  Thank you, JWR.

Money is tight with us, but we do try to “gather” things when we can because “you never know when you may need it”.  Which brings me to my reason for writing, in today’s economy, with money getting tighter and tighter, prices going thru the roof on everything, not all of us can afford to get a lot of things or even expensive top name items…but “Something is always better than Nothing”, there are other options to consider or look at.

For example, when shopping, a lot of the drug stores and grocery stores do “freebies”/coupon (i.e. buy 1 get 1 free) deals or (in the case of one of our larger chain grocery stores here) “deal of the week” where if you “buy this item get this item free” type deal.  Just because you “don’t need it now” or “that’s not my usual brand” does not mean 1.) You won’t use it later on or 2.) You can’t barter/trade it for something else when TSHTF later on 3.) It’s free, so why not get it.  Always try to think ahead, think of not just “others” but yourself as well and not just of weather type situations, but the way the current economy is going or when TSHTF.  Let me give you a few examples of deals.  The store may run a “deal” if you buy this name brand deodorant, they’ll give you for free, their store version of it.  Hey…..you never know when you may need it or can barter with it!  A year ago, they had a “coupon deal” (no, I’m not an extreme couponer or a hoarder, but when it’s an excellent deal, you can bet I’m going to stock up and get as many as I can, depending on what it is) on Revlon nail products (i.e. clippers, files, manicure scissors, etc) for $2.00 off, at the same time, they had Revlon nail clippers small ones on sale for $2.04, and large ones on sale for $2.08!  With the coupon, that made them $.04 and $.08 each!  I bought every single one that day and two weeks later before the end of the month, I bought more.  20 pairs of each for a combined total of $2.40! Now, trust me, no one in their normal, right mind needs 20 pairs each of large and small nail clippers, But I can trade/barter some for something we don’t have later on!  I do the same with toothpaste and free toothbrushes.  I’ve always done that and when Ike hit and we had friends stay with us, we were handing them out because they had forgotten theirs.  It’s the little things that add up at times.  Same with “freebie” coupons (which are becoming harder and harder to get or to use, especially since that show has come on), even if you don’t use it or it’s not your brand, Something is better than nothing and you can Barter with it, another example, I had received (through emails from the manufacturer) coupons for free Folger’s coffee, certain soda’s, certain chips, no need to “buy this to get that free”.  Even though we do not drink coffee, we realize a lot of people do, it makes a great bartering item, and I have several free cans in my freezer.  While you are at the store, start getting in the habit of buying one pound bags each of rice and beans.  At a $1.00 each or less, stock up! Something is better than nothing.

Dollar stores are great places to get items “cheap” to stock up on, especially the larger ones (like down here we have Dollar Tree, $.99 Only, Dollar King),  not only to have for yourself but to barter with as well when TSHTF.  Cheap paper plates (you can get the plastic paper plate holders to make them more sturdy) not only hold food but is also a way to help start a fire if need be.  You can get and stock up on items for kids/adults as time passers, such as playing cards, crayons, coloring books, small games, toys, some reading books.  Kitchen/cookware items such as potato peelers, manual can openers (must have), knives of various sizes and purposes, cutting boards, pot holders, measuring cups and spoons, storage bowls, spices (Got you thinking doesn’t it??).  Kite string (1001 uses for that, just ask my teenage sons), candles, cheap flashlights, matches (can’t have enough of those), lighters, lighter fluid, toilet paper, paper towels, large plastic tubs/bowls (tons of uses for those), clothes pins (a must), dishwashing soap, laundry soap, fabric softener sheets (multiple uses for that as well), safety pins, sewing needles, thread.  Personal/bath items of all kinds, such as soaps, body wash/sprays/perfumes, toothbrushes, dental floss, and toothpaste.  Band-aids and wraps, again, not name brand, but Something is better than nothing.  A lot of them also sell small tools too, such as screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, screws/nails.  Find a large one in your area and go “window” shopping one day, you might be surprised.

Your Big Market Store (i.e. Wal-Mart, K-mart) is another great place to get good “deals” for cheap at.  For example, you can pick up an 18 pack bundle of wash rags for $4.00, something else you can’t have too many of, for various reasons.  Over the counter medications, store brand, like pain killers, 200 count for $4, allergy pills, 24 count for less than $1.50, something to barter with, and Something is better than nothing.  Solar lights, cheap ones that are $2-$3 each, are great little lights (provided you put them in the sun to charge) to have.  Hand sanitizers, bleach, cleaners with bleach, Wipes of all kinds (Big Ones is a good brand) to “wipe down” with if you can’t get a sponge bath or shower.  Ramen Noodles Soups for a 12 pack box are less than $2 a box, you can easily stock up plenty of those, you can add to them to make them even better (spices, meats, veggies) and Something is better than nothing.  With it being the end of summer, they are getting ready for Christmas, so they are moving a lot of stuff to the clearance section, for example, flip flops for $1 per pair!  Yes, I know it’s not “full coverage” shoes, but Something is better than nothing (they did have other full coverage shoes starting at $5 and up).  After Christmas/winter, they will mark down blankets/throws, something else you can’t have too many of and can barter with.  Look for the clearance section/sales; you’d be surprised what you may find.

Stock up on any and all garden seeds!  Veggies of all kinds (even if you don’t currently eat them) and some flowers.  Something is better than nothing.  Even the dollar stores carry seed packets.  Seeds are good for several years, giving you the chance to start, grow and save your own seeds from your own garden.  There are tons of web sites that give information on how long vegetable seeds will lasts, saving techniques (including freezing to make seeds last years longer), growing information, etc.  Use these resources while they last, especially if you cannot afford to buy too many books.  While you’re at it, start a notebook where you can print information out, put it in the notebook or write down notes for yourself in it. Flowers are not only pretty, but a lot of flowers have multiple purposes, such as pest control or medicinal.  And you don’t have to till/plow huge areas, you can do so many versions/sizes of garden boxes/flower pots, especially with recycled materials.  Look online. Same with survival information, there’s a ton of it, several downloadable reference books and you need to get them.  Whether you print them out, save them to your computer, or zip drive, do it.  I have done all three ways.  My husband and sons actually “read”, discuss and try  out some of the stuff in the books, but later on, when TSHTF, we have “valuable” information we can share/barter with others if need be.  Something is better than nothing.  These free, downloadable books show everything from hunting/fishing to first aid to different ways of cooking or making shelters.  There are even apps for your smart phones you can download.  Start gathering fishing/hunting items and reading/researching homemade hooks, traps, lines, how to filet, skin, etc.  If you can, start practicing now, that way, when TSHTF, you’re already ahead of the game, and maybe you can “pass” that information on to others.

If you can do it, go camping.  It’s a great way to see what you need, what you don’t need, what you can get by with or without.  A camping stove comes in very handy, not to mention they are compact, don’t take up much space, same with the little propane bottles.  A cast iron skillet (or even a dual purpose dutch oven), even though it’s heavy, is worth its weight in gold if it’s seasoned and not dented/pitted (deep dents/scratches).  You can find “used” ones at garage sales for next to nothing, again, making sure they are not dented/pitted, plus “camping/survival” gear.  Which reminds me, those MREs you’ve been saving that are probably expired now, before you throw them completely out, go thru them and separate them.  The food, yes, get rid of it, but save everything else, from the bags, heating packet all the way down to the “condiments”.  It will be useful later on; you can barter with it or add it to your camping stash!  Hit garage and estate sales when you can, it’s a great place to get tools, or other items you may need.

My primary reason for writing this was to bring to your attention other options to try when money is tight (and only getting tighter) but you still want to get “prepared”.  Research information online, download and save to your computer or zip drive the free informational books.  Hit garage and estate sales, go window shopping at your local dollar store.  If you can, every time you go to the store (or at least 1-2 times a month), pick up not only a package of rice and beans, but a 4 roll count of toilet paper, a roll or 2 of paper towels, tea bags, flour  and sugar (have you seen how much they have gone up??  And it’s only going to go higher!), and if you can do it, yeast to make homemade bread and get in the habit of making it.  Even though it may be cheap, store brand or free, when TSHTF, trust me, Something is better than nothing.

Words To Live By, by Paul Z.

Everybody has a set of words that they live by- have you ever stopped to really think about which words might keep you alive? Time to get motivated. Sounds silly but there are eight very simple words that will get you on your way to becoming a different person, a person that identifies who and where they are in the universe, a person that plans, a person that starts down the road towards self-reliance, a person that is not apathetic, a person that commits to learn, a person that executes and maintains what they learn. You can be this person. Take a moment and examine what is important to you now and what should be important to you in the very near future. Mark my words, there will come a time when things break down, get nasty, and your world will lose its coziness- will you have the wherewithal to keep yourself comfortable or keep yourself alive? Take the time to learn these key words and set your goal to become self-reliant.

YOU.
Yes, I am talking to you about you. No matter what job you have, no matter what role you may play in your family or community, there is no better feeling than having the confidence in your own ability to maintain yourself without outside aid or relying on any outside sources. How can you become independent, isn’t it hard? Doesn’t it cost a lot? Is it really worth all the effort? Ask the people of New Orleans, Joplin, and Japan if it’s worth the trouble. Is it really trouble? Learning how to plan for the worst-case scenario seems to me to be something that avoids trouble. What do you do when the power lines outside your home are blown down on the street? What do you do when water has flooded your neighborhood and there isn’t a drop to drink? What do you do when a group of people has assembled around your home with the intention of taking it over? You become self-sufficient and learn how to plan and live in a self-reliant manner. Could you grow your own food for months at a time? Could you light a fire with what you have on your person right now?  If the world as you know it came to an end could you keep you and yours together and safe? Could you?

STRATEGY.
Being able to adapt is the key to avoiding a terrible end to a horrible situation.  Having an edge in any predicament that helps you come out on top is invaluable.  How do you adapt, how do you have that edge if you don’t come up with a strategy? When this happens, then do that. Simple. So what is the hold up? Why don’t you know five different routes out of town? Why don’t you have a way to cook food on the road? Why don’t you have extra medication, cash, and clothing in your car for that next trip of more than ten miles from your door? Because you have not gotten serious about what is coming around the bend. Avoid the chaos of the unknown by making it known and create a strategy that will get you through the worst of times. Are you ready to map out your strategy?

START.
Begin right now, read this and then educate yourself on how to survive when society collapses. Did you see that? Not if but when society and your safety net fall apart.  “Fire and police will not arrive for up to 72 hours after an earthquake unless you are located where the most damage has occurred”, that’s the first thing that a Los Angeles Fire Department captain told me at a Community Emergency Response Training (C.E.R.T.) class recently- the class was free, put together through my local Neighborhood Council.  She stressed becoming self-sufficient and pounded it into our heads that we would be on our own in the event of a natural disaster for much longer than most of us were currently prepared to deal with. Get the odds stacked in your favor, start now and educate yourself on the art of becoming self-sufficient.

PROACTIVE.
Avoid becoming apathetic. It’s amazing how many Americans show such little concern regarding not being prepared in the event of a shutdown of some sort. It’s going to happen and it doesn’t have to be the result of a catastrophic tsunami or a global economic meltdown. An electrical worker mistakenly removed a piece of monitoring equipment at a substation in southwestern Arizona last week (September 9, 2011) and caused a power outage for over four million people in Southern California, Arizona, and Mexico. One person got distracted and it affected four million people- how many of them were prepared to deal with that?  No power, no cash from the ATM. But forget about the ATM because the traffic lights will be out and the gridlock will stop you cold. The cold, no power means no heat because your thermostat won’t work. See what’s going on? Your good intentions aren’t worth squat if you become apathetic and allow yourself to be indifferent towards the reality of needing to be self-sufficient.  Stop being apathetic, become passionate, educate yourself, make a plan, execute your plain, and know that you can rely on yourself.

LEARN.
Bandages, a flashlight, and a bottle of water will help you stay hydrated in a dark room while covering a skinned knee; however, will you be able to feed, shelter, and sustain yourself and your family for days at a time?  Months? You must learn how to be self-sufficient- it is not a guessing game. Educate yourself in the many disciplines of self-sufficiency. CPR, water purification, food storage, fuel storage, and strategies for dealing with emergency situations are not listed on the side of a ninety-nine cent first aid kit. Bandages will not get oxygen to the brain of an unconscious and unresponsive relative on the floor. A flashlight is only as good as the batteries in it- how old are those things and are they even in there? Did you know that the suggested minimum amount of water per person is one gallon per day- do you have three gallons of drinking water in your home? Any water in the car? Strategy is important, learn how to save yourself and your loved ones by getting educated. Take a walk through your house and really ask yourself if IT happened right now, would you know how to purify the water in the back of your toilet tank- did you even think about the water in your toilet tank? What about the water in your water heater? Do you know where your water heater is? Learn, learn, and learn because it will happen and you will want to know what to do.

COMMIT.
If you’re going to do it, then do it. There is no such thing as almost storing some water or kind of putting a few hundred dollars in small denominations in your “bug out” bag. Unless you, yes you, do it then it will not get done. You have to commit to doing this for yourself and your family. It is tough, it is daunting; however, once you commit you can make it happen. Good intentions will leave you unprepared while committing to getting every aspect of your life as self-sufficient as possible will leave you ready to be on your own when everything around you has failed.

EXECUTE.
Follow through and carry out your plan. Go buy that generator. Outfit your “bug out” bag and put it where you know it will be. Get that emergency kit together for your car and actually put it in your car. Knowledge is wasted unless you physically implement what you have learned.  Reading about starting a fire with two sticks is great; however, actually starting a fire by rubbing two sticks together is better. Knowing you need a gallon of water per person per day and actually procuring that water and storing it properly is the difference between a comfortable life and an agonizing death. Once you learn what you need to do go do it.

MAINTAIN.
Having one hundred and ten gallons of potable water in your garage is great, going to use it after a year of storage only to find it full of algae and other toxins is just sad. Did you know that some plastics are affected by a concrete floor? Something as simple as a piece of wood between your container and the floor could have kept your supplies ready for use. How about those gallons of gas you’ve been storing for six months, did you know gasoline goes bad? Or what about your firearms, have you cleaned them recently? Do you know how to clean them? Have you rotated your canned food supply? Maintain your supplies, maintain your equipment, and maintain what you know by refreshing your skills- don’t let them spoil through ignorance and neglect. Self-sufficiency is a learned, practiced, and maintained skill. I put an extensive first aid kit in my wife’s car, I know that if I needed to I could open it up and have access to a surgical field kit, at least I thought I did. I was shocked to find that my wife had gone into the kit and used the surgical tape for wrapping Christmas presents, the surgical sheers were nowhere to be found, and the alcohol wipes, hydrogen peroxide, and pain reliever had been pilfered over time. Maintain your supplies, you never know who has been doing what to them. Maintain your knowledge and skill, if you don’t use it you will definitely lose it. Read up on what you think you already know, you’ll be surprised to find out that someone has come up with something new.

Three Letters Re: Turning One Town’s Junk Into This Man’s Treasure

James:
That was an excellent article by A. Arizonan! As a former newspaper deliverer (rural route in the American Redoubt), I would like to add that there are benefits to delivering or subscribing to newspapers.

As a deliverer who serviced home customers and coin-op boxes, I could amass “extra” or “unsold” paper to the tune of about 300 to 500 pounds a month. To this day I still have about 2000 pounds in storage. I’d have more but I can’t properly store any more.

The added benefit of my former route was that I got to meet a lot of people and explore places near me that I wouldn’t otherwise go. This has proved useful in learning more about where I live and who lives in it.

I also found some of my customers would return the rubber bands and plastic sleeves so I could reuse them (as they cost me money to use). I asked one customer if they would return their papers as well so I could “recycle” them and they were more than happy to. (As if I needed more of what I couldn’t save, but you see my point).

After giving the route to a friend and fellow prepper, my friend has told me that he now has two customers who want unsold or “used” paper! He, like myself, struggles with storage space (he has about three times what I have in paper) so he is happy to not go out of his way to the recycling place but rather leave the “extra” with someone who has a use for it.
If you would like a massive amount of newsprint in a short amount of time, you can either get a route or simply talk to your delivery person. – T.M.

Dear Mr. Rawles,
One quick point with regard to the statement: “Some frown on cellulose as an insulator because of two of its other main properties, namely flammability and absorbency (ask anyone who has had a roof leak into an attic with cellulose fill).”  Commercially available cellulose insulation is treated with borate, and is actually safer than fiberglass in nearly every regard including fire safety. Regards, Peter in Maryland

JWR:
A. Arizonan mentioned: “Cooking. My grandparents used to have a grill that utilized only newspaper to cook on. Quite a while back I even saw these advertised on late night TV.”

Newspapers may contain toxic chemicals and these chemicals might end up in your food. Typically paper is treated with toxic beaching agents and these toxins remain in paper. Newspaper also utilize recycled paper which may also have become contaminated other with toxins from their previous use. – An Anonymous Reader

JWR Adds: This warning is particularly true of slick color-printed inserts. These should all be shunted off for recycling, as their risks outweigh their benefits in almost every potential application.

Letter Re: Para Ord Pistols and Serpa Holsters, by G.N.

I’m writing to contribute my first hand experience to the recent review of the Para USA P14.  After desiring one for 20 years, I became the very disappointed owner of a US-made model nine months ago.

First,  P14s for the last few years have the Power Extractor (PXT), which is a non-standard 1911 extractor. This means you’re stuck with it. You can’t readily replace it with off the shelf 1911 extractors and you can’t tune it.  Mine broke at under 200 rounds.  Although Pat summarily dismisses this as mere ‘Internet lore’, where there is smoke, there’s fire – and there is a lot of smoke on the Power Extractor.  I have even spoken with a former Para USA gunsmith that admitted they see a large number of broken extractors. They have dropped the Power Extractor and added a fiber optic front site and called it a “classic” (which Pat didn’t mention).  I’ll be curious (and pleased) to see if Para phases out their remaining PXT models.

Second, I’m shocked to hear of Para shipping Mec-Gar magazines and curious if that is normal.  My US made P14 shipped with US magazines that work flawlessly.  I purchased four additional factory magazines and the ones that showed up were Canadian. They fail early and fail often.  All four of them.  I ended up parting with them recently and replacing them with Mec-Gar magazines that seem to work well so far (a few hundred rounds). [JWR Adds: Mec-Gar is the dedicated subcontractor for several pistol makers, including Beretta. When you buy “factory replacement” magazines, they often are actually made by Mec-Gar. They have a very good reputation for quality despite their very large production volume. So pleased don’t be “shocked” that any pistol comes from the factory with Mec-Gar magazines.]

Third, on the theme of smoke and fire, Internet Model 1911 boards are too frequently seeing postings from disappointed new Para USA owners with a variety of quality problems.  Most seem to stem from the use of metal injection molding (MIM) parts (such as the Power Extractor) that fail early on.

Fourth, Para Kote finish is known for wearing off quite easily from light normal use – and I can back that up. Mine’s only seen a holster on a few occasions and has around 1,000 rounds through it and the finish is starting to go.

Other than reliability (is there an “other than reliability when it comes to defensive firearms?”), the P14 has certainly performed well in the accuracy department and it’s a very fun pistol to shoot.  It’s unfortunate that Para USA continues to use critical parts made out of MIM to save money. It would seem like they’d be better off buying steel tool parts and considering it an investment in public relations.  If I were to look to purchase another double stack 1911 then I think I would give the Springfield XD a try on the low end  of the price range and an STI 2011 on the high end and steer clear of the Para, or at worst make absolutely certain I didn’t get stuck with a pistol equipped with a PXT extractor.

Finally, on a related note, I think a warning is in order with regards to the Blackhawk Serpa holsters. There have been a disproportional number of negligent discharges with people using these holsters due to the positioning of the trigger finger [to release the retention latch] in relation to the trigger.  I owned several of these and never had a problem, but they have now been banned from several well known firearms training schools and there have been several very public negligent discharges by well-trained individuals in addition to newbies.  Since SurvivalBlog isn’t catering only to experts, I think I would shy away from these holsters and instead recommend something like the Safariland ALS. That is what I replaced my Serpas with.  They seem to be of a bit higher quality and use the thumb instead of the index finger to release the retention mechanism.

Economics and Investing:

Refinancing Tips: What You Need to Know to Snag Today’s Rock-Bottom Rates

Over at The Daily Bell: Biggest Story in the World? … China Faces Hard Landing

Michael W. sent this: As prices soar, a new gold rush emerges in the West

G.G. flagged this: Latest sign of hardship: Families unable to bury loved ones

Items from The Economatrix:

Job-Creation Plan Largely Ignores Housing Woes

Gas Prices Jump But No Steady Climb Forecast

Consumer Prices, Unemployment Claims Rise

World Central Banks Flood Market With Dollars

Odds ‘n Sods:

Michael G. recommended a Peak Oil comic strip: ROME DIDN’T COLLAPSE IN A DAY

   o o o

Justice Drags her feet in Ohio: Lakewood woman’s lawsuit forces police to return confiscated firearms.

   o o o

Regulations Threaten School Tornado Shelters in Alabama. A bureaucratic nightmare! ( A hat tip to Timothy J. for the link.)

   o o o

Brett G. sent this: Michigan Hunter Kills 220-Pound Black Bear During Attack

   o o o

And, speaking of hunting, J. McC. sent this: Salisbury man banned from hunting worldwide. The North Carolina court’s jurisdiction in say, Zambia (or Colorado, for that matter), is questionable. Parenthetically, this reminds me of how some of my old sci-fi convention friends were “Banned from Denny’s” after too much hilarity late one night. They were told by an enraged waitress that they were “banned from all Denny’s restaurants.” This unenforceable ban became so legendary that there was even a filk written about it. (And then there were the spin-off filks, like Banned from Argo. Or did that come first?) But in any case, I wasn’t there that night. Honest.