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.

Getting Home and Getting Away, by D.L.

My life has become a series of bags. I’ve written before about how ill-prepared my family and I were for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. Although we were very lucky, and to this day have experienced only minor inconveniences, we nonetheless dove head-first into something resembling prepping.

Unfortunately, prepping with neither a plan nor a little forethought is a bit like diving head-first into a strange lake without first surveying the depth and the bottom. The best that can happen is nothing; the worst that can happen is permanent damage. Our attitude when we went shopping was “We want this. We could use that. We have to have the other.” There was little thought, just reaction, and we ended up with lots of items that, while useful, were not necessarily suited to our situation or our needs. Our Bug Out Bag (BOB) swelled to a ridiculous size and weight that my wife could barely pick up. Despite our best intentions, we were doing a form of panic buying based more on what could have happened–and on more than a few strong aftershocks and secondary earthquakes–rather than buying supplies based on a plan. We were thinking about grand escape plans and emergency camping rather than focusing on how events might effect our everyday lives. This sometimes left us unprepared for smaller incidents.

In the aftermath of the crisis, for example, rolling blackouts brought the vaunted Japanese train system to a crawl. Not long after the quake and tsunami, I managed to get to my office by train and retrieve some personal items. However, a ten-hour train stoppage soon after I arrived forced me to walk home. In a huff at the inconvenience and the lack of help from workers at the local station, I started walking. Once again, I was unprepared. Although I knew how to get home, it turned out that I was walking into the blackout zones and all the stores and restaurants were closed. I had no water, no food, no hat–it was a warm and sunny spring day–and only an old, frayed book bag full of school stuff. Luckily, I stumbled across an open 7/11 and was able to stock up with drinks and some snacks.

After that, I assembled a bloated Get Home Kit complete with food, water, flashlights, a first aid kit, a mess kit, cutlery, various forms of tinder, a compass, a cell phone charger and other sundry goods. Even though it was for an easy seven mile walk over relatively flat terrain, it was heavy and barely fit into my fraying book bag along side my laptop, textbooks and school papers.

As my cooler, calmer, and perhaps more naive self took over, I sat down and assessed what our real needs were based on the situations we were likely to face and what might occur in the aftermaths of those situations. This process resulted in a series of bags.

Getting Home
For this, I settled on a more modular Get Home System. If I’m at my day job, the most immediate threat to my getting home is rolling blackouts that shut down the trains. Although these are not expected until July and August when Japan’s sweltering summer typically hits with its full force, the threat that power consumption will surpass power supply is an ever increasing threat as the temperature and humidity climb. As such, my Day Job Kit consists of a small multi-tool, a flashlight with spare batteries, a small first aid kit, water, some power bars, a change of socks and some emergency cash. All of this fits inside a small pouch that can easily slip inside my book bag. I’ve also stashed bottled water and sports drinks in my desk at school that I can grab before I leave rather than hoping to find an open store. As it’s currently rainy season, I’m also carrying a rain poncho and have a spare umbrella at school.

There are still some issues to resolve. In a large quake, I’d be in one room and my kit would be in another. In Japan, I should point out, the rooms belong to the students and the teachers move from room to room. The kit is small enough to carry from class to class but is the kind of thing the boys in an all-boys private school would have trouble leaving alone if I left it at the front while I moved around the room to check their work. Still, even if I were forced to abandon it because of a quake, being able to get home from my day job isn’t my biggest concern.

By contrast, for my current evening job, I teach in Kawasaki, which is on the other side of Tokyo from my home. On a good day, with perfect conditions and no long delays, I’d have a 9-1/2 hour night time hike through a fairly cramped city to get home. At least part of that hike would be through blackout zones. The hope is that I’d only have to walk far enough to find a working train line. Just in case, though, my Away Job Kit is more robust. It is kept in a new fanny pack that fits inside my book bag. Inside the pack  I’ve put my Day Job Kit, spare flashlights, light sticks, more water, more power bars, water purification pills, a filter straw, collapsible water bags, various fire starters, various forms of tinder, a metal dish, cutlery, candy, a rain poncho, an emergency blanket, some paracord, some hemp twine, a map and a compass. Although it seems like a lot, the kit’s actually lighter, and more carefully selected than what I tried to carry right after the quake.

Other Get Home Issues
One of the biggest issues for my evening job is the problem of shoes. Because I teach business men and women, I’m also expected to look the part. Although both Japan and my employer have adopted the notion of “Cool Biz”, which means ties and suits are out for the summer while Polo-style shirts and business casual are in, I’m still expected to wear dressier socks and shined, professional looking shoes. As a compromise, I’ve settled on various forms of Rockport shoes, one pair of which a friend claims is the style worn by U.S. Postal Service mail carriers. Rockport shoes have always fit me well and have always felt comfortable on long walks.

Also, in order to get home from my current evening job, I will have to cross the Tama River. In a blackout, bridges will still be intact. In a proper disaster, however, I may have to explore a while to find a safe place to cross. This could add hours to my hike. This makes an adequate supply of food and water more critical. As the Tama River is rather disgusting, I’m not going to eat anything that comes out of it, therefore, I don’t carry any kind of fishing kit. Instead, I intend to add some canned tuna and sardines to my Away Job Kit.

The last issue is that even a recreational trip to Tokyo requires some forethought. If I decide to travel down to Tokyo to do some shopping or visit a museum, I’ll have to do some careful planning and may have to carry multiple maps that direct me home from each place I plan to visit.

Getting Away 
Our first-floor apartment is average size for a Japanese apartment and has sliding doors on the interior and sliding glass doors to the outside in each room. On both the front and back are large balconies. We have lots of options for getting out, but it’s possible one or more exits could be blocked by collapsed upper balconies or jammed sliding doors.

As such, we sat down and assembled a multiple bag BOB system with one main bag that stays near the front door and a traveling bag that moves with us from room to room. Each contains duplicate supplies including a couple days emergency rations and water. My petite wife is capable of carrying either one. In a controlled evacuation, with me home from work, we’d be able to shift things around and I’d get the heavier bag. In a more urgent situation, especially with me at work, my wife would be able to get out with enough for her and the kids. When I got home, I’d be able to pick up what was left, or could simply head straight to the evacuation center or our designated meeting place and we’d have some supplies.

Also, in our bedroom, we have a single, small plastic drawer designed to stack with other drawers that has served us for many years as an impromptu night stand. It is now filled with spare shoes and other equipment including seasonal clothes. In a rush, we could simply carry the entire drawer with us along with our bug-out bags.

In our car trunk, we’ve begun storing bottled water, emergency blankets and gear we know can survive in summer heat. This summer, I intend to experiment with the hot weather survivability of various forms of MREs in order to see if we can store some of them in the car as well.

Vacuum Bags
Lately, we’ve begun using vacuum bags to place spare clothes in our BOBs. These are bags that allow users to crush down soft items so that they use less storage space. The Japanese use them to store unneeded seasonal clothing and extra blankets for long periods of time without giving up entire closets or worrying about mold and mildew. They are airtight, waterproof and reusable. We’ve used them many times to maximize luggage space on trips to the USA. The better quality ones handle being knocked around and reused, although it’s best to under-pack them rather than stuff them with as many items as possible. This allows more air to be forced out and enables the bag to make a tighter seal. The larger ones let you use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the air. With the smaller ones you can simply kneel on them to force the air out. I use the latter to carry spare socks and undergarments in my Away Job Kit. (I can imagine using them for winter camping and hiking as they’d keep clothes dry after a plunge in icy water but this is not a theory I plan to test any time soon.)

Relearning Again
One of the odd results of the quake and tsunami is that my wife and I have begun relearning skills we’d once known and then let fade away. My wife’s been sewing clothes and baking bread more than before. I’ve relearned how to sharpen and care for knives. I’ve practiced making and using various forms of tinder and fire starters and relearned how to  tie all the knots I’d learned in Boy Scouts. I even catch myself whittling on a block of wood sometimes and this has created a small bag of wood chips I use to make tinder.

I don’t think these relearned skills, especially mine, will be put to much use, or will even be particularly useful, but they’ve become a form of meditation, a way to focus. If I make a knife dull as a result of carving with it, I have to sharpen it again and make sure it’s clean. This ritual reminds me of why I started doing it in the first place and what can happen if we’re not prepared. This, in turn, reminds me of what’s yet to be done to get ready.

Letter Re: The Reality of Paying Off Huge Government Debts

James:
I missed this news story when it came out last fall: Germany finished paying off its WWI war reparations on October 3, 2010. That was 92 years after the Treaty of Versailles set the amount at 83% of Germany’s GDP.  Funding these payments was largely responsible for the economic collapse of the Weimar Republic (with its hyperinflation).

What will it take to pay back the debt we’ve imposed on ourselves? Depending on how you count it, the current government debt is between 14.2 Trillion (Treasury number) and 62 Trillion (when you include liabilities for Fannie/Freddie and current-value obligations for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid).  These are 95% and 413% of our current $15 Trillion GDP.

I’m bailing out of the US currency as fast as possible! – Tony B.

JWR Replies: You are taking a logical course of action. Get out of U.S. Dollars and into practical tangibles, as soon as possible. Please don’t consider foreign currencies a safe haven. They’re all in a race to the bottom.

Two Letters Re: Securing Windows With Plywood The Fast And Easy Way

Mr.  Rawles,  
On the subject of securing windows with plywood. there is one piece that seems to be missing as may often be the case of a “My Home is My Castle” scenario. What if you have to get out? While there is no 100 percent answer, there is the military and historically proven fact that if you make a defensive area/building too hard to get into, it is too difficult to get out of. Such an example would be if there is a fire in the structure.   Thanks for the Blog and your great work.   – Grog

JWR Replies: Window shutters should be designed to be latched from the inside, to allow emergency egress!

 

Dear Jim:

For ballistic protection of windows the best solution is to use ballistic steel – a special high hardness and heat treated formulation.

Ballistic steel plate is only 1/4″ thick (6.4 mm)  and tested to stop six rounds of 7.62mm NATO full metal jacket (FMJ) [“ball”] per square foot. It also easily stops 7.62x39mm AK-47 mild steel core.

At roughly 10 lbs. per square foot, your 36″ by 36″ piece would weigh  only 90 lbs. versus the estimated 360 pounds for 1″ of regular steel!

Flat ballistic plate in quantity is much less expensive than curved steel rifle plates.

But of course would be more expensive than regular, mild steel. But this extra cost would  be offset by reduced installation costs, as you don’t have to build to handle four times the weight.

More importantly, a 90 pound shutter could be closed and secured much  more quickly in a threatening situation. And closing a lighter shutter is a job that kids, or a petite woman could do – perhaps not possible with a 360 pound beast.

We have supplied customers in multiple applications, armoring doors, windows, safe room walls, etc., etc.   High hardness steel plate is not something you want to be drilling or cutting – but can be ordered pre-cut, and pre-drilled.

Yours truly, Nick
Manager, BulletProofME.com Body Armor

 

JWR Replies: The problem with using a single 1/4″ plate is that although it will stop soft nose and standard lead core “ball” ammunition, it won’t reliably stop 7.62mm NATO or .30-06 armor piercing (AP) bullets.

The following data was found with web searches. Notably, the most reliable information was found at the excellent The Highroad (THR) forums.

The following is data for various 7.62mm NATO AP loads:

“Hiternberger AP: FMJ, tungsten core, 9.7 g; V10 850 m/s; penetrates 10 mm armour plate at 300 m

Fabrique Nationale (FN) AP P80: FMJ; 9.75 g; V25 823 m/s; can penetrate 6 mm steel plate at 100 m

Chartered Ammunition Industries, Singapore Technologies (CAI) AP M61: V24 838 m/s; conforms to US Mil-Spec MIL-C-60617; penetrates 6 mm chrome nickel plate (Brinell 450) at 100 m

Adcom AP [essentially the same specs as U.S. Lake City arsenal] AP FMJ; [sintered] steel core; 9.5 g; penetrates 3.5 mm SAE 1010 steel plate at 100 m or 8 mm SAE 1010 steel plate at 450 m; V24 838 m/s”

According to U.S. Army manuals, .30-06 AP can penetrate .42″ (10.67mm) of hardened steel at 100 yards.

Availability: While 7.62mm NATO AP is fairly scarce, there is lot of .30-06 AP in circulation .You often see it for sale at gun shows. Back in the 1960s and 1970s it was priced about the same as ball.

Ditto for 7.92x57mm (commonly called “8mm Mauser” in the US) AP. Those AP bullets reportedly can penetrate 7 to 8 millimeters of hardened steel armor plate at 100 meters. Roughly one third of the military surplus 8mm ammo in circulation is either AP or AP Tracer (APT).

One other consideration is that “stopping” a bullet doesn’t necessarily make the occupants of a building completely safe. There is still the risk of spalling–where pieces of the the back side of the armor plate itself can fly off, forming dangerous fragments. So if you have less than 1″ of armor plate, I recommend adding a spall liner–typically this is a Kevlar blanket.

And then there is the penetrating capability of .50 BMG Ball, AP, APT, APIT, and Raufoss. Yes, there are a few rifles out there, but if you have .50 BMG bullets whistling toward your retreat, then they would probably be coming from a large, well-organized attacking force, so you’ better plan on exfiltrating, immediately.

Conclusion:
Just one hardened 1/4 inch hardened plate is insufficient foreseeable threats. A pair of hardened plates would probably suffice, but I’d feel safer with three or four. Multiple stacked plates work better than a single plate, because you benefit from multiple layers of surface hardening, rather than just one.

The other option is setting up 45-degree angled plates. This offers better protection with less thickness, but of course require more surface area and hence more weight. It also greatly complicates the mounting, to prevent someone angling a shot behind the plate. Thus, angled plates would be well-suited to buildings with extra-thick walls, such as adobe houses or Earthships.

Economics and Investing:

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) recommend this: The number that’s killing the economy

Stephen M. highlighted this one: General Mills sees 2012 profit hit by food costs. Here is a quote: “The maker of Cheerios cereal and Progresso soups said on Wednesday that it expects costs to rise 10 percent to 11 percent in the 2012 fiscal year, which began May 30.”

Also from Stephen: Austerity Riots – A Glimpse of America’s Future?

Items from The Economatrix:

Voters Give Obama Lowest Rating Yet on Economy

Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Fall By Most in 17 Months

Uptick in Homeowners’ Insurance Rates “Only The Beginning”

California Dream Fading Fast

Odds ‘n Sods:

P.C. insanity – Florida cop in trouble for warning others about dangerous parts of town. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

   o o o

Reader G.P. sent this news article from England: Government Forces Family Living Off-Grid, Growing Own Food On Own Land to Return to Society’s Rat Race or Face Penalty

   o o o

F.J. mentioned an interesting compact combined solar and wind power system, primarily for shipboard applications: Solar Stik.

   o o o.

Illinois Lone Holdout On Concealed Carry.

   o o o

Raytheon’s CIRT makes punching through concrete walls easy. (They tell us that it is designed for “rescue” situations. But note the very heavy spalling on the back side of the wall.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good [things] in possession.” – Proverbs 28:10 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

Hooray! Effective today, July 1, 2011, Wyoming will no longer require permits for concealed carry of firearms. Wyoming now joins Vermont, Arizona, and Alaska in recognizing the Constitutional right to unrestricted carry, both openly and concealed, without any permit. “Senate Bill 47 amends Wyoming Revised Statute 6-8-104 to allow anyone who has lived in the state of Wyoming for six months or more, and who meets the other requirements of the older concealed carry law (excluding the requirement that an individual demonstrate proficiency with a firearm) to carry a concealed weapon, without applying for or obtaining a permit.” I expect Idaho and Montana (both American Redoubt states, like Wyoming) to soon follow suit. Freedom is on the march. A nifty animated GIF over at Wikipedia shows the advance of the right to carry since 1986. Have a Happy 4th of July Weekend!

—

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.

Raising a Healthy, Happy Infant in a Survival Situation, by Brittany B.

Humidifier – check. Electric fan – check. Lullaby CD – check. Nightlight – check. Final kisses and whispered prayers, and at last you’re ready to lay your tiny baby down to sleep.

Modern convenience makes caring for a little one easy as pie and exhaustingly complicated at the same time. Our parents muse, “How did we ever get by without that nursing pillow/bottle warmer/Sippy cup tether?” Yet somehow, the human race got this far without all of today’s fancy gadgets designed to ease parents through the baby years, and we would be wise to consider how it used to be done when evaluating raising an infant during a crisis situation.

To begin with, let’s determine what the basic needs of an infant really are (hint: they’re not too different than anyone else’s): food/water, warmth, hygiene. In this article I will discuss how to meet the needs of an infant on a very barebones level, as well as mention some tips on making it easier on yourself and your little one.

Food

How did women feed their babies before the introduction of powdered formula and bottle warmers? The answer is obvious, and so is the solution for feeding your baby during an emergency: breastfeeding. Out of style for several decades thanks to the influx of commercially produced baby formula, breastfeeding is making a comeback. And why not? Science has proven that it is impossible to duplicate the nutritional advantages of breast milk in a lab, and countless studies have revealed the benefits for both mom and baby. Breast milk is free, portable, stays fresh without refrigeration, and does not need to be prepared; it is the perfect emergency food for your baby. Plus, breastfed babies do not require any additional fluids until they begin to eat solids, which means your stored water supply will stretch further.
However, the only practical way of ensuring a supply of milk for your infant is to have the baby’s mother begin to nurse him at birth, as a woman’s milk is provided by a “supply and demand” type of system. Therefore, when making the decision as to whether your baby will be breast or bottle fed, consider the implications in a survival situation. Sometimes physiological or situational issues make it impossible for a woman to nurse her baby, and a baby can certainly be fed formula in an emergency; breast milk is simply preferable for the reasons listed in the previous paragraph. If you have a formula fed baby or anticipate having one in the future, it is prudent to keep a supply of formula on hand to last several months.

As your baby grows, his nutritional needs increase. Though most doctors agree that many babies can thrive off of exclusively breast milk up until between six and twelve months, it is not uncommon to introduce rice cereal to an infant as young as four months. Baby cereals and canned food are luxuries, and are certainly not necessary in a survival situation. Rice cereal can be made by grinding up grains of rice and mixing with water, as can infant oatmeal. Mashed up versions of what the rest of your family is eating generally works fine for a baby as well, and it is important to keep nursing the baby or supplying it with formula until he is at least a year old (and can begin to drink whole milk, if available) and is eating “meals” with the family.

Warmth

My husband and I enjoy dressing our one year old daughter in her pretty little sundresses and hairbows; the variety of baby clothes available today is astonishing. Aurora has a closet far more extensive than our own, with tiny sandals, jeans, tights, and sweaters in every color imaginable. When it comes down to it though, babies require very little clothing to be perfectly healthy and content. The extent of the clothing your baby will need depends on your climate, of course. We live high in the mountains of Northern Arizona and have four distinct seasons, with temperatures ranging from the 100s to negative twenty degrees. In the summer, all our fair-skinned baby really needs is a diaper (more on that later) and something to block the sun (a hat, lightweight pants and a shirt, or even just a thin cloth to drape over her if she’s exposed to direct sunlight). “Onesies” help keep her clean and provide protection from insects. In the winter, keeping an infant’s head, feet, and hands warm is extremely important. A warm hat is a necessity (have a couple in a variety of sizes), and a blanket for swaddling will suffice, though cozy “sleepers” and fleece “sleep sacks” will make your job easier. You will find that in an emergency, the fewer clothes you rely on for your baby, the better: less to keep track of and less laundry to do. Go ahead and keep a hairbow for your baby girl though, they’re good for morale and don’t take much space!

Making sure your baby is warm enough at night is also a concern in a survival situation. The most basic way to address this is the concept of “co-sleeping,” where the baby shares a bed with the mother and father. Allow me to point out immediately that a parent who has been drinking alcohol or who thrashes about violently in one’s sleep should never sleep next to an infant. Mothers who co-sleep with their babies are generally surprised at the quality of rest they get each night. They are comforted by knowing their baby is safe with them, not in another part of the house, and nursing the infant while lying down allows Mom and Baby the luxury of feeding without having to get up. There are valuable applications of co-sleeping in an emergency: a better rested mom is much more “present” the next day, sharing body heat with a baby provides extra warmth on a cold night, and if you have to leave somewhere at a moment’s notice at night, you have your most priceless belonging  right there with you.

Hygiene

Right up there with the lost sleep, one of the most unappreciated parts of infant care is undoubtedly the diaper. There’s no getting around it: your baby’s need for a clean diaper will not go away during a crisis. Not including diapers in an emergency plan for your young family can cause serious problems, as diaper rash (which can develop if a diaper is not changed frequently enough) can be bad enough to cause infection. This, however, does not mean you need to go to Target and buy two thousand disposable diapers (your wallet will never recover). There is an alternative! Let us look once more to the distant past, to the days before Huggies and Pampers. You know what I’m going to say, and I know you’re cringing! Don’t worry; it’s really not that bad! This may come as news to you, but cloth diapers have come a long way since the days of noisy plastic liners and sharp pins. Type “cloth diapers” into a search engine, and you’ll be overwhelmed with the options (I was). Every survival-minded potential diaper-er should at least give cloth diapers fair consideration, because when disposables are gone, they’re gone. And the best part about it? This is one survival supply that will not sit idling on a shelf waiting for a disaster; if “just in case” never happens, you’ll still be getting use from them! Now that I’m done trying to muster up your enthusiasm for cloth diapers, allow me to give a brief rundown on the varieties out there:

The Classic: Yes, these are basically what your grandma used. A cloth diaper (some come “fitted” however, meaning you don’t need fasteners!) with a separate plastic cover. A new invention called “snappies” takes away the need for sharp pins. This is the most economical way to cloth diaper your baby. A con from the survival standpoint is that they require more space to tote around if you’re on the go, since there are several different components to them. Popular brands include Thirsties and Bummis.

All-In-Ones: Hands down, these are the most user-friendly diaper out there. In fact, they’re almost as easy as a disposable, only you have to wash them. A disadvantage is that most all-in-one diapers come in different sizes, meaning you must purchase an adequate amount in several sizes. Also, they take longer to dry since the absorbent layer cannot be removed from the rest of the diaper. This is generally the most expensive way to cloth diaper your baby. Popular brands include Kushies and FuzziBunz.

Pockets: My personal favorite, and a great compromise of the previous options-  a “pocket” diaper consists of two pieces: a waterproof outer “shell” with snaps and/or Velcro, that on the inside has a fleece or suede layer that lays against the baby’s skin. In between the fleece and the shell there is a pocket. These diapers come with absorbent “inserts” which the parent positions inside of the pocket. Yes, it is a little more work than with the all-in-one diapers, but it allows you to add more inserts for greater absorbency as needed, which is a plus. After the diapers are washed and dried, we stuff them with the inserts so they’re all ready to go. They fold up into a compact little bundle and are very user-friendly. We use BumGenius; FuzziBunz is also a reliable brand.

The nitty-gritty on cloth: The obvious deterrent to cloth diapering is the whole “storing stinky diapers and washing them” business. This is understandable. With the luxury of a washing machine, I can honestly say that it’s really not a big deal. However, in a situation where there is no electricity and washing must be done by hand, yes, it is a bit trickier. But it’s still not too bad. The different brands of diapers come with slightly different washing instructions, but for the most part it’s not any more difficult than washing any load of laundry. And yes, the diaper pail can get stinky. But so do disposable diapers. If a situation arises and you are not going to be able to obtain more disposable diapers for your baby, your options are limited. Rather than cutting up your high school letterman’s jacket and favorite rain poncho to diaper your wee one, you will be so relieved (and a little smug) to have a cloth diapering system in place. Even if you rely on disposables day to day, have a stash of prefolds and covers in a closet somewhere, you know, just in case.

Other Hygiene Issues: Honestly, your baby is probably better off without baby wipes (look at the ingredients in those things!) – a cloth of some sort and a little water or a mild soap solution will do fine. Use boiled water to sterilize any contaminated baby items, like pacifiers or sippy cups, and I mean contaminated, not just “it fell on the ground.” It’s good for your baby to be exposed to some germs, so do not stress about keeping his environment pristine.  

Conclusion

Having a helpless little life that is completely dependent on you, that you would die for in a heartbeat is a sobering thing, even in the best of times. An emergency only magnifies that. However, by taking just a few things under consideration before a crisis hits (even if you do not yet have children), you can alleviate those new fears. This article addressed what to feed an infant, how to keep it warm, and even diapering a baby under less than ideal circumstances. I’ve saved the most important point for last: love your infant, and enjoy him, no matter what is going on in the world. Play peek-a-boo and tickle his feet, snuggle him to sleep and tell him how much you love him. It costs nothing and requires no gadgets or supplies, but nothing will make him feel more secure. Though he’s small and vulnerable, the needs a baby has are actually quite simple. And the best part is, your little one doesn’t know any different. He won’t miss the fancy toys and organic food from a jar; if he’s got a full tummy, is warm and cozy, and has a diaper on his behind, he’ll reward you with his steady growth and development and drooly grins, and you’ll look back and realize it was no effort at all.

Pat’s Product Reviews: Springfield Armory’s Range Officer 1911

I still remember the very first Springfield Armory 1911 .45 ACP pistol I ever owned. I believe the year was 1987, and I purchased a brand-new, still in the box, mil-spec Springfield Armory pistol. The gun was nicely finished with an evenly applied parkerized finish, with the overall appearance being that of a standard mil-spec gun in all regards. However, the darn thing wouldn’t feed any type of ammo – I reworked the feed ramp and throated the barrel and adjusted the extractor – rather then sending it back to Springfield Armory. Every now and then, a lemon slips through no matter who the gun manufacturer might be.

Since my first Springfield Armory 1911, I’ve owned quite a few samples from Springfield Armory over the years. There’s only been a few models that I haven’t had, one being the “Professional Light Rail” which comes from the Springfield Armory Custom Shop, and the other being the “Trophy Match.” There’s a few other Custom Shop models that are being made, but the two I really wanted to own are the above two. I’ve owned two of the TRP (Tactical Response Pistols) over the past couple of years – and they are as close as you can come to owning a custom 1911 from some of the high end custom shops.

The latest offering from Springfield Armory is the new “Range Officer” and let me tell you, it is an absolute best-buy in a 1911 if you are looking to get into the competition game.  The Range Officer weighs in at 40-oz with it’s match-grade 5″ barrel, with stainless steel match-grade barrel bushing. At first glance, the Range Officer looks like a “Loaded” 1911 from Springfield Armory, sans the ambidextrous safety, and with an adjustable rear sight. Don’t let the looks fool you!

The Range Officer comes with a flared and lowered ejection port, match-grade trigger and extended beaver tail grip safety, with an extended thumb safety. Okay, no big deal thus far, lots of 1911s come with these features today. However, let me tell you, Springfield Armory did an outstanding job putting this gun together – on my sample, and others I’ve examined, the slide to frame to barrel fit is perfectly executed. There is no wobble up and down, side to side or front to rear on the slide, frame and barrel – they are mated together with the best custom 1911s I’ve seen, bar none!

The fad for a few years has been for a full-lenth recoil guide instead of the mil-spec guide and plug – the Range Officer does away with the ful-length guide – I’m happy to see this, as most full-length guide rods only complicate disassembly. The Range Officer comes standard with two 7-rd magazines, as well as a holster and mag pouch, in a nice blue hard carrying case.

Ok, so what sets the Range Officer from many other run of the mill 1911s? Well, as already mentioned, the slide, frame and barrel fit are without peer in a production 1911, and the fit is the equal, if not better, than that seen on some custom 1911s costing thousands of dollars. Dave Williams, who runs the Springfield Armory Custom Shop, did an outstanding job coming up with the concept for this 1911. The Bo-Mar style fully adjustable rear sight is extremely rugged – I’ve owned some other 1911s with adjustable sights that wouldn’t hold a zero. The Springfield Armory fully adjustable rear sight isn’t gonna lose it’s zero under recoil. I’ve read on some websites and blogs, that many people complain that the rear sight on the Range Officer has too many sharp edges. I couldn’t find ’em on my sample – for the most part, the edges are ever so slight melted on the sight.

Trigger pull is important on a 1911, you can have a well-fitted gun, but if the trigger pull isn’t up-to-par, you are still gonna have a hard time hitting your target. The pull on my Range Officer sample is right at 4.5-lbs and super smooth, and extremely crisp. I was tempted to work the trigger over, but I know when to leave well enough alone. The pull feels a lot lighter than it actually is, and with it being so smooth and crisp, I didn’t think I could improve upon it very much.

The Range Officer also comes with a beautiful set of hard wood checkered grips, with the Springfield Armory logo embedded in the center. Again, I was tempted to remove the grips and put a pair of my “Code Zero” 1911 designed grips (from: www.mil-tac.com)  on the Range Officer – I elected to leave the handsome wood grips on the gun. The flat mainspring housing is plastic – and while I’ve never seen a plastic mainspring housing break, I’d like to see this part replaced with an all-steel housing – just my preference on a superbly built 1911! The mainspring housing is checkered for a secure hold, and there is also the Springfield Armory integral lock on the housing – if you want to use it to lock you gun from unauthorized use.

The beaver tail grip safety was timed perfectly, and there was no need to adjust it – when the Range Officer is gripped properly, the beaver tail releases the trigger when it’s pulled. There was a hint of play between the beaver tail grip safety and the frame – but nothing to complain about in the least. I would have liked it if Springfield Armory would have installed a slightly extended combat mag release – but that’s something that I will take care of later on – it’s a quick and fairly cheap expense to replace later on – just something I’d like to see on this well-equipped 1911.

The concept of the Range Officer is to help you get started in competing in the many different types of handgun shooting sports out there. The Range Officer is designed to be affordable, and it’s made to the same high-quality specs as the TRP and Trophy Match models. The Range Officer isn’t a simple do-all 1911 for competition – rather, it opens the door for you to get started into shooting pistol competition. You can send the gun off to the Springfield Armory Custom Shop if you want something added or changed – say perhaps, you want the front strap checker, instead of being bare. I’m simply gonna add some skate board friction tape to the front strap on my sample – it accomplishes what I want, and it’s a lot cheaper than having the front strap checkered and then having the frame re-parkerized.

With my aged eyes, I find all-black sights a bit hard to pick-up rapidly. You can take care of this by using a drop of gold nail polish in the center of the front sight – it helps you see the front sight, it really does! If you want to add a Tritium night sight you can do that to the dove-tailed front sight that comes on the gun. You can also swap out the fully adjustable rear sight for a fixed sight if you desire. Personally, I’m not a big fan of full adjustable rear sights on most guns. However, the Springfield Armory rear sight will be staying in place on my sample – it works fine for competition or carry. I know, I know, a lot of gun writers have written thousands of words about adjustable rear sights tearing-up their shirt, side or jacket lining – this Springfield Armory fully adjustable rear sight isn’t gonna do that with the proper holster. I guess if I had one minor complaint, it would be that I’d like to see a little more daylight (side-to-side) between the front and rear sight – the sight picture is “tight” – and again, you can remedy this yourself if you want by opening up the rear sight picture a little bit with a file. I can live with the sight picture now that I’ve added the gold nail polish to the front sight.

I knew before I even took the Range Officer out to shoot it, that it was gonna be a great shooter – you can usually tell when a 1911 is put together this tightly, and with such care, and premium parts. I had a good selection of Black Hills Ammunition, Buffalo Bore Ammunition (www.buffalobore.com) and Winchester (www.winchester.com) ammo on-hand for testing. I fired several hundred rounds of the Winchester USA white box 230 grain FMJ ammo through the Range Officer to break it in – it didn’t need it! The gun functioned 100% without a single malfunction of bobble of any sort. I also fired a couple boxes of Black Hills 230 grain FMJ through the gun – again, no problems. I used the Black Hills 230 grain JHP and 185 grain JHP ammo without any problems, as well as their +P version of their 185 grain JHP. And, the newest load from Black Hills, their 185 grain Barnes Tac-XP +P load. This is a solid copper bullet – no lead core – again, no problems.  From Buffalo Bore, I tried their 230 grain JHP and 185 grain JHP loads – both are +P rated – no problems to report. However, you knew you had a hot load on your hands with the Buffalo Bore +P loads – they aren’t made for whimps! Tim Sundles, who operates Buffalo Bore recommends that if you are gonna feed your 1911 a steady diet of his +P loads, that you install a heavier recoil spring – I concur!

In all, I fired close to 800-rds of ammo through my Range Officer sample, with nothing that even hinted at being a malfunction or any type. As I mentioned above, I knew this gun was gonna be a great shooter even befor I shot it. I don’t do the Ransom Rest thing – I leave that to other gun writers. I do most of my test and evaluation shooting standing on two-legs at 25-yards – which gives me real world results. For accuracy testing, I usually have a rolled-up sleeping bag that I put on the hood of my SUV and I use that as a rest. There were no  poor accuracy results with the Range Officer – my worst groups were in the 2.5″ range – if you can call those bad groups (I don’t!). I got those results with the Winchester USA brand 230 gr FMJ loads and the Buffalo Bore 185 grain JHP+P loads – and if anyone thinks those aren’t good accuracy results, then they don’t know what they’re talking about…I’ll take those kinds of groups all day long from a factory 1911.

The most accurate load from the Range Officer was the Black Hills 230 grain JHP load – I had several groups that were slightly bigger than an inch – that’s 5-shots at 25-yards, over a rest. I think I could have gotten some groups right at one inch or less, if I did my part better. However, I’ve been shooting a lot of 1911s the past month or so – more shooting than I normally do – and fatigue does tend to set in after a while. I honestly, with all my heart, believe the Range Officer can shoot an inch or under with the right loads. I had one group that just ever so slightly was above the one inch mark…and there’s a lot of custom 1911s that can’t shoot that well. As with any gun, experiment to see what ammo your gun likes the best, and then go with it, if it’s a good defensive load.

The purpose of the Springfield Armory Range Officer is to give the consumer a read-to-go, out-of-the-box, 1911 that can get you going into one of the many shooting competition sports – and the Range Officer has achieved that in my humble opinion. I no longer shoot in handgun competitions – haven’t done so for a lot of years. However, were I to get involved in pistol shooting once again, I’d reach for the Range Officer in a New York Minute. Is the Range Officer perfect? No, then again, no gun is. Can Springfield Armory improve or add onto the Range Officer? Yes, but that would add to the suggested retail price of $939. I would like to see Springfield Armory add the slightly extended combat mag release (as standard)…any other changes, the purchaser can have done by the Springfield Armory Custom Shop, depending upon your own taste and preforences. As the Range Officer comes out of the box, it can handle anything you ask of it. 

If you’re in the market for a really top-notch 1911, that can handle just about any chores you can throw at it, then take a real close look at the Springfield Armory Range Officer. It won’t let you down, on the competition field or on the mean streets – it’ll get the job done, I have no doubts. And, while the Range Officer was introduced in Nov. 2010, they are still in very short supply. I checked Gunbroker.com and Gunsamerica.com and there are very few samples up for auction on those web sites. I knew from the beginning, that the Range Officer wasn’t gonna go back to Springfield Armory – it’s a keeper – now I just have to figure out how I’m gonna come up with the funds to purchase this sample. My guy at the gun shop offered to buy it if I didn’t want it. And he doesn’t buy a lot of guns for himself, so that said a lot! If you want custom 1911 performance and accuracy from a production 1911, at avery affordable price, then get yourself a Springfield Armory Range Officer.

I can honestly say, that I’ve had a couple big-name custom 1911s that didn’t shoot nearly as accurately as the Range Officer does – and they cost thousands of dollars more than the Range Officer does. Whenever I run across a 1911 that is priced fairly (and the Range Officer most certainly is), is well-built, with quailty parts,  and is more accurate than I can be with it and 100% reliable – I’m snapping it up! The concept behind the Range Officer is that of a 1911 ready for competition. However, I believe it is equally well-suited as a carry gun for self-defense, survival, law enforcement duty, military SpecOps or anything else you can think of. It really is “that” good!

Letter Re: Survival and Special Needs Loved Ones

Dear Editor:
That piece that you posted in April about caring for special needs people or old people that have Alzheimer’s during TEOTWAWKI really blessed me a lot. I saw a lot of practical information and reasoning that can be applied to everyday life dealing with people like that. Things that can effect the relationship between you, the person you care for and others can be as simple as unfettered gossip. I soon learned after my Dad’s death that having conversations with my mother about our business things that were before and still needed to be kept under wraps were parroted uncensored to the masses which created a lot of strife for me and my family even after warning Mom in advance it was only to be mentioned between me and her. I was accused of spreading stories about people all over town when in fact I had only mentioned it to one person in what I was assured would be complete confidence, confidence that was soon destroyed and replaced with resentment and frustration not to mention mountains of embarrassment.  

My mothers mind isn’t what it used to be and she can’t keep any of our conversations to herself anymore. Not from me or anyone else for that matter. If we talk about something private she parrots it to the rest of the world even when I’ve made it clear it’s to be kept completely private. At first I doubted her loyalty and even question if she might be out to get me or something, but I began to understand that her old mind wasn’t reasoning things properly anymore and she doesn’t calculate the consequences of her loose lips or the ramifications that go along with it. If she even remembers it’s a secret, I’ve questioned that even. Once I learned that she was “secrecy incompetent”  and unable to keep information private, things have gotten much better. That doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t still strike from time to time, but I don’t have people calling me accusing me of spreading vicious rumors about them or finding out my personal business is everyone’s knowledge in the community. What’s even worse the information would get altered and got worse as it was passed along.  

In a TEOTWAWKI situation it could have caused a complete melt down even compromised everyone’s safety. Sometimes a death in an organization or family can cause The end of the world as we knew it to be. It changed my world, I know that.  

I still love mom as always, but when she got old and came under my care, I had to learn and adapt to her behavior. My mom wasn’t like that when she was younger, so at first it caught me off guard. People are going to get old even after a TEOTWAWKI event.  

The article you posted on the SurvivalBlog was of real value to me. Thanks!  – Chris J.

Two Letters Re: Securing Windows With Plywood The Fast And Easy Way

James:
I learned this very important lesson from a building contractor. On his hunting trips to Alaska he would send his supplies ahead of him in small (20′) shipping containers. After the first shipment of containers were raided by thieves he decided to add security to his supplies with a sheet of plywood over [the center of] the doors. Here is the trick that he used: the plywood was well-secured at close intervals with a variety of Phillips screws, Reed & Prince screws, square drive screws, Torx head screws, and long 5/16″ self- tapping [flathead] screws. Thieves might be armed with a battery powered drill and a #2 Phillips bit, but none of them ever carried a wide selection of bits and so they left his containers untouched and went in search of easier prey.

It also appears that none ever carried saws, or at least didn’t want to attract the attention that comes with sawing the plywood covering.

The result was that he had no more thefts after using a variety of fasteners.

Thieves are opportunists, and usually lazy enough to search for easy targets. – R.B.

 

JWR:
Approximately 25 years ago I built a simple swinging target to use for target practice. This target consists of two 1/4″ thick 8″ x 8″ mild steel plates. These plates have been used predominately for handguns and .22 caliber rifle bullets. On two occasions I fired two high power rifle shots at each of these plates. The first two rounds were 5.56 Ball ammo fired from a Mini-14 at 100 yards, resulting a 1/4 inch hole in each plate. Next two rounds were 30.06, 165 grain boat tail soft point fired from a Winchester Model 70 from 200 yards, same results another slightly bigger hole in each plate. I still have and use this target with two holes in each plate. And since that day I absolutely know the penetrating ability of my standard loads.

I would hope you pass on this tidbit to your readers. Test any and all materials for bullet resistance, if that will be it’s primary function.

Just a thought- might be interesting to see how many field expedient types of bulletproof materials readers have come up with. – Mike H.

Economics and Investing:

Steven M. suggested: Three financial funnel clouds ahead Commentary: Fighting ‘F5’ financial disasters with ETFs

United States of Denial (James West)

John R. suggested a piece by Arnold Bock: Get Ready to be Financially Conscripted

Katie Benner: China’s Debt Bomb

From The Daily Bell: Greece: Frazzled Eurocrats Play for Time

Items from The Economatrix:

The Five Biggest Threats to US Economy

Celente Predicts Gold Standard Won’t Save US Economy

Consumers’ Confidence Down in June on Job Worries

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Day the Law Left Town: Texas City Sends Police Packing to Cut Costs; Sheriff Plays Catch as Catch Can. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)

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I heard about a small company that makes inexpensive target retrieval systems, for shooting ranges: Rogue Six. If you know anyone that operates a small public or police range, please forward the link.

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Directive 21 (one of our advertisers) has anounced a special that runs from July 1st to July 15th: For every purchase of a Berkey Water Purification System on their site, you will receive a free Pelican Model 2360 LED Flashlight, a $40 value.

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Reese spotted this: Global Agriculture Supply Keeps Worsening

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Sometimes, progress on Open Carry requires the courts: Suit seeks to halt harassment of citizens carrying firearms in Wheeling. JWR Adds: As I’ve written before: Much like a muscle that atrophies with disuse, any right that goes unexercised for many years devolves into a privilege, and eventually can even be redefined as a crime.