Homeschool for Less Than $30 a Year, by Kathryn T.

It’s that time again.  Spring, you say?  No, it’s curriculum sale time!  Every spring, homeschooling support groups used book sales and homeschool conventions sprout like tulips.  March, April, and May are the season for planning and obtaining next year’s curricula.

If you have considered homeschooling as an educational alternative for your children or would like to stockpile educational materials for potential hard times ahead (whether or not you homeschool currently), now is the time to be looking.  Homeschooling does not need to be expensive to be effective.  In fact, it is possible to home educate well for under $30 per year, per child.

First, it is important to understand the basics of homeschooling and homeschooling philosophies.  To familiarize yourself with how to approach home education, you can get books from the library, such as The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise or Homeschooling Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp, Ph.D.

You may also want to consider attending a homeschooling convention, which often yields the best value for your time and money.  The most popular ones are listed on the Great Homeschool Conventions web site.  One of the largest is the Cincinnati (Ohio) Homeschool Convention which is April 19th – 21st this year.  It is centrally located and draws hundreds of vendors, speakers, and participants.

However, you can also attend smaller ones near your home.  Ask at the public library or Google “homeschool conventions” and your state.  Homeschool conventions typically cost $10 – $60 in admission, but you can attend for free if you volunteer.  Contact the organizers well in advance.  Volunteers are usually asked to check in participants or do other relatively simple tasks for several hours in exchange for free admission to the conference.  You can also apply for a scholarship from the convention hosts.  Some organizers will extend free admission and give curricula vouchers to low-income participants.  An unemployed friend received $100 in curricula vouchers at a convention last weekend because she applied for assistance.

Once you familiarize yourself with homeschooling and the various educational approaches (eclectic, classical, Charlotte Mason, etc.), you will want to begin accumulating curricula.  If money is tight or you are stockpiling for potential future use, focus on the 3Rs—reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Start with math, as that is usually the easiest subject to purchase.
There are tons of math programs available, but one of the most common, complete, and serviceable is Saxon Math.  You can pick up a used Saxon Math textbook for as little as 99 cents on eBay.  The book does not need to be a recent edition, as mathematics does not change that often, but should be in decent condition with little to no writing inside.  If you are not adept at math yourself, you will also need to purchase an answer key, which will cost about $5 used.  Saxon Math has an unusual numbering system.  For instance, Saxon 6/5 means that it is for an “advanced fifth grader or an average sixth grader.”  It has been my observation that you should go with the second number.  The first 30 lessons are typically review from the previous year, and learning is incremental, so it should not be too hard for even an average fifth grader.  Thus, Saxon 6/5 is for fifth graders.
For older students, you may want to consider books from the Key To series (Key To Decimals, Key to Fractions, Key to Algebra, Key to Geometry, etc.).  These books are excellent, inexpensive ($3 each), and self-teaching.

Next, contemplate writing.  I recommend buying some lined notebooks ($1 each or less during the back to school sales) and a box of pencils ($2).  Use the notebooks to have your child write journals, stories, letters, and essay assignments.  Guide them through proper punctuation, capitalization, and grammar, as well as good writing practices (e.g., outlining and the five-paragraph essay).  If you need help with these skills, pick up a used copy of Writer’s Inc. or a similar edition from this company ($5).  The materials from Andrew Pudewa’s Excellence in Writing are wonderful, but much more costly.  If your children are elementary-school aged, you may want a copy of the appropriate grade level of Handwriting without Tears (about $5) as well.

For additional grammar help, consider Easy Grammar or Daily Grams.  These are expensive new (about $25), but can be picked up cheaply or free (if some pages are missing) at homeschool used book sales.  Even if the book has many pages ripped out, they are still useful because Daily Grams gives 180 days worth of grammar lessons.  Each day the lesson covers capitalization, punctuation, parts of speech, spelling, sentence combining, and other skills.  Many families begin a book and use only the first 15 or 20 days because they get too busy or use other resources, leaving the remaining pages blank.  Don’t overlook these, as you can find them inexpensively.  I find there is little difference between a fifth grade Daily Grams book and an eighth grade book.  The concepts are the same, just repeated in different ways.

For spelling, you can print out grade-appropriate spelling lists for free from the Internet (plan ahead for a grid-down situation).   Or, you can purchase a spelling program.  Spelling Power is an all-inclusive spelling program that has spelling lists and games for K-12  grades in one book.  It is relatively expensive, even used ($20-50), but you would not need to buy any other spelling programs which makes it good for stockpiling.  If spelling is difficult for your child, I recommend All About Spelling and Phonetic Zoo, but these programs are also more costly.  SpellingCity.com is great for reviewing spelling words for free if you still have Internet access.

To teach an elementary child to read, consider using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Englemann (about $10 used), Bob Books by Bobby Lynn Maslen (about $7 used), and Pathway Readers ($2 used).  If the public library is available, select some age-appropriate books and have your student begin reading aloud to you every day.  Our favorites included the Frog and Toad books and others by Arnold Lobel.  Another favorite resource for learning to read and write is Explode the Code.  These simple black-and-white line drawn workbooks cost about $5 new, but can often be found cheaply at homeschool used book sales.

In my ten years of home educating, I have taught two children to read.  While it may seem as though teaching the younger grades is easier than teaching the older ones, the opposite is actually true.  Once a child can read, he can teach himself.  Reading is the foundation for every academic skill.  Being able to read well is crucial.  It is important children have reading material that is skill appropriate and interesting to them.  Be patient.  With daily instruction, it will take between two and seven years for a child to learn to read fluently (120 words per minute).
With any remaining funds, stockpile a home library of age-appropriate picture and chapter books.  This is wise, even if you currently have a wonderful public library nearby.  To find good books, look for reading lists, such as the one available from Sonlight Curriculum or Ambleside Online.  Books that have received a Newberry Award or Honor are usually good bets.  Then, troll through public library used book sales with a list.  Used books there typically cost 50 cents to $2 each.  I also recommend joining PaperbackSwap.com where you can trade your old books for credits to “purchase” new ones.
Another curriculum to consider, either for reading suggestions or for outright purchase, is The Robinson Curriculum.  While it costs almost $200 (and does not include math books), it covers 12 years worth of educational materials on CD-ROM, making it less than $16 per year.

Include on your reading lists history books, such as A History of US by Joy Hakim, and science books, such as Abeka, Apologia, Usborne, or the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series for younger kids.  You may want to obtain books about economics and government, too, such as Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? and Whatever Happened to Justice? by Richard Maybury. 
If you have high schoolers or will soon, you might want to purchase literature anthologies, such as The Norton Anthology of American Literature, to gain the maximum coverage for your dollar.  If your children read an entire anthology and discussed and wrote about the contents, they would have a more thorough literature education than 80 percent of the United States.  I just got an anthology on PaperbackSwap for $3.79. (I purchased a book credit.)

Home education can be much richer with the addition of art, music, foreign language, and other extras, but the most important subjects to cover are the 3Rs, and those can be addressed for $30 per year, per child.  A child who has received a solid foundation in the 3Rs can learn any other subject if necessary.  When you are planning ahead, these are the most logical materials to stockpile.  Whether you homeschool now or think you may choose to or be forced to in the future, it is prudent to stockpile books—atlases, encyclopedia sets, novels, nonfiction books, classics, plays, dictionaries, thesauruses, textbooks, workbooks, blank notebooks, and other tomes.  You never know when you may need to educate or entertain your children for a week, a month, or more with the resources in your home.  It’s best to be prepared.

Letter Re: A Prepper’s Guide to Beginning Ethanol Fuel Distillation

James Wesley:
The author of the article “A prepper’s guide to Beginning Ethanol fuel distillation” is using the wrong recipe for his mash.  Corn will not ferment unless it is “malted” either by sprouting the grain and then drying and crushing it, or by treating crushed corn with the enzyme diastase.  The old, illegal, moonshiners did this by sprouting and then drying whole, fresh corn.  The enzyme treatment is usually done by incubating the crushed corn with a malted barley high in diastase content, such as malted six-row barley.

When your author ferments his corn/sugar mix the only thing he is fermenting is the sugar.  The corn is wasted.
 
This is because the yeast cannot break down and metabolize starch but rather only simple sugars.  The crushed corn is high in starch but has very little sugar.
 
Even more important:  Do not drink this distillate!  Not only is this illegal, it is also dangerous.  Production of safe to drink ethanol requires fractional distillation because the first, more volatile, components coming off the still are highly toxic.  Among these is methanol (wood alcohol) but butanol and other nasty byproducts are also present.  There are books available that tell how to do this safely but it is still illegal in the USA to produce alcohol for consumption without a license.   Not recommended. – Mark R.

Letter Re: Fire – Your Partner in Survival

Jim:
 
D.P. ‘s article “Fire -Your Partner in Survival was very good! 
 
I would like to add that firewood storage life depends greatly on the type of wood.  Oak and other similar types can be stored for well over 20 years with no problems. (Especially if split and covered with a quality tarp or stored in a woodshed with a good roof.) But in contrast, un-split white birch will start to rot in a single year. Poplar and some other species also degrade quickly.
 
D.P. is right on about the type of heater to use.  When I built my house back in the very early 1970’s, I just had to have a conventional Heatilator type fireplace for the open fire romance.  I should have listened to the old timers back then who told me to just put in a stone hearth and plain wood stove!  In the end, I wound up closing the fireplace damper, filling the flue with fiberglass insulation and putting a steel cap on it!   Now I’m just using the wood stove in the basement [with a separate chimney] to easily heat the entire house with lots less wood than the fireplace consumed.
 
Gasoline to run chainsaws can be kept for a very long time with the addition of PRI-G stabilizer. The same company also makes a stabilizer for diesel, called PRI-D.
 
(I recently started a gas engine that has been sitting for over 12 years with the original gas in the tank. Started right up and ran fine.  (I did add a little extra PRI G every few years during it’s storage time)
 
I have no financial interest in PRI G or PRI D. I’m just a very satisfied user.

Odds ‘n Sods:

A very useful article over at the Radio Free Redoubt blog: How to Receive Ham Radio Digital Communications. (Text messaging, via HF radio.)

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Roger E. mentioned ShowMy Street. Roger’s comment: “Very scary to see your house from the air and the street just by typing in the address!”

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More charming news: ICANN Confirms That It’s Going To Make It Easier For Governments To Seize Domains Around The Globe

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Hotdogging like this is not career enhancing.

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F.G. sent this: Is Eight Hours of Electricity a Day in Your Future?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it." – Robert A. Heinlein

Note from JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Fire: Your Partner in Survival, by D.P.

Eons ago when people lived in caves, one of their most important tools was fire.  Its ability to keep them warm, cook food, provide light, and scare away predators was of the utmost importance.  I’m not going to go so far as to say that a societal upheaval will mean returning to a stone age existence, but when the systems that keep our everyday life humming along go down, fire will once again have a huge impact on our ability to survive.

This fact was brought home to my wife and me two winters ago, when a February blizzard knocked out the power to several counties.  It was early evening – the lights flickered a few times, and then the house was plunged into darkness.  Everything became eerily quiet, save for the wind howling outside and snow pelting against the window.

Then there was another sound – the reassuring popping of a log in our big airtight Franklin stove which continued to throw off its heat, oblivious to the fact that the juice was off.  For the next thirty-six hours we used it to keep us warm, melt snow to flush toilets, and even did a some cooking over its coals.  While other folks along our country road bundled up in sleeping bags and shivered until the outage ended, the disruption to our lives wasn’t nearly as great as it could have been.

If you live in a northern climate, staying warm is important for nearly half of the year.  Did I say “important”?  Make that “vital” because without a way to keep the temperature in your home or bug-out place at a life-sustaining level, you will die of exposure!  Your gas or oil furnace will be fine… as long as your fuel supply lasts or the electricity doesn’t fail.  These are finite resources, however, and during a long-term disruption of goods and services, your pilot light will go out at some point (probably just when a January blizzard comes howling in). 

The only logical solution is to turn to wood heat, or more precisely, a wood-burning airtight stove (fireplaces are fine for ambiance, but horribly inefficient for warming you since most of the heat goes up the chimney).  The next question, then, is where will your wood come from, and what skills and tools do you need to convert it to usable fuel for your stove? 

Log Logistics

The countryside is full of burnable litter.  Next time you’re out and about, take a look around.  Fallen branches and even a downed tree or two are common sights in any woodlot or park, or along rural roads.  Most of it, though, is too small to keep a fire going with the BTU output that’s needed to warm your home.  Real “firewood” consists of pieces of thick branches or trunks that have been cut and split to a size of about 16” long and roughly 5” or 6” in diameter.  Anything smaller will require re-stoking the stove every few hours, while bigger pieces may smolder unless the fire is wastefully large.

At present, I get most of my firewood supply from a local landowner, who doesn’t like downed trees lying around and sees it as a favor when I clean up the woods for him.   After a big summer storm, city folks without saws will gladly offer you a tree that’s toppled in their yard.  Likewise, a downed tree across a rural road usually belongs to the first one who’s there to cut it up.   During bad times it would likely be possible to barter for timber with a landowner who doesn’t have the tools or know-how to utilize it himself -probably working together and then sharing it.  State or federally-owned hunting land and wildlife areas also have downed timber, which can often be claimed by anyone with the gumption to go get it.

If we ever arrive at a point where vehicles and trailers are no longer available, all of your wood will have to be hauled by hand.  That means that laying in a good supply now, when you can still move it efficiently, would be a good idea.  Having a sizable woodpile to begin with puts a buffer between you and calamity.  Get your wood from the more distant locations while you can still truck it, and leave the easier pickings for when you may have to move it manually.  

Wheel barrows are, in my opinion, a poor way to transport anything heavy for any distance due to their chronic balance problems.  With their single, small, pneumatic tire, they are not made to move loads over uneven ground.  Take one into the woods and roll over a few blackberry brambles, and the tire will inevitably puncture and go flat.  A better alternative is one of those “game haulers” with large, hard rubber wheels.  They’re made for going over rough terrain easily, and can handle a maximum load with a minimum amount of effort (they can also haul around a lot of other heavy stuff that might need moving).

Burning Questions

Literally any wood will burn.  One year we survived two months of a Wisconsin winter heating with willow – a wood near the bottom of the BTU list.  Likewise, this past winter we used a fair amount of box elder – another low grade tree.  Woods like this certainly will throw out enough heat to keep you warm, but they burn fast, requiring a larger supply.

The “primo” varieties include oak, hard maple, locust, hickory and apple.  Next down the line but still good, are ash, birch, cherry, and hackberry.  Unless there is nothing else available, however, avoid any of the evergreen species, since their resin content tends to start chimney fires, spit sparks, and can flash back when you open the stove door.

Firewood should season for at least six months after being cut green (a year is better) although a few varieties, like ash and locust, will burn without much drying.

 

How much is enough?

We’ve just been through a mild winter here. Spring has arrived and, after checking the wood shed, I see that we’ve gone through about six cords of mixed hardwood (a stove cord is a stack four feet high, eight feet long, and 16” deep).  A bad winter, like last year’s, would probably have required another cord.

A household could get by on a lot less, though.  For one thing, we have a large stove and heat the entire place with it.  The fire is usually lit in November and doesn’t go out until late March.  A smaller stove heating a smaller area would take far less fuel.  And if our wood supply had been limited, instead of basking in 70 degree temperatures all winter, we could have stretched the supply by burning less – in an extreme case, just enough to keep the place at 50 degrees.  This would have been uncomfortable, but it would have enabled us to survive.

Cutting Remarks

If you envision doing your cutting with a chain saw after society falls apart, picture those last precious (and irreplaceable) drops of gas disappearing into its tank.  Even if you’ve stocked a large supply of fuel and bar oil, gas has a shelf life, and how many chains do you have?  The other problem with a chain saw (besides the fact that, being a machine, it will need unobtainable replacement parts at some point) is that it makes noise.  This broadcasts a message to anyone within a mile that someone’s cutting a pile of firewood that could be pilfered from the producer as soon as he’s finished the work.

Long-term survival requires stepping back into the 19th century and taking up the hand saw.  Do you have one capable of cutting through a 30 inch tree trunk?  Probably not, but realizing the need for producing burnable chunks suitable for splitting that will hold a fire all night should inspire you to get one.

A crosscut saw capable of handling tree trunk needs to be either a one or two-man model 48” – 56“ long.  If you’ve got a partner, go with a two-man type.  I’ve got one that can be set up either way, with add-on handle on one end that converts it from a solo saw to a duo.

There are two basic tooth types – “Lance” and “Tuttle”.  The former is designed more for softwoods, so go with the latter.  One company that carries a good assortment of saws in various designs for serious cutting is the Traditional Woodworker.

Also consider buying a second smaller, less cumbersome saw with a standard tooth arrangement for doing the medium cutting jobs.  This one would probably have a 24” – 30” blade with 4 ½ to 6 teeth per inch.  Such a saw could also be used in a pinch for the big stuff.  For cutting up smaller branches for kindling or your cooker (which will be discussed shortly) bow saws work fine.  They’re cheap, so get a couple of different sizes and a number of spare blades.

 

Staying Sharp

But having an assortment of saws isn’t going to keep you cutting indefinitely.  No matter how good the steel is, that blade is eventually going to get dull.  A good stock of files will be important for keeping your saws working efficiently.

Do you know how to sharpen a saw?  Are you familiar with things like “Fleam”, “Rakers” and “Jointing”?  Do you have a tooth setter in your tool box?  Becoming proficient at sharpening your cutting tools is a skill you can’t overlook (the afore-mentioned saw dealer also sells an excellent book by Harold Payson on setting and sharpening hand saws).  And besides keeping your own tools chipping away efficiently, being the local “saw sharpener” can make you a vital asset to a small community of survivors.

Glad you Axed that

Axes can play a role in firewood production, too.  They’re not as efficient as a saw, but a century ago lumberjacks used them to take down mature trees.  Felling a tree with an axe, however, requires a lot of skill as well as effort, something you will soon discover when tackling anything bigger than a mid-sized aspen.  I’ve found that the best use for an axe is limbing a downed tree.  Just remember to stand on the opposite side of the trunk, and chop off the limb from the root end of the trunk towards the top. 

Like saws, axes come in several styles and sizes.  The “limbing” axe, with a 25 inch handle is also good for cutting up small limbs on a chopping block, while a full-sized axe can be used for splitting smaller pieces with a straight grain or, if you have to, felling a tree.

One more thought on axes:  Like any edged tool, keep it sharp!  The old saying, “a dull knife is a dangerous knife” holds true for axes as well (and you can do a lot more damage to yourself with one).

Wedge Issues

To round out your wood processing equipment you should have a good splitting maul, two or three wedges and a sledge hammer.  If you’re lucky enough to get into some straight-grained ash or oak, the maul alone will do the job, but often you’ll need the encouragement of a wedge or two to get many pieces to split to the size you desire.

Not all wedges are the same.  Get one that has a narrow entry edge for efficiently starting a split, and a wider one to open it up when you bury the first wedge (which often happens).  I like the model made by True Temper which has two built-in “wings” near the top for my second wedge.  The wings open the crack far enough to allow the head of a sledge hammer in, so you can continue to pound on the wedge until the split is complete.

A couple of final thoughts on cutting firewood:  If you don’t know what you’re doing, standing timber can kill you in a heartbeat.  Any written description here of exactly how to take down a tree would not be adequate, so go out and find someone who works in the woods, and ask if you can tag along sometime to learn how it’s done.  Some of the important things they’re likely to point out are:

  • The “hinge” (the uncut area between the notch and the felling cut) controls the direction which the tree will fall.  If you cut through it, the tree can go anywhere (including in you lap).
  • More branch weight on one side will influence a tree to fall in that direction.
  • A dead branch near the top that comes loose due to vibrations while cutting can be lethal (that’s why they’re called “widow-makers”).
  • Be aware of wind direction.  This can influence a tree’s fall – especially if it’s leafed out.

 

What’s Cookin’?

Fire is important for more than just keeping your core temperature above 98.6 degrees. In the event of a prolonged TEOTWAWKI catastrophe, everyone will need some way to cook food and boil water.  White or bottled gas, however, is not the answer, since eventually your supply will run out.  At that point you’ll once again have to turn to wood.

A traditional campfire will work, but is hugely wasteful of your hard-earned fuel resources.  The best option is to use something that will give you a big boost in efficiency over an open fire, and that “something” would be a well-designed wood-fired cook stove.

Some Preppers’ stocks of provisions include large amounts of freeze-dried food which doesn’t need to be “cooked” per se, but does require a cup or two of boiling water.  The most effective way to do this is with what is known as a “Kelly Kettle” (sometimes called  a “volcano kettle”). 

The Kelly Kettle is an odd-looking aluminum or stainless steel stove that resembles a cross between a miniature milk can and a bowling pin.  It has a small fire chamber in the base which draws air from below, and the heat rises through a long chimney.  Surrounding this chimney is a hollow jacket that holds water.  The heat coming up it contacts a far greater surface area of the water than it would if it were merely concentrated on the bottom of a pan, and brings it to a boil in only a fraction of the time.

Another thing that makes the Kelly Kettle a great survival tool is the fact that it can be fueled with just about anything that burns.  Collect the wood chips from where you’ve been cutting and splitting your stove wood, break up small, fallen branches or twigs, or use pine cones or even bark – it’s all the same to the Kelly Kettle.  The bottom draft arrangement (the same principle as a Dakota fire) will make just about anything you put in it burn hot and fast.

For your actual cooking needs or for heating larger amounts of water, a special stove based on the Kelly Kettle will work far better than an open fire.  The only problem is that as far as I know, there isn’t such a stove on the market.  This means you’ll have to make your own.

 There’s a plan on a survival blog for a pipe stove with a “rocket elbow”.  I followed the basic design and tweaked it just a bit.  My version consists of an eleven inch length of  6” stove pipe nested inside a twelve inch piece of  8” stove pipe.  A vent (1 ½” diameter piece of exhaust pipe) goes from the bottom of the inner pipe and sticks out an inch past the outer one.  This tube serves both as an air intake and a chute to add fuel.

The interior pipe is closed off at the bottom using a removable standard 6” stovepipe cap and then cement is poured in the space between the two pipes.  This acts as insulation as well as giving the stove more weight, and hence, more stability.  Several one inch deep scallops are cut into the top rim of the outer pipe to allow smoke to escape, and what’s left supports the utensil you’re cooking with.  Like the Kelly Kettle, the fact that it draws air from the bottom and has a long chimney, will make the fire burn with a hot, focused flame.  A stove such as this also allows one to utilize easily collected scrap wood as fuel.

Following the basic design concept, it might be possible to build larger stoves for bigger cooking tasks.  The only drawback I’ve noticed with mine is that because it uses small pieces of wood that burn quickly, it needs to be fed often and hence, can’t be left unattended for long.

A bonus to cooking with wood is that the ashes the fire produces can be used as soap to clean up with.  Since they contain lye, merely mixing them into a paste with clean water and using it as a scouring compound will allow you to keep utensils clean long after your supply of soap has run out.

Light my Fire
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The best “starter” wood to get a fire going – whether it’s you cooker of wood furnace – is dry cedar.  If you can find an old telephone pole lying around somewhere, saw it into short lengths and then split each round into thin pieces. Unless you hit a knot, the straight grain of cedar splits easily into extremely thin sticks which take a flame in seconds.  I call this stuff “fire candy”.  It catches quickly and burns intensely for starting a fire, as well as rejuvenating one that is nearly out.  If you can’t find cedar, something like well-dried aspen or willow is also a good starter.

Don’t forget that before you can burn anything, you’ll have to have a way of starting your fire.  A large stockpile of traditional matches, metal matches and butane lighters take up little space and have no maximum shelf life.  If you run out, though, you’d better be good with a fire bow or a magnifying glass.

And for each fire you light, you’ll need some tinder to get it going.  A supply of newspapers and dryer lint will work, but know that when it’s gone you’ll be reduced to hunting for old mouse nests.

If and when arrives “keeping the home fires burning” will be right up there with food and water.  Prepare for it now!

Survival Basics: The Tropics, by G.S.

Sometime in the not so distant future our lives will be turned upside down by yet another natural or manmade emergency. Start now by doing your research and figure out which type of emergency is most likely to affect your life. Then get ready! Once the stores close their doors and the gas stations are no longer pumping gas, it’s too late! Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Remember that the survival basics are similar even if the emergency or climatic conditions are different. I’m going to talk about survival in the Tropics.

I was born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands. We came back after 12 years of schooling, working and military service on the USA mainland. I wanted to raise my family on a relatively small island in the Pacific Ocean. Why would I do such a thing? Hint: It was 72 degrees below zero wind chill factor for two weeks during my last of seven winters in Montana! Island living has many advantages:

  •  year round growing season
  • plenty of wild game
  • fruit trees and,
  • let’s not forget to mention the milder warmer climate.

The downside of living on an island is that you’re really on your own. Especially when the commercial ships and planes stop coming over. This could be a blessing during a pathogen type emergency, but that’s another chapter.

I’ve noticed the way residents on a small tropical island do things are usually quite different. Different from how folks would do things in more populated areas. You have to adapt a different attitude for living and dealing with the same people that inhibit that island.  You’re going to interact with those neighbors more often. Similar rules and considerations would probably apply to behavior in a combined family retreat during a TEOTWAWKI or SHTF situation.

Another major consideration is that the resources on an island are very limited. They are very dependent on a robust commercial system. Most of our consumer goods (95%) are shipped here from the Mainland USA. People here are starting to realize some important things. If that “commercial system” went down even for 3 days, the islands would quickly run short of food and other essential goods. A concerted effort is being made by a growing number of residents to think sustainable. They are planting gardens and exploring ways to be more self-sufficient. The island inhabitants did it before us and we still have a long way to go. However, I’ve always felt that the more citizens that are prepared for emergencies the better.

Since you probably don’t own a retreat to bug out to and your emergency supplies are minimal, your emergency plans may include your home or apartment serving as your shelter in place location during a short-term emergency. Now let’s say the emergency lasts longer than expected and your power and water supply have stopped; you better have a plan B and C for moving out. Now comes the hard part about spending your hard earned money. It’s expensive, but gear that you may not use very much but will certainly be a game changer in any emergency. Consider the money you spend on essential gear as an investment and purchase the best equipment you can afford since replacement parts may be next to impossible to get once the stores close their doors and remember, your equipment doesn’t have to be fancy just functional and rugged.

Food:

Basics concerning food start by storing as much food as you can afford and have room for and don’t forget to rotate your food supply since they all have expiration dates. One-week supply of food and water should be the minimum amount to have on hand at any time. Energy bars and vitamin supplements should also be stored along with your food supply. If you live in a tropical area harvesting food from the ocean, rivers and streams will involve diving, spearing, netting or fishing and having the correct equipment is vital. Local residents have been living off the bounty from the ocean for centuries and knowing how to be such a hunter-gatherer will be life saving information.

Freeze-dried or MREs:

Choose these types of prepared foods if your plans include moving to a different location since these foods are lightweight making them easier to carry on your back and are worth their high price when you consider how heavy can goods are.   Supplement your diet with whatever you can find along the way if on the move.

Note: Basic ocean food gathering tools including a spin casting fishing rod, swim fins, facemask, spear, underwater flashlight and dive knife should be part of your gear if you live or plan to move to a tropical environment. Optional gear: wet suit, booties, SUP surfboard or small canoes to reach deeper water and assorted nets. Know your limits! Once in the water you’ll need to constantly watch out for big waves, sharp coral and strong rip currents.

Drinking Water:

Clean drinking water is essential to life for us humans and we need to drink at least 2 liters a day to function and more water is required if the climate is hot or your physical activity high. Even if there are clear flowing streams or rivers in your area, precautions should be taken to avoid drinking the water before treating. Pre-filter your unclean water with a cloth or handkerchief and then bring to a boil before drinking if no other purification methods are available. Consider a solar distiller before drinking salty and contaminated water. Drink water before you’re thirsty to avoid dehydration and heat stoke and add Gatorade type powder to your drinking water to keep your electrolytes balanced when under a heavy load.

Source and filters:

There are so many portable water filters and purification kits around not to have several on hand. Another method of purification is desalination which renders salty and contaminated water safe through evaporation and can be done with readily available materials such as copper tubing and cooking pots with tight lids. Always purify your water when in doubt since getting diarrhea from drinking contaminated water will take the fight right out of you and lessen your chances of survival. Know where your drinking water comes from and always stay alert for other sources of water. Don’t compromise your water sources by bathing or dumping wastes upstream. Rule: Take care of the natural resources and it will take care of you.

Fire:

Prepare yourself to cook on open fires, small camping stoves or underground and think out of the box when preparing your meals. Consider solar ovens that are easy to build with readily available materials. You’ll be surprised at what looks edible when you’re really hungry! Watch your fires carefully since the Fire Department will probably be very busy during a major event and not be able to respond to every call, so include a fire extinguisher with your gear.

Methods and materials:

Have at least three different methods to start a fire on you at all times. Carry lighters and magnesium fire starters, which will provide you with many fires then learn the basics for fire making and practice them. Remember that burning green stuff means you’ll be making plenty of smoke, which may attract unwanted guests.

Note: Cooking meat, fish and starches underground is a method locals have been using for centuries. After the pit is dug large enough to fit whatever you’re cooking, add enough river rocks (make sure rocks are not wet before putting them into the fire) to cover the bottom and a few extra for the top, which have been heated over the fire until red hot. Food that has been covered with leaves (Hawaiians use ti leaves) can be added to the pit along with other items which are then covered with the extra rocks, banana leaves, dirt and allowed to cook for up to 8 hours. One of the advantages with this cooking method is that once the food is in the ground there’s not much else you have to do until its time to dig everything up and eat! Smoking feral pig meat in homemade smokers and dehydrating fish in a simple screened box under the sun are some of the other ways to preserve food here in the islands.

Shelter in place or move on:

Deciding where and how to shelter could change daily with your situation. Having sufficient supplies at home is the right thing to do, but there may come a time when moving to a safer location is your only option. In that case, go light, fast and stealthy. Make sure you have all the basics together before changing locations and think water, food, shelter and security. Add items like .22 ammo, lighters and small knives that might have barter value along the way and don’t forget to choose the correct sleeping bag for use in colder climates. Plastic tarps and garbage bags have multiple uses as raincoats, rain catchers and shelters.

Moving on:

Transportation will be challenging as everyone tries to move away from the danger. Vehicles are great as long as they have fuel and the roads are passable so keep enough fuel, tools and supplies in your vehicle at all times in case you have to move out. Traveling on foot will be a true test of your physical fitness, planning, know how and survival instincts. Make use of whatever resources you find along the way and stay out of sight whenever possible.

Medical training:

Knowing how to treat bleeding, breathing and shock emergencies will make you and your survival skills more valuable. Stay up on your training since these are perishable skills and learn the rules of triage because when resources are limited, the patients with the best chance of making it will become your main priority. No one said this was going to be easy!

Basic first aid:

Sign up with the American Red Cross, CERT (Community Emergency Response
Team) groups or local community colleges for basic first aid, CPR training or EMT
classes and keep a good first aid manual available for easy reference.

Equipment and Treatment:

First aid kits are an important part of your supplies and should include a pair of EMT scissors, which are great for exposing wounds and other cutting chores (used to call them penny cutters since they could cut a penny in half). Clean and dress your wounds immediately to avoid infection, since a severe infection could mean death without the proper antibiotics or hospitalization. Preventive medicine is the best medicine.

Note: Assemble your medical kits in different sizes so that they can be used at home, in your vehicle or out in the field. Include Quik Clot, trauma dressings and emergency blankets for trauma wounds. Having the proper training and equipment to handle basic medical emergencies will certainly be a lifesaver if a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation occurs. Teaming up with individuals who have emergency or clinical medical experience is also highly recommended.

Security:

Protecting yourself and supplies from bullies and others not so well prepared could be an issue during any extended emergency, since the Police may not be able to respond to your urgent calls. You can share and starve or protect your essential supplies. Remember, you are not responsible for everyone’s welfare and you won’t be able to help anyone (including yourself) if you become a victim! Be ready to make some tough decisions and THINK SAFETY FIRST.

Weapons of choice:

Figure out what caliber weapons are right for you. Decide how much ammo you can carry and if you’ll be able to resupply from other sources. Consider a handgun and long gun for personal use and keep your weapon at your side at all times. If you decide on just one firearm; select a rugged accurate rifle for hunting and protection. Learn how to use your weapon, then practice shooting and reloading!

Note: Basic gear for a youth might include a Marlin 22-mag lever action rifle, which is adequate for the small game like wild chickens. Rifle holds 12 rounds in its tubular magazine and should be equipped with a 4-power scope. Kukri knife is good for camp type chores and the Cold Steel Hunter knife is ideal for cleaning game. Optional gear: IR red dot sight, Ruger Stainless Steel .38 caliber, speed loaders and wire screen chicken traps which can be baited with bird seed or fruit.

Accessories:

Rifle slings and holsters will free your hands up to do other things. Add extra ammo, magazines and a good gun cleaning kit to your load along with flashlights with rechargeable batteries. Consider adding a lightweight flexible portable solar panel, deep cycle battery and inverter to recharge your batteries or else plan on carrying plenty of extra batteries. Stock up on plenty of ammo and reloading equipment. Lee has several styles of portable reloading presses that are field-tested, reliable and lightweight.

Note: Basic gear for a woman might include a .223-caliber rifle with a 3×9 power scope, extra 5 round magazines and a Lite Hunter knife. Optional gear: Beretta .380 semi auto, holster, extra 13 round magazines, pepper spray, push knife, bullet bandolier, 12” Ontario machete and a IR red dot sight.

Environmental considerations:

Prepare for temperature extremes in your area by keeping the proper rain gear and cold weather gear close at hand. Don’t forget gloves, hat and extra socks if you’re in cold wet weather. Include a sharp machete, heavy-duty ponchos and paracord with your gear to increase your chances of survival in the tropics since these items are essential for shelter, water collecting and jungle clearing when on the move. Learn about the edible plants and animals in your area (e.g. feral pigs, chickens, goats and deer are common here) and how to prepare them. The oceans are full of opportunities both good and bad so know your limits before getting into the water and learn to identify the edible sea life in your area.

Cold, hot or tropical:

Select the proper clothing for your climate. Military spec clothing and gear will last longer in the field, which is important since replacements may be hard to come by. I recommend good old Army boots with sure grip for hikes on loose ground and slippery muddy trails. Don’t forget the needle, thread and duct tape to make repairs.

Note: Climatic conditions in tropical locations can range anywhere from hot dry desert heat to cold wet rain forests or freezing snow covered mountains. The temperature variation in the tropics can range anywhere from 30 – 90 degrees F. Each zone will need different strategies, equipment and know how.

Long-term vs. short-term emergencies:

Figure out what supplies you’ll need to survive in your area. Food, water, shelter and security items will be your most valuable items. How long will your supplies last? Remember at least 2 liters of water and 2000 calories minimum for each person per day. Purchase freeze-dried products or MREs for their longer shelf life and lighter weight if your plans include moving on foot. Make sure you add several means of gathering food in case the emergency last for a while.

Calculate supply limits:

How much food and water you carry will depend on whether you’re in a vehicle or walking. Separate your essential camping supplies from your home essentials for quick access and have a plan B in case the vehicle breaks down. A good backpack, worn sturdy boots and good physical fitness will be essential if you have to move on foot. And remember that living off the land by scavenging and hunting is hard physical work, so start getting in shape now!

Note: Gear for your alpha male might include a Remington .30-06 with a 9×40 scope designed for hunting larger game like wild pigs, which are abundant here. Optional equipment: night vision, range finder, 12 gauge pump shotgun, .45 ACP pistol, a 10/22 semi auto rifle and wire snares. Check your wire snares that you set up along pig trails frequently.

[JWR Adds: In the tropics it is best to opt for as many stainless steel guns as possible. Use synthetic stocks.]

Resources in your area:

Find out what kinds of people, plants and animals live in your area before something happens. Knowing who and what resources are in your area will be critical in developing your shelter-in or bug out plans. If gangs or druggies have a habit of hanging out in your neighborhood…plan to move out early! Locations near seashores, reservoirs, lakes and rivers offer plenty of opportunities for food gathering, if you know how and have the right gear.

Hunting and gathering:

Learn about hunting, trapping or gardening skills. Think of dumpster diving as a means to resupply and don’t forget about the bow, arrow or crossbow for hunting quietly. Gunshots may bring unwanted attention or guests your way, so stay alert!

Note: Resources like banana, coconut and breadfruit trees are common in the more tropical areas. Parts of these plants can be used for eating, cooking food and made into shelter material. Learn what plants grow in your area and how they can help you during an emergency. Storing seeds from your garden will come in handy once things settle down and you can plant them. Avoid GMO seeds since they can’t reproduce themselves.

Communications:

How will you get the information you’ll need to decide where to go and what to do? Portable communication equipment will function if you have a power source or rechargeable batteries with some way of charging them. Take all information from a single source with a grain of salt and use your common sense. Good communications is always one of the most important aspects of any emergency. Humans need that personal interaction with others and hearing news events or where to find supplies will be helpful during any type of emergency.

Local or International News:

Will the local radio or authorities be able to broadcast event information Are there any ham radio operators in your area who will be able to monitor world events? Police scanners can be a useful source of local information during emergencies.

Note: Compact rechargeable communication gear you might consider before the electricity goes down includes a simple crank AM/FM radio, rechargeable FRS/GMRS radios, ham radio, rechargeable battery pack, solar photovoltaic panel, and AC/DC inverter. Don’t forget the AA, AAA rechargeable batteries and charger!

Basic equipment:

Well-built firearms, knives (small size for cleaning game), sharpening devices, fire making devices, water-purifying kits and food-gathering materials are just some of the basic gear you’ll need. Carry these items in a sturdy backpack.  Remember that compact is better if you’re on the move. Don’t forget the fishing line, hooks, lead weights and snares and include a change of clothes that will protect you from the outdoor climate extremes in your area. Stay dry since hypothermia is a real threat even in the tropics. You will be outdoors for an excessive amount of time. Add a long brim hat, bandanas, sunglasses, and sun block lotion. Supplies may be few and far between: Add extra eyeglasses and any necessary medications.

Note: Researching the poisonous critters or dangerous plants in your area should be part of your threat assessment since you’ll likely be spending more time in the great outdoors. We have all kinds of biting insects, barracudas, thorny plants and big sharks here in the tropics and knowing how to avoid these types of threats will increase your chances of surviving the next crisis.

Threat assessment:

Narrow it down! You can’t prepare for every possible threat out there.  Example: Water, food, shelter and security should come to mind for starters. The same basic necessities are needed for your survival.  It doesn’t matter if it’s for a hurricane or a more extreme situation like a pandemic or EMP event.

Prepare yourself mentally to do whatever it takes to survive during the emergency situation and be hyper vigilante for opportunities to resupply. Do what you can for others along the way without becoming a victim and protect yourself with whatever means are available. Consider teaming up with other trustworthy people who have different survival skills to increase your security and your available skill sets.

Research and practice your survival skills before an emergency happens. Start your functional physical fitness training now. This will enable you to perform those everyday survival chores without hurting yourself. Try hiking or walking with a backpack. Prepare simple meals on a fire. Learn to enjoy the outdoors for practice and outdoor skills building.

After a short emergency it’s great to get out there and help each other recover. However, if the emergency is more severe and lasts longer don’t be surprised if people get desperate and dangerous. Protect yourself and loved ones by researching, preparing and training now.
Remember that you are responsible for your own safety during any emergency. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!

See also:

Survival Spearfishing, by Daniel B.

Selecting Footwear and Foot Care Basics, by K.B.

Three Letters Re: How to Take Control of Your IRA

James,

The recent article by Gordo on Individual Retirement Accounts was informative.  Another, at the SHTFPlan blog was also quite useful. The video linked in the article urges viewers to get out of their dollar-based tax-deferred retirement accounts.

There seem to be two options available for protecting your tax-deferred retirement accounts:

1) Cash out, take the early withdrawal penalty, and pay income tax on the withdrawn amount
2) Create a self-directed IRA entity and transform the account into a hedge against the dollar

The IRS will let you acquire specific gold and silver coin and bullion, but you cannot take physical possession of these assets without causing the early withdrawal penalties to kick in.  More info here.  If you pre-convert your IRA funds into physical gold/silver, you will at least have hedged against the dollar.  When you are confident of when the SHTF event is going to occur, you can then order physical possession of your gold and silver coin/bullion assets, and gear up for the tax hit, and assume the IRS is going to be very, very busy.  

Note today’s headline about the IRS. 

Regards, – Curtis R.

 

JWR:
That was a nice IRA article in today’s blog.  I do quite a lot of advising on IRAs and “Checkbook LLCs”.  After tax season is over, I will add to that discussion.  Advising 98% of layman to go out and get a CBLLC for their IRA is very dangerous – those are very, very easy to muck up, and the penalty for a “prohibited transaction” is that the IRA goes away, resulting in taxation of the entire balance, along with severe penalties.  That doesn’t mean I am against CBLLCs, very much to the contrary, under the right circumstances, with good advisors and – importantly – clients who heed their counsel.  We like using them for real estate.  I do think that they are limited where gold & silver are concerned (in a depository vs. physical possession, I do not think CBLLC legally gets around that issue), but I think ammo (probably not a “collectible” unless you are dealing with vintage stuff), to name one example, might be a whole ‘nother story.  Also, one would want to balance present-day considerations (want to stay legal pre-SHTF) with TEOTWAWKI considerations (penalty for early withdrawal of ammo from IRA may be a minor consideration in certain situations).  My consistent experience:  IRA “self-dealing” rules are very subtle and very often crossed by laymen with CBLLC control of their IRA, with disastrous results.  This is especially true of clients with a strong independent streak who confuse common sense with tax law. Might that describe some of your readers?  When clients sometimes say “that’s not justice”, I respond with “No Ma’am, it’s the law and has little to do with justice”.
 
We are seeing much more IRS activity overall, including formation of a new “unit” to look at IRAs.  Also seeing more deliberate traps for the unwary, I will provide a few examples post 4/17.  To name one:  IRS now asks on Schedule E and business returns:  “Were you supposed to file 1099s?  If so did you?”.  The trap:  Answer “no” or ignore the question, get audited, and 1099 penalties have doubled in the last few years.  Answer “yes” when it ain’t in fact so – well, now you have committed civil fraud (liar, liar!), big dollar penalties to follow.  Just one more deliberate way for the system to extract a toll, err, I mean engage in “revenue raising.”  Hopefully I can add some value in a few weeks, I think your blog is excellent and I recommend it and your books to many like-minded friends.  Your site introduced me and my family to Appleseed, that alone was an invaluable benefit.
 
Cordially, – J.M.H.

 

 
Sir:
I must mention the potential threat of governments nationalizing your IRA to save Social Security. Other countries have already done this. 
 
The US government has been allowing people to convert their IRA to a Roth IRA for a prepayment fee over two or three years – they really need the money. 
 
The Roth IRA will never be taxed again and you have some fairly good assurances in the way the laws are established.  Once you get the IRA over to a Roth you can manage in any way as an IRA and after the specified retirement age, there are zero capital gains.
 
You can also take any principal contributions back out after five years.  This allows you to use for kids college or maybe a rural retreat!
 
I did this and invested the after fee / tax monies into a privately held business venture that I feel far more confident in being able to keep my finger on the pulse of things.  Please note that the conversion has allowed the plan to be open to anyone but historically a Roth only allowed contributions from those making $150,000 or less – so to contribute more in the future would require this level or less of adjusted gross income.
 
Anyone under the age of 35 or 40 should seriously consider this plan b/c of the enourmous tax advantage of buying in with Zero future taxes.  Roth IRAs have also been the plan for the “average Joe” so changing the rules would be political nightmare and there is not much money in them nationaly due to the restrictions and lack of employer plans that offer Roth IRA.

Letter Re: National Defense Resources Preparedness

JWR,
Thank you for posting the article regarding Executive Order-National Defense Resources Preparedness. It was a very illuminating article regarding where our country is currently at economically, politically, and militarily. I understand that some of the vague language used in government documents often allows the government to exercise more power than may be found on the surface of the writing. The best example in this document is, as you pointed out, Section 201b. However, I think we may be getting ahead of ourselves in saying that the government will show up in times of peace and magic away our preps. I would also like to point out that this type of Executive Order is not WHOLLY unprecedented, as you say in SurvivalBlog. 

There is a very interesting book called The Homefront U.S.A: America during World War II  by Allan M. Winkler, a renowned WWII expert. I think that it should be a mandatory reading for all Americans that label themselves as Patriots. In this book he goes through the many changes implemented by FDR’s Administration which allowed America to quickly mobilize its armed forces and prepare for war with Germany and Japan. Of note in the book are discussions regarding business, industry, and the best allocations of manpower. Mr. Winkler describes in sufficient detail the formation of the War Manpower Commission, whose soul purpose was to determine how workers could best be used. The Selective Service (the draft) fell under the authority of this commission. The commission at first did not have much power, but by 1943 was able to direct where people should be finding jobs (true, they could not mandate it, but many people found themselves in complete agreement with the commissions assessment of their skills and followed their decrees). You may know that by the end of World War II the unemployment rate was 1%, and most of those unemployed were unable to work due to disabilities. What you may not know was that over 500,000 small businesses between 1940-1945 failed. Big Business ruled during World War II, under a Liberal Democratic President, fueling the so-called “Arsenal of Democracy.” So how was the government able to achieve such a low rate of unemployment? They offered incentives and fair wages (even in the face of some inflation), even to women, Black Americans, and Latino Americans (“fair” is a relative term as these groups still made less money than white males). The point I am getting at is that the government understood that to have a successful wartime economy, people needed to be making money. Indeed, despite rationing at home, most folks that lived on the home front of WWII quite enjoyed themselves after the previous decades economic woes. I would wager that if people had experienced the war with little pay and no luxury, the effort to support our troops would have been equally different, perhaps with disastrous implications. 

Furthermore, Mr. Winkler mentions agriculture in his book. While the number of actual farms and farmers shrank during WWII as others went to work in factories, the amount of crops grown and distributed grew. Many of the nations policies regarding agriculture were formed in this period of mobilization, and many resources were allocated to the boon of these farmers.

Even in the face of hard decisions and unpopular political sanctions, equal rights groups made large advances.

I know that Barack Obama is no Franklin Delano Roosevelt, not by a long shot. However, even though BHO is unpopular among your readers, I do not believe it is his notion to throw working class America under the bus and steal everything they have dedicated their lives to.

I believe that if the government DID try to force people into jobs with no compensation (as is provisioned for in Section 502), we would have reached a truly desperate point in whatever struggle we faced as a nation. I also believe that in times of total war, such as this executive order hints at, our nation would unite as we did after December 7, 1941, or September 11, 2001. We would be willing to accept the terms our government was providing, even if we did so grudgingly. Many of your readers have named themselves as veterans of our Armed Forces, you yourself served, and as the title of your first novel implies we as preppers mark ourselves as some of this countries most ardent patriots. I believe we would step up if our turn came to aid this country in a time of war. At least I hope we would. The current prepper mindset seems to say that the end is near, but wouldn’t it be amazing if somehow we pulled together to save this country? It is easy to read this document in a time of relative peace (because even though our country has troops deployed, it is nowhere near the 16 million men and women that served between 1940-1945) and despair that our President is quickly turning into a dictator. I am not naive enough to say that our country is not in dire straits, but I will still approach this document with an open mind. Yes, some of the implications are certainly worrisome, but I think that our country is a long way off from a time in which our Government would make such totalitarian moves.

I am not urging anyone to lower your state of readiness, and I am by no means a fan of who our politicians have turned into in this day and age. If there was a man in the upcoming election even half the man that FDR was, you can bet that I would be voting for him. What I am urging, instead, is to keep an open mind to the decisions our government makes. I myself will approach this executive order the way I approach everything else in life, with cautious optimism. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Right?

Keep Safe and God Bless. -The Cautious Husky

Economics and Investing:

T.L.S. suggested this interview: Greyerz – Gold Will React to the $120 Trillion of Additional Debt

Kurt T. sent this: Bernanke says gold standard wouldn’t solve problems. Statists will always oppose any measure that limits their ability to spend beyond what they tax.

Worried About $6 Gas Prices? Try $8

U.S. Treasuries: This Is The End?

Items from The Economatrix:

Gold Up On Central Bank Buying Talk But Outlook Weak

Meredith Whitney:  “Tidal Wave” Of Muni-Bond Defaults Still Coming

Central Banks Pounce On Falling Gold

Dire Finances Leave Detroit Stalled

US Stocks Decline as Energy Shares Drop on Profit Concern

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Lee M. suggetsed this useful chart: Food Storage Shelf Life

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Cheryl sent this: Protect Your Computer Now

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Chris M. spotted this: How one man escaped from a North Korean prison camp

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The latest from Nanny State California: Rocklin Considering Banning Residents From Smoking Outside Their Own Homes. And in Nanny State North Star State: Minnesota man arrested, jailed for home siding code violation. And meanwhile in Nanny State Britannia: Schools ban children making best friends. (This sounds too much like something out of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”, from his “Welcome to the Monkey House” collection of short stories.)

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Some good news: Court Sides With Idaho Property Owners Over EPA. (Thanks to D.V. for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“When a man hath no freedom to fight for at home,
Let him combat for that of his neighbours;
Let him think of the glories of Greece and of Rome,
And get knocked on the head for his labours.
To do good to Mankind is the chivalrous plan,
And is always as nobly requited;
Then battle for Freedom wherever you can,
And, if not shot or hanged, you’ll get knighted.” – George Gordon, Lord Byron, November 5, 1820

Note from JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.