The Art of Getting Home, by Shattered

So you have successfully prepped for every possible SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation, your house is completely off grid, you’ve stockpiled enough chow to feed you and everyone you know for three full years and you have amassed a huge arsenal of assault weapons and ammunition that is sufficient to put even your toddler in tactical gear, body armor and small arms for the next ten years of sustained combat operations. Everything should be good to go right?

So you’re sitting at work in your suit and tie and TEOTWAWKI just pops off, maybe it’s a rain of ICBMs hitting major American population centers, an EMP strike or any number of other situations. This is not the time to suddenly realize that you are eighty miles away from your homestead and are going to have to make it back to your house and family in a suit and tie with no supplies and no game plan.

The economy in recent years has forced many of us to drive an increasingly further and further distance from our homes in search of employment and nowadays many of us, regardless of what state we live in are forced to drive long commutes or even live outside of our home cities during the work week. The reality is that when and if a world changing event or even just a significant natural disaster hits, many of us will have to make a long and difficult trip home, utilizing a tiny amount of resources that we can pack into a car or carry on our backs. Simply shoving a seven day food and water supply along with a couple road flares into your trunk is not going to cut it and I’d like to suggest a more systematic approach to this situation.

First let’s take a look at your car, many of us drive all the way to our jobsite and even more of us at least drive it half way making it a valuable resource in the event we have to flee our workplace. Many of you probably drive rugged vehicles but for those of you (like me) who drive an economy car let me very quickly state that this vehicle is still an invaluable part of your escape and this advice has already been thought up with you in mind.

Your Car (or lack thereof)

No matter what you drive, it probably has a trunk and even if it doesn’t, it has a rear storage area, this piece of your car is what makes it highly useful, even if you have to ditch the thing after you get back to it. Think of this area of your car as the storage box on the Batmobile, it is a great spot to stow any number of tactical prepping equipment.

You might be saying “Hey, that is nonsense–anything I lock in my car can just get raided or looted whenever I have to park the thing during the day. First off, while it is true, anything you stow in the vehicle is subject to theft, let me go over some mitigating factors with you.

  • Alarm the vehicle, with the noisiest alarm that you can get, the louder the better but make sure to adjust the sensitivity so it doesn’t just go off the moment a bird lands at it.
  • Keep the exterior dirty or dusty, this decreases the likelihood it will appeal to the casual observer, remember thieves instinctively look for the shiniest piece of loot.
  • Park the car a few spaces (but not directly next to) a nice car, the nicer the better but it has to be significantly nicer than yours (the dirt and some dings help this).
  • Put on a club or other anti-theft device, no this will not keep your car from being stolen but it presents another “pain in the ass” for the would be criminal, thieves are lazy, they are going to pass up your car for the easy target.
  • Park in a highly visible location, the more remote, the better environment it will be to spend time breaking into it, if it’s across from the entrance to a store or other reputable venue it will be less likely to get violated.
  • Shave the lock on your trunk. Most auto-body places can do this for you and even if that EMP hits your key fob you can still get in via the manual trunk release in your car. The whole point is to make it just a little bit more annoying to get into; increasing your chances the thug in question will just move on.
  • Install a strong box in your trunk, these are readily available and come in all sorts of dimensions, if you don’t find one you like they can be fabricated by most people with a little welding experience quite easily. Just make sure you bolt it into your trunk or back seat in such a way as the bolts can be removed when the box is open (in case you need to temporarily remove the box).
  • Install secondary carrying belts inside this trunk or cargo area to hold pouches and other things, old canvas police web belts work great and cost between ten and twenty dollars, bolt them or clip them into place to increase the ergonomics of your storage space.
  • Remove all items from the front of your vehicle and clean it, you guessed it, what does the empty interior of a clean car look like? Boring, that’s what it looks like, you want nothing to draw attention to the vehicle or its contents and nothing to suggest there is anything of value worth committing a crime to access.
  •   Invest in some run flats if you can afford them, no one wants to change a tire when the world is ending because some teenager used the ensuing chaos to cause a little property damage.

Some things to store in your trunk include, but are not limited to:

  • GPS receiver and a compass (redundancy is key with navigation).
  • Maps of the state and cities you have to travel through on your commute (with highlighted routes and alternate routes to get home).
  • 1 Small, lightweight bug out bag with some first aid supplies, utility knife, enough food and water to last you for the amount of time it will take you to get home should you have to ditch the vehicle. Other goodies for this are a magnesium bar and a Bic lighter, a set of silverware and a tin or titanium Sierra cup along with some 550 or Para cord.
  • 1 change of clothes with appropriate warming layers, these should be nondescript and devoid of any logos or bright colors, you want to blend in.
  • 1 pair of good running shoes or hiking boots depending on what type of terrain you will be traveling on.
  • 1 small, concealable firearm with some spare magazines if you feel it is appropriate. Personally I wouldn’t want to be carrying a weapon at this stage of the game.
  • Several one ounce silver coins and a few twenty dollar bills (if one of these is worthless, the other will still likely be accepted).
  • A small GMRS radio and a hand held police scanner, both are for monitoring local events.
  • Baby wipes and a small airplane bottle of Listerine mouthwash, there are a million reasons to have these; you can shower with them, clean out cuts, etc.

The point of having these things readily available is to smoothly transition from work attire to traveling / hiking kit as soon as you regain access to your vehicle. This however may be impossible or take longer than anticipated so on your person you should have some of the following items, get in the habit of keeping them in a gym bag or backpack, most of us carry some form of bag with us anyway, make some room.

Your Body
Depending on where you work some of this may or may not be practical, regardless of what you can or can’t carry with you here’s some basics to maintain the ability to quickly change into something you can travel in.

Keep a gym bag with a fresh change of socks and a set of running clothes along with a pair of lightweight sneakers if you regularly go to work in an office environment. This will doubly add an excuse to use the gym that is no doubt located somewhere in or near your office, benefiting you for obvious reasons. Additionally, you need laminated set of maps to get you from your office to your car with alternate routes all marked or highlighted.

An Altoids tin survival kit, you can easily design your own or download instructions on the internet; you’d be amazed at what will fit into an Altoids tin. Here’s what’s in mine:

  • Bic mini lighter
  • 1 alcohol prep wipe
  • 1 dose (2 pills) of cold and flu medicine
  • 1 porcelain spark plug shield broken into three pieces wrapped in sandwich wrap
  • 1 4×4 inch sheet of aluminum foil folded twice
  • 1 razor blade
  • 1 handcuff key
  • 1 piece of steel wool the size of a cotton ball
  • 1 mini rake lock pick and tension bar
  • 1 LED Flashlight
  • 1 2×2 inch sheet of moleskin
  • 1 sewing needle wrapped in non flavored dental floss or thin sewing thread

If it won’t close just secure it by wrapping 550 or Para cord along the outside to keep it shut, 550 cord always comes in handy. The contents are very versatile, you always need fire and a lighter cuts the messing around. Steel wool is the best kindling on earth and if you can’t start a fire with a Bic lighter and a cotton ball sized chunk of steel wool you need more help than I can provide you with.

The prep wipe can disinfect a wound, the razor blade can be used as a scalpel (sanitize with lighter), the sewing needle and thread or floss will let you do some crude stitches. If your feet end up being what fails you, the moleskin can be used to seal up blisters and cut to size with the razor blade after you have lanced them with the needle and drained them.

The cuff key, lock picks and porcelain may be against the law to carry where you live (check local laws first) but you never know when you might need to take off some cuffs, pick a door lock (very easy on many doors with some practice) or break through a window (the porcelain, when thrown into a car or store window will instantly shatter many types of window, this is a favorite trick of burglars and car thieves). [JWR Adds: These work best when projected by a slingshot such as a “Wrist Rocket.” A folding slingshotis also a good stopper for small game and even marginal for self defense, with just a bit of practice. They are legal to possess even in most gun-deprived jurisdictions. When space and weight are at a premium, I recommend that a slingshot be second only to a versatile pocketknife, when prioritizing gear for your Get Home kit.]

DISCLAIMER: I am not telling you to break the law, but even if you are a cop during TEOTWAWKI or SHTF or even on a normal day at work you may find yourself in a situation where you might end up being locked up with your personal cuffs or someone else’s pair.

The lock picks and porcelain are the same story here, I am not telling you to commit a crime but if it comes down to being burned up in a fire because you can’t get to an exit fast enough, by all means, break a window and get out. The property owner will understand. The lock pick and tension bar are the same story, don’t use them to break the law but if you can use them to get into a door to hide from an angry rioting mob, by all means, the property owner will understand. This kit is designed specifically to survive, evade, resist and escape any number of nightmare scenarios, be a responsible adult and do the right thing.

 Your Escape
Your escape is going to be much more complicated in reality than anything you can plan for but there are major mistakes you can avoid that will save you precious time and maybe even your life. On your map you need to highlight roads and alternate roads to get you from work to vehicle and vehicle to home but you must also realize your surroundings. Maybe you drive half way to your destination and then take some form of mass transit the rest of the way, driving out of the city you work in will not be an option, if the mass transit is also shut down, you are on foot.
  Even if you drive your car all the way to work, you still have to realize that driving may not be an option and that during any type of emergency, you will not be able to use main roads or even most side roads so alternate routes need to be planned and scouted in advance. Periodically along your route you should locate safe areas to go to ground and hide, just in case you need sleep, rest, etc you are going to want to know where you have the option of doing this on your journey, looking for a safe place to stitch up your wounds really sucks when your pouring blood, but if you have pre-designated way points along your route it will make life easier and give you landmarks to guide you on your way.

It may be feasible to cache (hide) small amounts of supplies along the way in various locations. Maybe there is a bus stop with a dirt lot behind it or an old parking lot you can conceal a small cache in, even if it’s just some bandages, a bottle of water and a granola bar inside a small PVC pipe with end caps, you may end up needing them and it never hurts to have options.

Alternate means of travel are critical, for example, in the city I work in, the roads are jammed up even on a good day, driving out in a disaster will not be feasible and I don’t even drive the whole way to work anyway, but there are ferry boats nearby that can easily get you out of the city in a hurry and would most likely still work even in the event of a major emergency.

While everyone else is hoofing it or driving out I will be riding a ferry boat if absolutely necessary to get outside the main city center. You must explore these alternate methods of escape, roads will get nasty quickly and the heat you will be subject to on a sunny day will make walking on them unbearable.

Get to your vehicle and stop to take a minute to sort everything out, that’s right, I am telling you to stop moving and assess your situation, take a break, drink some water, eat a granola bar and chill the heck out. Most likely you will have been running on pure adrenaline and terror for an extended period of time, you may have suffered injury or mental trauma and you are going to be in shock. Take a few minutes to get that animal part of your brain under control, accurately assess your options and make a good decision as to what needs to happen next.

Do not bother trying to contact your family at this point, if you are in a scenario that has caused you to flee your workplace, possibly on foot, you are probably in a situation where cell phone service will be overwhelmed, your best bet is to send a brief text message, something like: “safe, omw home” and try repeating it to alternate addresses a few times while you drink some water. You need to get your mind out of the stress zone so you can make good decisions, thinking about anything other than your immediate need to escape and protect yourself will make you distracted and lead to your death or injury.

Ideally you should speak to your entire family before hand and explain to them that if an emergency happens, they are to stay at home and not try to come get you that if you are alive you will be on your way home immediately and may not be able to call them. This will keep you from getting home only to find out your wife or husband has decided to drive into the mouth of whatever disaster after you.

After you have collected your thoughts, even if it takes awhile (less than an hour) and you are in full control of your emotions and judgment you need to snap yourself out of the daze you will be in and start moving, if you start to feel tired or yawn, this is your cue to move, it will mean that your body has relaxed and ceased pumping adrenaline into your body, stand up, stretch and get moving.

Use the car for as long as possible, drive on the shoulder, in ditches, over curbs etc, and get out of traffic, even if you are in a sedan you would be surprised how much off-roading can be done with casual disregard for your vehicle’s paint job and quick decision making. Get the vehicle as far as you can and if you have to ditch it, get it off the road and into a position to where you can safely begin your hike. Grab your essential gear only; every pound will count if you end up doing twenty plus miles on foot, possibly in the sun.

If you have more water than you can carry, drink your surplus immediately, if you have too much surplus water to drink, drink as much as you can, urinate, drink some more and then go, water does you no good unless it’s in your body. Something simple you can carry for this is a single sugar and salt packet (like the one you get from fast food meals) mixed in a bottle of water the sugar/salt combo will give you a quick boost of electrolytes, kind of like drinking a Gatorade, drink this first and then drink some more water to dilute it in your system.

If you were astute enough to pack a Gatorade or other sports drink, drink it slowly, once you get half finished, fill it back up with water, shake it and drink it halfway again, fill it back up, shake and repeat as many times as needed to quench your thirst, diluting the mixture will help your body absorb the electrolytes and other goodies inside the sports drink, if you simply drink it all at once you will urinate out most of the ingredients before it can be absorbed by your body.

Be wary of people but do not be inhumane, you never know if a simple act of kindness will be what saves your life or your soul. What we do during a catastrophe is what determines if we retain our ability to be called human or civilized. I am not telling you to endanger yourself needlessly but if you have the ability to help another human being get back to their family who probably loves them and misses them the way yours does then you should do what you would want others to do for you. Circumstances could change quickly and the person you denied a drink of water to earlier in the day could be the doctor that splints your twisted ankle only hours later. Help your fellow man because of his need and not because of yours, help within your means and someone else may even help you.

Letter Re: Protecting Your Assets With an LLC

James,
One of your SurvivalBlog Glossary entries deserves some comment. A Limited Liability Company (LLC) gives you as much or more protection from liability as a corporation, but passes profit through to your personal taxes like a 1099 independent or a subchapter S corp.  However, unlike a corporation, once you file your ‘Articles of Organization,’  in most states your LLC has no more paperwork requirements some states require an annual status report, but it is solely for informational purposes and has nothing to do with the IRS or other government agencies except to notify the IRS how you choose to allocate profit and loss among the members) one of the most attractive difference between an LLC and a C Corporation or S Corporation.  Your Articles of Organization (AoO) basically allow you (not the state or Feds) to create the rules under which your LLC will be run – such as which members manage it, how it is to be managed, how profits are distributed among members, and which of a number of options you want to elect to be taxed under.  For your own records, you create an Operating Agreement (OA) identifying each member, what percentage of the total ‘membership interests’ (sort of like corporate ‘shares’ but not subject to the laws dealing with shares and percentage of equity ownership or distributions of profits).

Basically there are ‘manager managed’ LLCs, where one or more members (or even an outsider) are specified in your AoO as having management responsibilities and other members have no say in the decision making (a two-class organization), and ‘member managed,’ where each member is included in the same class and shares management duties.   Each member is issued a number of “membership interests,”  Note that you don’t have to allocate distributions according to the percentage of membership interest each member has, nor does the number of interests each member holds reflect what the member’s contribution is.  Your AoO and OA can specify any division of responsibilities and profits that all members are willing to agree to.  For example, to avoid estate taxes on large estates, you can put your assets into an LLC, where you are the manager and sole recipient of earnings from the assets, and make your heirs members and do not share in the profits while you are alive.  In effect, you are gifting them with membership interests well before you die.  When you die, your heirs, as the surviving members, can designate a new manager and grant themselves equal or proportional revenues – all without any estate tax.

The main value of an LLC is that you can move assets into it, or acquire them through it, and if you are successfully sued, the LLC assets can not be taken, and any successful suit against the LLC can only take the LLC-owned resources and not your personal ones.  In fact, if you create multiple LLCs, say, a separate one for each piece of real estate you own, than a suit against one LLC only endangers that property, while the other properties are immune.  You can put just about any type of asset, like a business, a home, a car, investments, intellectual property – virtually any appreciating asset.

They also allow you to avoid the double taxation of corporations, where corporate profits are taxed and then investors have to pay their own taxes on the distributions.

You can create as many LLCs as you want, and locate them in any state you want, based on the state’s laws. New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada are very LLC-friendly.  You just have to pay a nominal amount to a ‘registered agent,’ a person or company located in the state your LLC is created in that is guaranteed to be available to accept formal legal documents during business hours and also act as a general mail forwarding service for all general mail sent to the LLC.  This service is usually very inexpensive, as you do not need, nor would you want to pay the rates of, an attorney.

Only a few things to watch out for:

A single-member  LLC is legal in some states, but not in others.  Also, the IRS treats a single-member LLC like a sole proprietorship, which complicates your interactions with them (such as the aggravation of having to file quarterly estimated taxes). While a single-member LLC will protect your personal assets if the LLC is sued, it is not guaranteed to protect the assets in the LLC against lawsuits filed against you personally.  Always have two or more members.

LLCs are still very new and there is nowhere near the case law and formal precedents that exist for corporations, so that you can’t be totally sure that future legal decisions won’t change the rules of the game after you are already on the field.

You can’t move personal assets into an LLC once a suit is filed against you to try to shelter them.  Nor can an LLC transfer assets to its members or another LLC once a suit is filed against it, so it is wise to set up at least one LLC now even if the assets it is intended to protect will be accumulated directly by the LLC in the future.  That way, your LLC will predate and be immune from any future suits against you personally.

There is much more about LLCs and it is a good idea to find several books on it and discuss how to best structure it with an accountant, You might possibly consult a lawyer in the state in which you wish to create your LLC to be absolutely sure of the particular state’s laws and restrictions, if any, on LLCs based in that state (but don’t pay the lawyer’s rates to actually do the filings and such – either do it yourself, or find a registered agent who includes the filing services in his package.

Sorry to go so long about a single entry, but, TEOTWAWKI or not, it is an option any sane and knowledgeable person with assets should be doing yesterday.  It is the single most powerful legal way to take control of your taxes, avoid all of the severe government restrictions and legal filing requirements on corporations, general and limited partnerships, and sole proprietorships –  and to protect all, or at least, most of your personal appreciating assets from being seized in a lawsuit.

It is not really relevant to surviving a natural or man-made breakdown of the underpinnings of society, but until such happens, it is the best way to legally avoid government interference and regulation of you affairs today. Best Regards, – John S.

Economics and Investing:

Ron Paul: Federal Reserve’s Addiction. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)

Sue C. sent us this: Greek Default Would Spell ‘Havoc’ for Banks.

KAF flagged this: Russia to Lower U.S. Debt Holdings

John T. recommended this analysis by Martin W. Armstrong: Greece: Its Time to Default Before Civil War Breaks Out

Items from The Economatrix:

Gold And Silver Still Great Investments in Inflation, Stagflation, And Deflation

The Systematic Financial Pillaging of the Middle Class

Unemployment Falls in Fewer than Half US States

Odds ‘n Sods:

For folks interested in using the new Bitcoin digital currency, check out the free information and graphics at: BitcoinResource.com

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Steven M. sent us this: Home Security – The four levels of home fortification

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Apparently a minnow trap is a very effective trap for snakes as well!  (Thanks to M.E. for the link.)

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I heard that there are still a few copies of the limited autographed edition of Mike Williamson’s upcoming novel “Rogue” available.  (As a reservation, in advance of publication.) Readers will either need to contact Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore in Minneapolis to order, or contact Mike directly.  These books come with a tipped in signature sheet signed by Mike, and can also be personalized before shipping.  The publication date is September 6th, but the signed edition must be ordered in advance. (And it will not be available later.)

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Copper Thieves Suspected in Pontiac House Explosion. (The fourth such explosion in recent months.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Rifles are inanimate objects that have no will of their own. As such, they may be used by evil men for evil purposes. While an evil man may not be persuaded by propaganda, he may certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." – Col. Jeff Cooper

Pat’s Product Reviews: Mil-Tac Knives & Tools M3 Tactical Folders

Many folks aren’t aware of Mil-Tac Knives & Tools, but they’ve been around for about six years now. Mil-Tac is owned and operated by Craig Sword, and I’ve known Sword since before he started Mil-Tac, when he was with another knife company. I’m happy to report, that I had a hand in helping Craig get Mil-Tac up and running. That’s not to say, I helped him physically start his company. Instead, Craig and I spent many, many hours on the phone discussing the idea of him starting-up a new knife company, and which direction it should go. I appreciate Sword’s faith in me with my ideas and input. He thought I’d have some sage advice after writing about guns and knives for a lot of years.

As a bit of a disclaimer, SurvivalBlog readers should know that I designed the CE-1, CE-2 and “Code Zero” 1911 grips for Mil-Tac. The CE-1 and CE-2 fixed blade fighting knives were actually a collaboration between myself, custom knife maker Ray Ennis and Craig Sword. I have no financial interest in Mil-Tac, nor do I receive any royalties from the products I brought to Mil-Tac. I was just helping a friend get a new business venture off the ground.

I’ve watched Craig Sword slowly add new products to the Mil-Tac line-up over the years, and it hasn’t been an easy task. As with any new business venture, there is a lot of money involved in starting this type of business, not to mention the machinery and raw materials. Craig has really done an outstanding job growing his company, and quite honestly, I’m surprised he has grown Mil-Tac as fast as he has, and has expanded is product line-up to what it is today. Great job, Craig! He has worked hard to get to where he’s at today, and he’s very proud of his customer service. He attends to this himself, as well as running the day-to-day operations of Mil-Tac, plus designing knives himself, attending trade shows, and actually making many of his products. He has his hands full all the time.

I recently received two new tactical folders from Mil-Tac for test and evaluation. These are called the M3 models, and they are tactical in every sense of the world – they aren’t designed for whittling wood or anything like that – they are designed for tough, self-defense work, period! The M3 comes in several different versions, to include Tanto style blades, as well as drop-point blades. They also come with standard G-10 handle scales or the new 3-D handle scales. The M3s are being produced for Mil-Tac by Fox Knives over in Italy, and they did a spectacular jo.

What we have with the M3 is a 3.9″ Tanto blade (the blade style I requested) made out of N690Co stainless steel. I don’t have the run down on this particular steel material, but I’ve had several other Mil-Tac folders made out of this same stainless steel, and it’s some tough stuff, yet fairly easy to re-sharpen. The blade is also coated with a black Teflon-type coating for additional protection against rust, and for a non-reflective finish. There is a dual thumb stud on the blade for quick deployment, and thumb serrations on the top of the blade, should you desire to choke-up on the blade. The handle material, as already mentioned is super-tough black G-10 laminate. I elected for the 3-D handle style. It is thicker and hand filling, to be sure. I really like a knife handle I can get a grip on and really hold onto. There are vertical as well as horizontal serrations on the handle scales.

There is a pocket/clothing clip, which allows you to move it around the handle for right or left hand use, as well as blade up or blade down carry. Nice! The design is a semi-open type handle, which allows most dirt and dust to fall out, instead of building-up inside the handle. There is a lanyard hole in the butt of the handle, and it’s actually big enough to allow the use of 550 parachute cord as a lanyard. A manual lock allows you to lock the blade open, once deployed, making this a virtual fixed blade knife. The standard method of locking the blade open is with the liner-lock, which is very strong and stout – and the manual locking lever is there for added safety.

Craig Sword sent me two samples of the M3, one with a plain edge, and the other with a partially serrated edge. A lot of people don’t like serrated blades, but I think they really come in handy if you ever have to cut wet rope, poly rope, open boxes or tear through tough material like heavy clothing. Both samples arrived shaving-sharp, too. The clothing/pocket clip is large and it’s not going to easily bend out of shape, like so many do on lesser knives, when they don’t heat-treat the clips. Many companies don’t bother to heat-treat their clips at all, and when you catch ’em on something, they bend out-of-shape and you can’t get ’em bent back to their original shape, either.

The butt of the handle is flat, and can be used as a blunt striking weapon, when lethal force isn’t needed. The pivot screw on the blade is larger than is seen on many knives – making it stronger, as well as allowing a much smoother opening and closing of the blade. The top of the handle is slightly curved upwards, and has friction grooves, allowing for a secure thumb placement when using the fencing style of grip in knife fighting.  The bottom of the handle has a nice finger groove and it also has some friction grooves for a secure purchase on the knife. A large, single spacer keeps the handle together and it has some “bumps” on it, again, allowing for a better purchase on the handle.

The M3 samples both opened smoothly – like butter, and locked firmly in place. There wasn’t any need to use the manual locking levers, but I used ’em just the same as they were easy to apply with the thumb while holding the knives in a fencing grip. I used the knives for some everyday chores around the house – even though their intended purpose is that of a fighting folder. Cutting open boxes from FedEx or UPS were easy, as well as cutting up some meat for meals. I “stabbed” both knives into a large pot roast, and they easily penetrated all the way to the handle and then some – I like the penetration power of the Tanto style blade.

I really like the 3-D handle scales – they fill my hand. If you don’t like a thicker-feeling folder, then go with the standard handle scales, which are thinner, but still made out of G-10 laminate. The overall appearance of the M3 samples, with their black blades and black G-10 handle scales are very business-like, and you know you have tactical folders in your hand, and not an ordinary pocket knife.

I can usually find something to “fault” or change on many knives and guns – it’s my nature to look to improve or change something to my own personal taste. However, there is nothing I’d change on the M3 samples I received. My only problem will be deciding which sample I want to keep – I can’t afford to purchase both of them.

As always, I try to save the best for last, and that’s price. On any of the M3 models, standard or 3-D handle scales, full retail price is $169 and I believe you are getting a great tactical folder for the money. You could spend more, but you won’t get more with many other folders. Truthfully, these knives should be retailing for about a hundred dollars more – so lay claim to one before Craig Sword realizes he’s selling these knives for less than he should.

Also, when you visit the Mil-Tac web site, check out the CE-1 and CE-2 fixed blade fighting knives that I helped design. And, for some of the best 1911 custom grips on the planet, check out my “Code Zero” grips – everyone who has tested ’em loves ’em, and I’ve had several well-known gun writers tell me that they are the best feeling 1911 grips they’ve ever used. They allow a very secure grip on your 1911, but they aren’t rough on the hands. Craig Sword also has several other styles of 1911 grips he is producing as well, and be sure to check them out as well.

Craig Sword is one of the good guys, and he deserves your business. He goes out of his way to make sure his customers are 100% satisfied with their purchases. Sword is also prior service with the US Army, and he does a lot to support our troops out of his own pocket. If you’re in the market for a new tactical folding knife, fixed blade knife or custom grips for your 1911 handgun, then be sure to check out Mil-tac.com and give them your business if you can. Please mention that your saw this article in SurvivalBlog. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: COMSEC, Bitcoin, and Ironkey Thumb Drives

James,
I took notice of the malware warning in your blog regarding  Bitcoin and some of the suggestions to thwart it. I’d like to throw my 2 cents in and suggest your readers check out  ironkey.com Ironkey makes a thumb drive that is like no other device on the market. I just bought one and I love it. I will describe what it does and why your readers may want to consider getting one as part of their COMSEC arsenal. I purchased the 16 GB model and the cost including delivery was $228. Yes, that is expensive, but wait until I describe what it can do.

A little history on this device is in order. It was designed by U.S. Naval Intelligence and the largest purchasers of this product is the U.S. Government. I know what you’re thinking, if the Government knows about it, I don’t want one. The hardware and software for this device is devoid of a back door and the mathematical algorithms that trigger the cryptochip are totally random, not even Ironkey can unlock them once they are initiated. They warn you that if you forget your password you’re on your own.

1.    When you insert the 2.0 USB device for the first time you’ll be taken through a process to get it going. I takes about 20 minutes and that includes setting up your Ironkey account. You’ll be given the option to “back-up” your data on Ironkey’s servers. I chose not to exercise that option for obvious reasons. The web site has great tutorials for first time users (highly recommended)

2.    The set up process has you create a password for the device.

3.    Now the fun begins. The next time you plug it in, a menu pops up and you have to enter your password. If you enter the password wrong more than 10 times, the memory of the device will be permanently bleached (erased) and it cannot be recovered. Worried about key loggers? Key loggers are a real threat to your privacy. Hackers can actually log what keys you are using and identify all your passwords as you type. You can type in your password if you wish but I don’t recommend it for that reason. There is a little icon on the start up menu and when you click on it a visual QWERTY board pops up on the computer screen. You simply “click” your password with your mouse instead. Even this method can be hacked if the hackers are really sophisticated so Ironkey answers that problem as well. Within the QWERTY board there is a command that allows the QWERTY board to be “shuffled” Basically all the letters and numbers get scrambled and will not be located where they would normally be so you can click your password in and if anyone was actually trying to decipher it they would not be able to.

4.    The entire device is water proof. It is made of steel and you can drive over it with your car or throw it against a wall and it won’t damage it. The entire system is encased in a hard resin epoxy so that if you tried to break it open it would destroy the cryptochip beyond any hope of recovery. You can kind of get the picture of where this is going, this company takes privacy seriously.

5.    Here is where this thing gets really interesting. In the control panel there is an application called “identity manager” It works in a couple of different ways, and here is the first example. You click on it, then click on “add” and type in the web address where you want to go and the passwords that go along with it such as your bank accounts. Once you’ve done that you simply open the “identity manager” and click on that account. The system will launch the web browser, fill in your passwords and log you in all by itself so that key loggers have no chance in tracking your key strokes. The second way is to go to your web sites yourself and enter your own passwords. After you’re done, you’ll notice a brief pause and wonder what is going on. The system will pop up a screen and ask you if you want the “identity manager” to remember this and do you want to add it to the “identity manager”  If you say yes then you have essentially done what I described in step #1 above.

6.    So you’re saying to yourself: “So what, I’m still on the net and therefore I’m still vulnerable” Well that’s where you’d be wrong. You see, the Ironkey has it’s own built in Mozilla Firefox web browser and this particular version has an integrated feature called “Secure Sessions” that can be toggled on and off mine is always set to the “ON” position. You can also import other applications into it such as Internet Explorer and Outlook just to name a few. During “Secure Sessions” you are invisible on the net. You don’t exist at all. The signals “tunnel” through existing traffic without anyone knowing you’re there and it gets even more intense than that. Let’s say I’m writing you an e-mail like I’m doing right now and I’m operating in “Secure Session Mode” I can actually choose what part of the world I want to appear from. That’s right! If I want my e-mail to originate from an IP address in Africa then I can do that. I can bounce it around the globe to multiple countries or continents if I choose. If I don’t choose to do so, it’ll randomly do it on it’s own anyway. For true anonymity you do need to have an e-mail account that was not set up from your computer. Yahoo, GMail and others log the original computer that the e-mail account was first set up on. The public library or some other random computer that can’t be associated with you comes to mind when doing this. [JWR Adds: I concur on the need to use tunneling. Even for those that don’t opt to use Ironkey, I recommend the web-based Strong VPN tunneling service for both e-mail and web browsing.]

7.    Anything you do on the Ironkey will not leave a trace on the computer it is plugged into. Period. We don’t ever want to end up on some “undesirables list” so should your computer ever fall into the wrong hands there will never be a trace of your activity on the net or any application that is on the computer while using the Ironkey. The files extracted will show up on your “Recent Files” menu but when you click on them to open the application you get a message telling you that you need to plug a computer in. That’s operating under the assumption that you get sloppy and forget to clear the “Recent Files” on a daily basis. So why do you get a message telling you you need to plug a computer in to view these files? The answer is simple, the Ironkey is it’s own mini computer inside a thumb drive that borrows needed files from your drive to operate but never leaves a trace that it did so. I turned a friend of mine (college degree in computer guru science) loose on my computer to test Ironkey’s claims. He can’t find any history on the drive of any activity I’ve had while my Ironkey was busy doing what it does.

I think the Ironkey is a must have piece of COMSEC hardware.

Thanks for the work that you do, I hope you and your readers find this helpful. – M.Y.

Letter Re: Gluten Free Food Storage

Letter Re: Gluten Free Food Storage

Hi JWR,  
I just got done packing away a bunch of pasta this afternoon, and looked at the latest SurvivalBlog posts and read the Gluten Free Food Storage article by Cassandra.  Funny thing is, I was long-term packing gluten free rice pasta in Mylar bags with O2 absorbers.  I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere else, so I did it myself.  Maybe what I just learned this past hour will help someone else wanting to pack away some pasta.  Here’s what I used: Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice Pasta (Fusilli, Penne, and Spaghetti)  We used to eat Tinkyada brand, but we found that the Trader Joe’ s (TJ’s) brand is tasty and cooks in less time, thus it uses less fuel or electricity.  It generally retails in-store for $1.99/lb package, and I bought 12 cases (of 12) of it.    

I use:

  • 5 gallon food grade storage pails and snap on lids    
  • 2,000 CC oxygen absorbers    
  • 5-6 gallon Mylar zip-bags (no heat seal required)  

Using a Mylar zip bag to line the bucket, I found that I could squeeze the following into every 5-gallon bucket (with an O2 absorber thrown in half way through):

  • TJ’s Fusilli – 12 lbs/bucket (loose packed)  
  •  TJ’s Penne – 16 lbs/bucket (loose packed)  
  •  TJ’s Spaghetti – 22 lbs/bucket (left in the 1-lb original bags to reduce breakage)

Of course, the more you fit in the bucket, the lower the overall cost per pound.  Using buckets at $4.59, lids at $2, bags at $3.20, and O2 absorbers at $1, I packed away 140 lbs of gluten-free organic brown rice pasta for a total of $278.60 (pasta) and $97.11(storage) for a total of $375.71.  That’s $2.68/lb.  That’s pretty reasonable for long-term storage of an “alternative” organic food!  

I know brown rice and its flours can go rancid quickly, but I’ve had five year old TJs pasta that was just “on the shelf” and it’s perfectly fine.  I guess processing and drying it into pasta gets rid of or otherwise breaks down the oils that go rancid.  I’m not sure, but maybe someone else can shed light on that.   Blessings, – Darrin F.

Economics and Investing:

Reader J.H.B. suggested: Its Weight in Gold: The Real Prices of Things by Charles Vollum

Trading Of Over The Counter [FOREX] Gold And Silver To Be Illegal Beginning July 15

Record Corn Harvests Can’t Meet World Demand. (Thanks to Steven M. for the link.)

Kevin S. recommended this: Unlocking the Mayor Badge of Meaninglessness

“The Toon” sent us this: Are We Running Out of Silver?

Items from The Economatrix:

Greek Crisis Could Send World Markets Into Turmoil

Greece Nears Point of No Return

In a Currency Tug-of-War, the U.S. Dollar Loses

MERS Does Not Have The Right to Foreclose on a Mortgage

Jim Sinclair: You’re Out of Your Mind if You Sell Gold Assets Right Now

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader V.T. sent this: African Village Uses Tech to Fight Off Rape Cult. Hmmm… Weapons, communications, intelligence, and community-based self defense. Sound familiar? And they did it all this on a shoestring budget.

   o o o

Bobbi M. forwarded: How Superbugs Will Affect Our Health Care Costs

   o o o

The deadline for the Ready Made Resources Preparedness Video Contest is July 26th. Instructional (nonfiction) videos on any topic related to family preparedness are sought. The prizes are a brand new Rock Rivers Arms (RRA) Elite Comp M4 (AR-15 series compatible ) complete Barreled Upper Receiver and a Trijicon Reflex sight with a combined retail value of more than $1,400. Please keep your privacy in mind when you create your videos. (Don’t mention any surnames or towns). You may post up to three videos to YouTube for consideration in the judging. Videos up to 10 minute long that are your original work that are already posted to YouTube are also eligible for the judging. To enter, e-mail the URL for video(s) to: grisrob@gmail.com. Do not send the videos themselves or links to videos stored at other web sites. Only nonfiction videos that you post to YouTube are eligible. The creator of the best video will win a brand new a brand new complete Rock Rivers Arms (RRA) Elite Comp M4 (AR-15 series compatible ) Barreled Upper Receiver and a Trijicon Reflex sight. The deadline or posting videos is July 26th. The video judged best will be announced on Monday August 1st, 2011.

   o o o

Steven M. kindly sent links to three different web sites with some clever architectural solutions: Eight Rooms, Well, Nine, but That’s Their Secret, Bay Windows Conceal Garage, and Cowing Secret Playroom Entrance,

   o o o

Jonathan C. suggested a piece by my old associate Ken Timmerman: North Korea Tests ‘Super-EMP’ Nuke.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"…the primary mission of every government appendage seems to be nothing other than the expansion of its size and the stretch of its meddling." – Kevin Brekke

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 35 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 Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 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.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 35 ends on July 31st, 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.

Gluten Free Food Storage, by Cassandra R.

Everyone knows that storing wheat is a good idea.  However, those with various forms of gluten intolerance, and also others who benefit from gluten free diets currently, simply cannot go back to consuming gluten post-SHTF.  The effect could be devastating in the resulting society. 

If you have unlimited monetary resources, then prepping for storage of gluten free foods is not a problem, anyone can go to the store and purchase plenty of those expensive mixes they sell at the store.  But what if you don’t?  Or, worse yet, what if you run out of those expensive mixes in a long-term crunch?  Will you know how to make your food from scratch?  Will you be prepared?

While supplementing your storage with the gluten free mixes found at many stores is do able, we need a more practical system.  I will go over grains in a moment, but here are a few items you will need to store that are critical for any kind of bread making:

Xantham gum – as long as this item is kept dry, it has a shelf life of several years.  Be sure to get the finer powder, the courser xantham gum doesn’t seem to work as well.  Also, while I’m in the preliminary stages of learning gluten free ways, it seems that xantham gum is more suited to bread items like loaves and pizza dough.

Guar gum – this item is best suited to things like pastry creams, and less acidic items.  Guar gum begins to break down at higher temperatures, and also loses some of it’s thickening ability when added to recipes with high acidity.  Many recipes suggest combining both gums for a better result.  Manufacturers recommend that it keeps for 1-to-2 years.

Dehydrated Eggs – Widely found and I suggest you purchase the nitrogen-packed varieties.  Manufacturers claim a shelf life of 27+ years unopened.  Eggs, they claim, are good for 8-10 months after being opened.

Dehydrated Egg Whites – see above.

These are the binders in any gluten free equation.  They perform the task generally done by gluten.  Some people who are gluten free do not use xantham gum and guar gum, it’s a matter of finding recipes that work for you and your personal preferences (and dietary needs!).  I have found that the gluten free community is often more educated about food, and even sometimes scratch cooking, than the rest of society.  This knowledge will be invaluable in both your storage techniques and long term survival.  I have read some on the topic of substituting ground flax for the gums – this could be an even more long term option with the right research.  Obviously, the gums are not an entirely sustainable option, so I will be doing more research on sustainable substitutes for long term and once educated I will share the information.

Starches are equally important for gluten free baked goods.  Consider storing potato, tapioca and corn starches in air tight containers in a cool area.  Also, if you are accustomed to using the store bought gluten free dough enhancers, vinegar is a much cheaper alternative – and useful in countless other ways.

The grains:

White and Brown rice – both gluten free, and both can be ground into flour.  You can consume these prepared whole obviously, or used in a bread recipe.  Please note once ground into flour, the shelf life is drastically reduced, and best used quickly.  The flour of these grains can go rancid within a few months.

Beans – beans are a great item to store easily, and can also be ground into flour for various recipes.  An added bonus, bean flours keep relatively well at room temperature.

Oats – please be careful when purchasing oats.  Some gluten intolerant have issue with oats, and this is currently thought to be because oats and wheat are often processed in the same facility.  Know what facility your oats are coming from and what else the company processes.  Oat flour can also be widely used in recipes.

Corn – dehydrated corn kernels have a long shelf life, and can be ground into polenta, cornmeal, and used whole in a variety of ways.  I suggest buying organic corn personally, as much of the corn we see otherwise is a genetically modified version which is less nutritious,in my opinion.

Sorghum – this is an incredibly interesting and widely unknown cereal grain.  Sorghum grains can be boiled like rice, made into gruel or porridges, ground into flours, popped like popcorn (!!), it can even be used to make non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.  Sorghum is also a very efficient, drought tolerant and even water logging tolerant crop.  This grain can also keep for years when appropriately stored.

Millet – it is suggested that millet can be kept for 8 to 12 years.  Can be mashed with potatoes (has valuable protein), can be made into cakes, toasted and boiled like rice and eaten warm or made into a salad, ground into flour and used in pancakes, bread etc.

Buckwheat – can be stored for 15 years.  Buckwheat can be prepared in a pilaf style, however, the grains (kasha is another name you will come across) often stick together and form a mush, to stop this from happening, either coat your grains with egg before preparing (cook in a dry pan briefly), or toast in a non-stick (read: well seasoned cast iron) pan for a couple minutes before.  The mush, however, is great for cereal/porridge, consider adding peanut butter for protein or spices and dried fruit.  You can also add buckwheat to soups or stews as you would barley, make a salad from the cooked buckwheat, or grind it into flour for breads, pancakes waffles, etc.

My recommendations here are just the beginning. Look around the Internet and you’ll find there’s numerous other grains, find the ones you like that can store well (quinoa for instance, does not keep for very long), and learn how to cook them.

A note on milling flours: If you plan on also milling wheat barley, or any other gluten present grain, it is advisable to have a separate gluten free mill.  The risk of contamination is high, even when thoroughly cleaned, and depending upon a persons individual reaction to gluten, someone could become very sick.

The most important storage preparation of all, of course, is to know how to use what you’ve stored!  There may be no Internet and no local library, WTSHTF so take some time to experiment with recipes until you have a few solid standbys.  Keep these with your food storage.  Having a couple bread, pancake, porridge, waffle, maybe even a muffin recipe, that is tried and tested, will be invaluable.

JWR Adds: Also see the SurvivalBlog archives for some other gluten-free alternatives, such as Quinoa. Just type the word “gluten” in the blog’s Search box at the top of the right-hand bar.

Letter Re: Got Worms?

James:
One thing that I’ve uncovered in my research is that while composting worms are fine if you simply want compost.  However, the red wrigglers commonly used for composting are not effective as a worm for your garden [beds].  Their primary problem is that they prefer the top 2 or 3 inches of soil.  As a result your soil is not fully aerated.

After a lot of searching I found a supplier that provided a mix of three worms types, each with different characteristics so that garden soil is serviced top to bottom.  We mixed several yards of mulch into our soil to help prepare it but we’re the only yard in the neighborhood with worms on the sidewalks after a rain.

The first year we bought eggs from one vendor who no longer offers the product. The next year we bought from these folks. Regards, – Sherman W. Montana

Economics and Investing:

Six minute of must-watch video with Dylan Ratigan: Jim Rogers warns: Get prepared!

Just I warned you, the 46 cash-strapped States are finding creative ways to raise revenue: Downloads and drugs taxed under new Rhode Island budget plan. (Thanks to John E. for the link.)

Fake Bars: “Federal investigators say tungsten filled gold bars and lead filled silver bars have started to circulate in the U.S.”  (Thanks to C.A. in Oregon for the link.)

A recent essay by Michael Pollaro: US government’s fiscal state worsens, DC politicians fiddle  

Items from The Economatrix:

“Greece on the Edge of a Precipice” as a “Lehman-like Avalanche” Could Be Set in Motion as Soon as Sunday

Greek Default Could Trigger Chain Reaction

Gold and Silver Still Great Investments in Inflation, Stagflation, and Deflation

Reader Mike S. sent this: New malware steals your Bitcoin. Mike warns: “There’s malware specifically targeting Windows Bitcoin users.  Mike warns: “Use encryption and strong passwords, and store your Bitcoin wallet in a non-standard place. Use Linux rather than Windows.” JWR Adds: Be sure to empty your Bitcoin wallet frequently and keep most of your wealth in barterable tangibles. Remember: Bitcoin is not a bank, it is just a transfer mechanism.

The Systemic Financial Pillaging of the Middle Class

Over at Stan Deyo’s site: Celente–Collapse:  It’s Coming!  Are you Ready? “Conditions are rapidly deteriorating and it is imperative to remain on high alert. Another violent financial episode is looming. It may be triggered by economics (e.g., debt defaults and debt crisis contagion in Europe, a crashing US dollar, or commodity price spikes); it could be terror (false flag or real), a man-made disaster (another Fukushima) or one made by Mother Nature … or any combination of the above.” 

This Is How The Dollar Dies