Two Letters Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

JWR,
Regarding the recent post on antibiotics, I would love to hear the good doctor or someone else with relevant knowledge describe how to determine dosage (I’m assuming based on weight), as well as any risks associated with over- or under-dosage. Thanks! – E.W.

Sir;
I’m a relatively new reader of your excellent site and have learned an incredible amount of valuable information from you and my fellow readers. Thank you for such a wonderful service.
I read Dr. Bone’s submission with great interest since the medical issues of a SHTF scenario are a great concern of mine. I’m knowledgeable in First Aid, and small trauma treatment, but major injury and illnesses are far beyond most untrained personnel such as myself.
Dr. Bone’s listing of available antibiotics answered one big question, and the shelf life hint answered another, however I have one more that wasn’t answered.
Could you, Dr. Bones, or even some other reader, tell me what is the usual length of an antibiotic regimen for an infection? Also, is there any difference in regimens for ‘flu-like’ infections and septic wounds?
The issue for me is the quantity needed to have a reasonable supply on hand when necessary. I’m in good health but always manage to catch ‘cold’ once a year and the ‘flu’ every third or so. I’m also wise enough to realize that since I’m such a city boy that I will probably get quite a few minor wounds,(many accidental and self inflicted most likely). I would hate to have a few thousand tablets stored and discover that it was sufficient for a few wound treatments and a handful of illnesses, especially in regard to contagion rate among family members. Thanks again for all you do, everyone of you, in helping us get ready. – WJN

JWR Replies: Antibiotic dosing, typical uses, and courses of treatment were covered thoroughly in the article Antibiotic Use in TEOTWAWKI, by Georgia Doc that was posted in December of 2009.

Economics and Investing:

AmEx (American Expatriate) sent us this piece by Charles Hugh Smith: Six Reasons to Expect Slow Economic Growth Ahead

G.G. sent this: Hussman: Betting on a Bubble, Bracing for a Fall.

GIC (Singapore ) Says World May See Recession Sooner Than Expected. (A hat tip to M.W. for the link.)

Phip flagged this from Phil Stock: America is 234 Years Old, and Today it is Finished.

Reader Steve K. suggested this news piece: America Now: Friends and Neighbors. NBC’s Ann Curry travels to Ohio to take a personal look inside the lives of families who have lost jobs, homes and dreams.

Paul W. liked this article by Marty Weiss: Four Shocking Bombshells Bernanke Did Not Tell Congress About Last Week

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader R.F.J. recommended this article, over at Instructables: How to Freeze Blueberries. “High in antioxidants, blueberries are considered a ‘super fruit’. In order to reap the health benefits of these tasty little berries all year, while taking advantage of seasonal prices, freezing is an easy way to preserve them.

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A short but vicious thunderstorm on Sunday evening left three dead in the Washington, D.C. region. Some residents won’t have electricity restored until Friday. As of Tuesday, there were still 150,000 households without power, most in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County is one of the richest counties in the United States. Parts of Montgomery Co. were without power for a week after Hurricane Isabel in 2003. If one of the wealthiest places in America takes three days to recover from a localized storm, what might happen with a larger disaster in a less-affluent area? (Thanks to Bob M. and Steve H. for the links.)

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Signs of the times: Thousands Show Up at Tulsa Food Pantry. (A hat tip to KAF for the link.)

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Reader Patrick M. was at the Revolver Liberation Alliance web site and spotted a source for American-made gardening hoes.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) 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 $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry for Round 30. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Growing Apples in the Prepper’s Garden, by Whit H.

I am a commercial apple grower in New England and in this article I will explain why the prepper should consider growing apples and how they should do so.

Why Grow Apples?
As crops go, apple trees are relatively easy to maintain and can be grown almost anywhere. A properly selected apple tree can survive the cold of Canada to the desert heat of the American Southwest. After the first year, an apple tree in the Eastern United States can typically get all the water it needs from rainfall and requires little fertilizer. From planting to harvest, apple trees can be maintained with little other than a shovel, pruners, a small saw, a hand sprayer, and a ladder. (Commercial apple farmers still do much of the orchard work by hand including tree planting, pruning and picking.)

Most importantly for a survival situation, a large apple contains over 100 calories that can be stored and saved for months with the appropriate storage conditions. While one can not survive on apples (or any other fruit) alone, few plants can produce the quantity of versatile calories that the apple tree does. For example, apples can be eaten raw or made into applesauce, dried apples, boiled cider, hard cider, or cider jack. Apples contain dietary fiber, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Site Selection
Apple trees need full sun. Like most crops, they will not do well below the forest canopy next to a hidden mountain retreat. Traditionally, farmers have planted orchards on marginal, hilly land. Save your prime, flat, rock-free land for growing vegetables and grains. Slopes promote airflow (which can reduce some tree diseases) and they give cold air a place to go to, reducing frost damage. Well-drained soil is best; swampy wet soils will rot the apple tree roots. Rocky soils are okay, as long as the initial planting hole has large stones removed from it. Some books will tell you to plant on the southern or eastern slope of a hill, but most of us are not going to have a lot of choice and just have to work with whatever land that we have at hand. If you are attempting to conceal your position, then plant your trees in a field or slope at random. From a distance, apple trees can appear like other trees. The easiest way to spot an orchard from a distance is the orderly spacing of trees in a grid.

Tree Selection
More than almost any factor, tree selection will determine your success or failure. There are several issues to consider.

1) Hardiness: Pick a tree that is appropriate for your USDA Zone. Any apple tree that is purchased is grafted, and it is important that both the rootstock (the roots) and the scion (the grafted part above the roots) be able to withstand your winters. The easiest way to insure this is to buy apple trees from a local nursery that grows their own trees. (Who knows where the fruit trees from the big box stores are originally grown? They also don’t look very well cared for, they typically have a poor selection of varieties, and they aren’t much cheaper than you would buy from a local nursery or farmer.)

2) Rootstock: You’ll notice that a lot of apple trees are planted on dwarf rootstock. Commercial orchards traditionally liked dwarf rootstocks because they created dense orchards with short trees that were quick to produce and easy to spray and pick. The downside is that dwarf rootstock trees are not as vigorous, long-lived or tough. A dwarf rootstock tree can die after a few years of neglect or even after 20 years of excellent care. On the other hand, I have seen abandoned orchards planted on standard (full size) rootstock that still produce apples after decades of neglect. If you have ever seen an big, ancient apple tree, it was almost certainly planted on standard rootstock. I strongly suggest that the survivalist should try to select standard rootstock for his apple and fruit trees. The extra vigor and hardiness will serve you well in a world where you won’t always have the best pesticides or the ability to replace trees easily. With careful pruning, a standard rootstock apple tree can easily be kept to a manageable size.

3) Variety Selection: You may love buying Fuji apples at the store, but that does not mean that you should try to grow Fuji apples at home. Apples vary greatly in terms of their vigor and disease-resistance. Many of the store varieties are disease-prone and require lots of pesticide and fungicide sprays. You probably don’t want to be stock piling extra pesticides and fungicides in addition to everything else you will need in TEOTWAWKI. Many of the most popular apple varieties are bred to look pretty in grocery stores. (I have one variety in my commercial orchard that’s only claim to fame is that it is redder than other similar varieties.) For the prepper looking to grow apples to survive or just the do-it-yourselfer looking to grow their own food, I strongly suggest that you consider one of the new vigorous disease-resistant cultivars like Liberty or Freedom (Freedom is more tolerant to warmer climates).

4) Crab Apple: Even better than one of the new disease-resistant cultivars are most crab apple trees. I find crab apple trees to be exceptionally hardy, vigorous, and to require very little spraying or maintenance. Now I don’t mean ornamental flowering crab apples (which are primarily bred for their flowers and produce marble-sized fruit), but culinary crab apples like Chestnut Crabapple and Dolgo that produce fruit about 2″ in diameter. They can be more time consuming topick, but they amaze me in their ability to thrive in most conditions and be unaffected by apple tree diseases and pests. I picked Dolgo crabapples from an unmanaged orchard that were nearly perfect. They often have a much more tart flavor (which is likely what makes them less appealing to pests, but also means they likely have more vitamins and antioxidants.) They can be eaten raw, but also are great for canning, cooking, and cider.

Tree Care
1) Planting: Planting trees is generally done while the trees are still dormant in the spring, although it can be done in the fall in milder southern climates. As my father used to say, you want to” dig a ten dollar hole for a two dollar plant”. A large, 18-inch-deep, 3 foot-wide hole will ensure that your new tree’s roots have plenty of good uncompacted soil to grow into. If your tree’s roots are happy, the rest of the tree will probably be happy. If your soil is depleted, you may want to add organic material like compost and some very light fertilizer at planting, although most decent soils will work fine. You want to plant the tree at roughly the same height was planted in the nursery, making sure the graft line is off the ground. The most important practice is to water the tree the entire first growing season. I typically water each tree with 3 gallons of water twice a week, counting any significant rainfall event (~1″) as one watering. Dumping 5 gallons of water once a week is also okay– the goal is for the tree to develop deep roots. If your soils are sandy and drain quickly, you may need to water more frequently, conversely if your soils are soggy, then make sure you don’t overwater. Healthy new trees can take a fair amount of wind, however if you have a very windswept site, you may need to stake the tree the first few years. If you can, mulch around the trees to keep weeds and grasses back for the first few years to make sure the tree is not competing for nutrients before its roots have fully established themselves.

2) Pruning: You can find lots of online and book guides to pruning apples trees, so I will touch on the most basic ideas here. Timing is important. You primarily just want to prune in the winter after the worst of the cold weather is over, but before the tree comes out of dormancy (about March in New England). The first step is to cut out any dead, diseased, or crossing branches. Then, you want to cut out wood to encourage the tree to spread out on strong branches. They say “you should be able to throw a cat through a well-pruned tree”. This means there is good air circulation and sun. Burn all prunings to prevent them from becoming a disease host.

3) Spraying: Apples trees can be beset by a host of diseases and pests that tend to vary from region to region. Ask a local farmer or nursery what the typical diseases and pests tend to be. Growing organic apples in the Eastern US without significant crop losses can be very challenging. Organic apple growing in the arid West somewhat easier; however, you will have to ensure that you have a steady source of irrigation water in a survival situation. Sprays of a broadband insecticide and a fungicide (which can be done with a common backpack sprayer) early in the growing season (after petal fall to avoid killing bees and pollinators) will likely dramatically increase your yields. If you don’t like the idea of being dependent on pesticides and fungicides, then I strongly recommend that you go with culinary crab apple trees.

4) General Orchard Care: If you can, rake up all the apple tree leaves in the fall and burn them, as they can harbor diseases (like apple scab) from year to year. Deer will eat off all the lower fruit buds on your trees, leaving you with no fruit below eye level. However, in TEOTWAWKI, if there are any deer left in your area, you will likely have no hesitation about hunting them out of your orchard.

Harvesting and Storage
1) Harvesting: Harvesting apples is not rocket science. When they taste ripe and easily come off the tree, then they are ready to harvest.

2) Storage: Commercial orchards store apples in refrigerated rooms without any oxygen. That’s how you can eat a 10 months old apple in July in the US. At the personal scale, you can still store apples for months in a low temperature, high humidity root cellar or basement. Periodically check your stores and throw out rotting apples. The expression “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch” comes from somewhere. For longer term storage, you can dry apples or can them as applesauce or juice. I plan to discuss the basics of making hard cider and fruit wine in an upcoming article.

Book Review: My Empire of Dirt

My Empire of Dirt: How One Man Turned His Big-City Backyard into a Farm by Manny Howard.

This book relates the story of a journalist who recently attempted to garden and raise chickens, ducks, and rabbits in his very small Brooklyn backyard. The stated goal and his contract with New York magazine was to raise enough food to eat out of his backyard for one month.

While the dysfunction of the marriage and lack of family support is disturbing, the book highlights the grave difficulty of trying to survive in an urban setting by raising livestock and gardening. The deeply polluted soil had to be replaced with many tons of topsoil. The dumb rabbits either died by fly-strike, a hideous death, or tore the heads off of their newborns. Predators and the pecking order constantly picked off his barnyard fowl. A tornado decimated the garden. An infinitesimal potato crop yielded a few spuds, most smaller than a quarter. Howard lived through food poisoning and lost 29 pounds in the year-long effort to sustain himself alone.

For urbanites who are mulling over whether they can “farm” in the city to survive, this book is a starting place. The smells, handling the animal wastes (blood from butchering and daily waste products), the extreme disappointments, and the grinding daily labor illustrates what might be faced.

Two years after the experiment, he settled for growing a few tomatoes and keeping a few chickens for the fresh eggs. Now, there is no talk of living off the land, just supplementing. – E.B.

Letter Re: Situational Awareness, Instincts and “Wargaming”

Hello, James
That was an excellent article by H.H. (Situational Awareness, Instincts and “Wargaming”.) I would like to add to his points one additional. Many people who carry for protection don’t get taught one of the golden rules of self defense tactics. That golden rule is this: Picture yourself having squared off with a would be assailant. You get to the point of having pulled your firearm out and aligned in the threat’s direction. If the would-be assailant moves, you move. He takes 4 steps to your right, you take some steps in the opposite direction. By moving if he moves, you accomplish several things:

1. You maintain that safe gap / reaction time to do what is necessary;

2. You maintain equal footing by not letting it dictate the the terms. If he’s trained in criminal ways, you just told him you know how to handle this situation. He might back off or seriously hesitate at this point. Consider the other article posted on SurvivalBlog re: criminal gang members getting free training from Uncle Sam’s military, by the LEO in Chicago. Your assailant just might have some excellent training under his belt.

3. You don’t allow the subject to gain an advantage by assaulting you from the direction he chooses. Imagine him circling to get the sun in your eyes, circling to get your back to his associates, moving in a way to put him in between you and your kids / wife / fill in the blank. A quick assessment of the situation will provide you with instant feedback of your planned route. If said subject moves in a direction of your kids and you move to that gap to block him and he chooses to get danger close, he made that decision, not you. Articulating in court that you feared for your kids’ life is part of the justification to use that firearm.

4. You avoid falling prey to the Folsom roll. Get training on how to aim that firearm. Don’t be so focused on that front sight so much that if he makes a quick duck down and sprint at you from an angle, you lose the subject momentarily. He is coming at you fast. How long does it take to get that front sight back on target? The answer to that depends on your level of training / ability. For the un-trained, 21 feet is all he needs and by then he’s on top of you. Being tactically sound / aligning your sights properly for the situation takes training. You must look over the firearms’ front sight to keep an eye out on what the target is doing. LEOs are trained in this, and so should you. For any nonbelievers, think about this: when I was younger, I could do a 40-yard sprint from a stand still position in about 4.8 seconds, and even faster going down hill. (That’s not a joke, an assailant could attack from higher ground, see point #3). That’s not fast by athletic standards but it is in this situation. How fast can a motivated physically capable assailant cover 21 feet? Pretty quickly. It’ll seem even quicker if it’s night time. This leads to teh question: Which self defense tool do you have? A handgun? this is not an easy shot. Shotgun? it’s an easier shot but then again it depends on barrel length, semi auto / single shot, type ammo (00 buck, slugs, other) and your level of training. Rifle? There are too many rifles to cover. You get the idea.

H.H.’s scenario involved a small caliber handgun. If his scenario ended up with pulling the trigger with his first gun, it may not have stopped the guy. That 9mm may not have stopped him either. It would depend on shot placement and type of rounds used. The smaller the caliber the more critical shot placement becomes. But a miss with any caliber is still a miss. I don’t know of any U.S. police departments that still issue 9 millimeter [chambered pistols]. There is a reason for this. They are not dependable man stoppers. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be shot by a 9mm or anything else, but I do intend to fight to win. Winning a gun fight means you don’t get a scratch. Not tht other guy lost but that you still took some lumps and survived. Possibly serious lumps.

Good luck, I hope this helps. – Flhspete

Economics and Investing:

S.J. sent us this link: The Scariest Unemployment Graph I’ve Seen Yet

Dave D. suggested this article: U.S. may face deflation, a problem Japan understands too well

Reader “AmEx” (American Expatriate) sent us this: Uncle Sam has worse woes than Greece

From reader RBS: U.S. Rescue May Reach $23.7 Trillion, Barofsky Says

Geithner: Let Tax Cuts Die. (Can you detect the desperate need for revenue?) A hat tip to B.G. for the link.

Odds ‘n Sods:

David R. relayed this article: Warren Pollock Warns Of Emergency Drug Shortage as EMTs Told to Go to “Alternate Protocols“

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If you like the Multicam camouflage pattern, then check out this home-based business, that makes Multicam clothing and packs, all reasonably priced: BadMoonRizing.com

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F.G. sent this: Desperate cities try giving away land, to get any taxes later. Here is a quote: “Around the nation, cities and towns facing grim budget circumstances are grasping at unlikely — some would say desperate — means to bolster their shrunken tax bases. Like Beatrice, places like Dayton, Ohio, and Grafton, Ill., are giving away land for nominal fees or for nothing in the hope that it will boost the tax rolls and cut the lawn-mowing bills.”

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From B.G.: View is Bleaker than Official Portrayal of War in Afghanistan

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“As Chief Executive of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I hereby declare a state of unlimited national emergency until such time as new elections are held, and congress reconvenes. In the devastated areas and in those other areas where normal functions of government cannot be carried out, I hereby declare martial law, to be administered by the Army. I appoint Lieutenant General George Hunneker Army Chief of Staff, and Director of Martial Law in the Zone of the Interior, which means within the forty-nine states. There have been grave dislocations of communications, of industrial, economic, and financial functions. I declare, effective at this moment, a moratorium on the payment of all debts, rents, taxes, interest, mortgages, insurance claims and premiums, and all and any other financial obligations for the duration of the emergency. From time to time, God willing, I will use these facilities to bring you further information, as it is received, and to issue further decrees as they become necessary. I call upon you to obey the orders of your local Civil Defense directors, state and municipal authorities, and of the military. Do not panic.” – The fictional character Mrs. Josephine Vanbruuker-Brown, President of the United States of America, in Pat Frank’s novel Alas, Babylon.

Notes from JWR:

We are pleased to welcome our newest advertiser, Maxpedition Hard Use Gear. They have a huge product line of very sturdy field gear. And, unlike many of their competitors, none of their products are made in mainland China. For a short time, they are offering a special 5% discount for SurvivalBlog readers. (Use coupon code 5SB810.)

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Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) 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 $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry for Round 30. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bones

1

As a recently-retired physician who is married to a nurse-midwife, my preparedness group looks to us as the post-TEOTWAWKI hospital and medical staff. Medical progress has been exponential and even just the last decade of scientific breakthroughs can equal a century of improvement in medical treatments, surgical techniques and pharmaceuticals. However, in the years (months?) ahead, the crumbling of the infrastructure and devolution of society in general will very likely throw us back to a medical system that existed in the 19th Century.

Let’s take an example: When the U.S. was a young nation, the average woman could expect to be pregnant 10-12 times during her reproductive lifetime (no reliable means of birth control). One out of four women would not survive the pregnancy, either from issues relating to blood loss from miscarriage or childbirth or Infection (no antibiotics) following same. A myriad of other complications occurred which are treatable today but weren’t back then. I collect old medical books, and even relatively modern obstetric textbooks devoted entire chapters on how to crush a fetus’ skull in order to expedite its removal from a critically ill mother, with instruments that clearly had no other purpose. When childbirth was successful, she could expect perhaps 3-4 of her children to survive to become adults, on average, with many minor children succumbing to simple infections that had no known effective treatment at the time.

This is the grim reality that we, in modern times, will face when the inevitable happens and current medical technology and treatments are unavailable to us.

There is an interesting post-TEOTWAWKI series by History Channel called “After Armageddon” which can be viewed on YouTube. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t appear on History Channel’s list of shows). In it, a family seeks refuge in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. The father of the family, who is a trained EMT, falls sick and dies from a simply cut on his hand because the antibiotics ran out. It shows that the lack of accumulated stores of antibiotics could mean a shortened life span for even the most prepared individual.

Given the new situation that we will have thrust upon us, it behooves every aware individual to begin to stockpile medications that will be needed in the future, and to become trained one way or another in basic and disaster first aid. Even if your group has a designated “medic”, you have an obligation to be able to handle medical issues in a catastrophic scenario for the sake of your group and your family. Just as the designated “medic” should be trained to handle security issues and should accumulate food and other supplies, so should you accumulate medications and medical supplies. Cross-training is essential for when the medic needs a medic!
Accumulating medications may be simple when it comes to procuring aspirin and other non-prescription drugs but may be problematic for those who cannot write their own prescriptions or don’t have a relationship with a physician who can. I would like to focus on the issue of procurement of antibiotics for the treatment of infection in this essay, as there are already a number of good essays on this site that discusses various aspects of medical care in the post-SHTF era. I heartily recommend that everyone read these in detail.

For all intents and purposes, it is highly unlikely that even basic antibiotics like Penicillin will be actively manufactured in an apocalyptic scenario due to the complexities in said manufacture. Those who say, “it’s just bread mold” are naïve if they think just making prepper bread and letting it sit will produce anything That would cure an infection (penicillin is actually made from liquid that the mold produces under certain man-made conditions. And, no, Ginger Root and other “home antibiotics” probably won’t either.

The reason that I consider this a major issue is that there will be a much larger incidence of infection when people start to fend for themselves, and injure themselves as a result. Simple cuts and scratches from chopping wood can begin to show infection, in the form of redness, heat and swelling, within a relatively short time. Treatment of infections at an early stage improves the chance that they will heal quickly and completely. However, many preppers, being the rugged folk that they are, are most likely to ignore the problem until it gets much worse and spreads to their entire body, causing fever and other systemic problems that could eventually be fatal. Have antibiotics already on hand in their retreat would allow them to deal with the issue until medical help (if available at all) arrives.

Now, what I am about to tell you is contrary to standard medical practice, and is a strategy that is best used in the event of societal collapse that causes the unavailability of conventional medical care for extended periods of time. This line of thought that I am presenting is that “sumpthin” is better than “nuttin” and is not meant to serve as official medical advice for any circumstance but a catastrophic breakdown of our infrastructure and ability of our country to provide medical care for its citizens. If there is modern medical care available to you, seek it out.

Small amounts of medications such as antibiotics could be procured by anyone who is willing to tell their physician that they are going out of the country and would like to avoid “Montezuma’s Revenge”. Ask them for Tamiflu for viral illness and Z-packs, Amoxicillin or Keflex for bacterial diarrhea. Stockpiling of these antibiotics is more of a problem. After searching far and wide, I have come across the best option for the prepper: Aquarium Fish antibiotics.

For evaluation purposes (and because I am an aquarium hobbyist), I decided to purchase online a variety of these products and found them to be identical (unlike some Dog and Cat medications) to those used to treat humans with a doctor’s prescription. I was able to purchase them without any demand for medical licensure, etc. The drugs are listed below and the bottles list the antibiotic as the sole ingredient. They are:

  • FISH-MOX (amoxicillin 250mg)
  • FISH_MOX FORTE (amoxicillin 500mg)
  • FISH-CILLIN (ampicillin 250mg)
  • FISH-FLEX Keflex 250mg)
  • FISH-FLEX FORTE (Keflex 500mg)
  • FISH-ZOLE (metronidazole 250mg)
  • FISH-PEN (penicillin 250mg)
  • FISH-PEN FORTE (penicillin 500mg)
  • FISH-CYCLINE (tetracycline 250mg)

These medications are available usually in plastic bottles of 100 tablets for much less than the same prescription medication at the pharmacy (some come in bottles of 30 tablets). The dosages are similar to that used in humans, and are taken two to four times a day, depending on the drug. The 500mg dosage is probably more effective in larger individuals. Of course, anyone could be allergic to one or another of these antibiotics, but not all of them. (Note that there is a 10% cross-reactivity between “-cillin” drugs and Keflex, meaning that, if you are allergic to Penicillin, you could also be allergic to Keflex). FISH-ZOLE is an antibiotic that also kills some protozoa that cause dysentery.

NOTE: It should be emphasized that FISH-CYCLINE [and other tetracycline antibiotics of various names] can become toxic after its expiration date, unlike most of the other medications listed. So consider acquiring the other ones listed, first.

Which brings me to a question that I am asked quite often and to which my answer is, again, contrary to standard medical recommendations but appropriate in a post-TEOTWAWKI environment where no medical care is otherwise available. The question is: What happens when the medications I stockpiled pass their expiration date?

Since 1979, pharmaceutical companies have been required to place expiration dates on all medications. Officially, this is the last day that the company will certify that their drug is at full potency. Some people take this to mean that the medicine in question is useless or in some way harmful after that date. With few exceptions (tetracycline being one previously mentioned), this is what I delicately term as “a bunch of hooey”!

Studies performed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that 90% of medications tested were perfectly fine to use 8-to-15 years after the expiration date. There was apparently no danger in the grand majority of cases. The FDA tested more than 100 medications, both prescription and non-prescription, and continues to study the issue today. The exceptions were mostly in liquid form (antibiotics included, but also insulin, nitroglycerine and some others). What is true is that the potency of an antibiotic could possibly decrease over time, so it is important that your medication cache is in a cool, dry place if at all possible. Refrigeration is an excellent method to maintain the full potency of many drugs.

Many people gauge their preparedness on the number of full ammo boxes in their closet. I’ve got them too. However, preparedness doesn’t mean going out in a blaze of glory; it means going on, in the best health and condition, to re-establish a peaceful and productive society. Every prepper should have antibiotics as part of their medical supplies. They’re available, they’re cheap and they could save your life.

Changes for 2011, The Taxman Cometh

Recent news articles about U.S. tax law changes have prompted dozens of SurvivalBlog readers to contact me with their concerns. Some of these e-mails asked me for advice on how to minimize the impact of these tax law changes.

First let’s go over the changes in the tax law that have been announced:

1.) The Federal income tax rates are increasing starting with tax year 2010, with the top tax rate jumping to 39.6%. Meanwhile they are reinstituting the death tax, creating higher capital gains taxes, and the elimination of some exemptions for people that are married and for those that have children. For a summary of the changes, see a recent post at Investors.com.

2.) There is a new Federal income tax reporting requirement for all goods and services by small businesses and self-employed individuals. This will especially effect coin dealers. This provision was slipped into the massive Obamacare socialized medicine legislative package that was enacted this year.. This new law requires all purchases of in excess of $600 USD to be reported on a IRS Form 1099. This has sparked an uproar. The implications of this new law are huge, especially when you consider the sheer volume of private transactions in the so-called “underground economy.” Perhaps worst of all is that this new is in effect turning private citizens into unpaid IRS agents by putting this new reporting requirement on small businesses. Not only will they have to do this paperwork, but they will have to do it all at their own expense. This will undoubtedly require the hiring of hundreds and hundreds of accountants to handle this mountain of paperwork–the countless thousands of Form 1099s that will need to be filed. This is just another example of Congress not only putting unfunded mandates on the states, but also on private business. I predict that this paperwork requirement might drive some small coin stores and small auction houses out of business. In my estimation it will also destroy the privacy advantage that heretofore has been provided by second-hand (“private party”) and antique (pre-1899) guns. Since most used guns sell for at least $600, their sales will ostensibly have to be reported–perhaps not by serial number, but Big Brother will have a list of known “gun owners.”

The new tax law also sets a dangerous precedent, in lowering the threshold of reportable transactions. For many years car dealers, postal clerks, and an bank tellers have been required to fill out Form 8300 cash transaction reports (CTRs) for the IRS for any cash transactions in amounts of $10,000 or more. Part of this is an onerous requirement to report transactions of less than $10,000 if so-called “structuring” of multiple transactions if they in aggregate exceed $10,000. This lowered reporting threshold has been institutionalized with training programs such as “Know Your Customer”, that encouraged bank tellers to report structured transactions, even if there was just a hint of suspicion. Their training stressed: “If in doubt, report it.” The new law will also necessitate hiring of thousands of new IRS agents to insure compliance on the accurate reporting of 1099s. I have no doubt of that the IRS will conduct undercover sting operations–just as the BATFE now does with Federally licensed gun dealers—to try to catch coin dealers buying more that $600 worth of coins without filling out the Form 1099. Just imagine private coin dealers having to wonder whether or not the “customer” across the counter for them is actually a private party or if it’s an undercover IRS agent attempting to entrap him by asking them to “skip the paperwork.”

Legal Tax Avoidance Strategies

I consulted with tax accountant Mara Helland, for her advice on ways that taxpayers can legally minimize the impact of the changes in the Federal tax law for 2011 and subsequent years. The following was her advice:

Although, in general, I know your position about retirement accounts [such as IRAs, 401(k)s], I still want to mention that retirement contributions are one of the biggest tax breaks the Federal and state governments allow us to have. For example, based on your self-employed income from 2009, you would have been allowed to contribute a maximum of $49,000 to a SEP or Individual 401(k), which would have saved more than $17,000 in combined Federal and state income taxes.

For shorter-term solutions, you might consider any of the following:

  • Requesting, wherever possible, income/advances be paid to you by December 31, 2010 rather than early or mid 2011.
  • Selling any kind of capital-gain assets in 2010 rather than 2011.
  • Deferring part of your charitable giving from 2010 to 2011 (e.g., giving in January 2011 instead of December 2010).
  • Looking into charitable trusts or gift annuities. With higher tax rates, charitable gifts will have more value.

Would it be possible to start a ranch or farming operation in the future? Farming losses can directly offset self-employed income.

Is there any other kind of business you’ve thought about starting that might take a few years before you see a profit?

If you need a place to park extra money, you might consider investing in rental real estate. Unfortunately, though, because of your income level, any rental losses incurred would be “unallowed” until you actually sold the property. You don’t lose the rental losses, per se, but you wouldn’t be able to deduct the losses in the year incurred. Accumulated, unallowed losses would reduce any future gain you had at the time of the sale. Rental real estate doesn’t help you with immediate tax savings for the near future, but a lot of my clients do have rental properties as a way to invest their available cash without putting everything into the stock market, bond market or banks.

In some states such as Montana, folks might benefit from paying only the required one-half of property taxes at the end of November, rather than paying for the full year at that time. That could give a taxpayer an extra property tax payment to write off in 2011. Some taxpayers might benefit more by holding off on paying certain itemized deductions until 2011, rather than 2010, where possible.

Also, for small business owners who provide health insurance coverage for employees, they need to make sure they are aware of any Federal and/or state tax credits for which they are eligible. Many states have health insurance tax-credit programs that have been in place for years and do not necessarily have the same qualifications as the Federal program.

Mara Helland’s also had some comments on the new 1099 requirements:

“From what I’ve been reading, the IRS already has its hands full trying to figure out how to implement the sweeping changes to the 1099 reporting rules deemed necessary and appropriate by Congress. I have a lot of small business clients who are still able to use their Social Security numbers for reporting purposes. The idea of Social Security numbers being given out to just about anyone with whom business is transacted (it won’t take much to reach that $600 threshold) seems like high risk to me for all sorts of identity theft schemes and scams. For you, personally (as well as all other sole proprietors), I recommend you obtain (or I can obtain for you) an Employer Identification Number (EIN), to use in place of your social security number for all future 1099 forms being issued to you or by you. Although you aren’t an “employer,” per se, I believe any business entity can obtain on EIN, whether or not the entity has employees.”

While not all of these strategies will be applicable to all of the SurvivalBlog readers in the United States, I hope that many of you will find some utility in them.

Personally, in addition to taking Mara Helland’s advice on income shifting and deferring charitable contributions, I made two key decisions to help minimize the impact of the 2011 tax law changes:

1.) Cashing Out of My IRA

It was a tough call, but I decided to cash out my Gold Coin Individual Retirement Account (IRA) before the end of 2010. This is an IRA that I set up many years ago, through Swiss America. It was established when I worked in the corporate world. Yes, I know that I will be penalized, but I thought it was important to take the IRA distribution income in tax year 2010 instead of tax year 2011, under the higher rates. Thankfully, the value of my gold IRA has gained substantially in recent years. (A large potion of the gold in my IRA was purchased back when gold was less than $375 per ounce.) So even with the withdrawal penalty I’m still coming out well ahead. And again I’d rather pay the tax on the “cash out” at the 2010 tax rate rather than the higher 2011 tax rate. By the way, I had already considered closing out my IRA because of persistent rumors of nationalization of IRAs and 401(k)s, but the recent news of the higher income tax rates for 2011 was the last straw.

2.) Minimizing My Interest Income

I am now more aggressively downsizing my interest-producing investments, and shifting even more heavily into tangibles than I had recommended back in 2007. Since tangibles will be taxed only when I liquidate them, this will reduce my taxable income for 2011 and subsequent years.

Conclusion

I anticipate that the tax situation in the United States will only get worse, as the currently unfolding depression continues. Federal, State, and and local “revenue enhancement” will be the order of the day. Do your best to protect yourself, legally, as the hard times get harder.

Letter Re: Day to Day Survival–From the Perspective of a Homeless Man

It may not be TEOTWAWKI, but the end of “your world” may be closer than you think. Mine came eight years ago with the end of my wife’s battle with cancer. With the down turn of the economy and a mountain of medical bills, we had already leveraged every penny that we could. We took out a second mortgage, maxed our credit cards, sold the boat, the four wheeler, and travel trailer. Since then I’ve sold my pickup, her car, the tools of my trade (I’d been a carpenter), and anything else that could bring in a dollar. I’ve been told that I could have gone through a “financial reorganization” a.k.a. bankruptcy, to save the house… but at the time, I was devastated by the loss of my wife, and nothing really mattered. She had always been the one to keep me going. Her battle cry “There’s work to be done” usually meant she, or we would soon be headed to help somebody, or a cause that “won’t make it without a little hand.” When my world crashed down, I lost my ambition, my faith, my hope. My depression led to heavy drinking, and that put me into a spiral, which didn’t end until I hit bottom. One night I had a dream, a very realistic dream. I was standing with a group of people, in the front yard of our old house. Everyone was milling around talking in low voices… It was a Wake following a funeral. Then I saw her… she broke away from the group and rounded the corner of the house. I followed her to the back yard, as I caught up, she turned and gave me a hug. She held me at arms length, looked me up and down, and said I looked like hell. I asked if she had come to take me, if it was my time? She told me “no, not yet, I just wanted to see you”. She told me that I had to start taking care of myself… for her. “There’s work to be done!” That’s when I woke up, both figuratively, and literally.

Now I survive day to day, with an eye to the future.

I’m homeless… I don’t steal, I don’t beg, or take “hand outs”, I don’t trespass onto private property.

I do my best not to look homeless. I do day labor for a temp agency, but am limited due to telephone and transportation constraints. I take occasional odd jobs on the side, but prefer small household repairs. I’m told that most local contractors won’t even stop by to give estimates on these small jobs, because it’s just not worth their time. I get this work by word of mouth, and have quite a few repeat customers. I have a growing list (of mostly seniors), that can’t do the winter weatherizing, or spring cleanup of their homes. I don’t charge an arm and a leg, and am open to bartering. I’ll never get rich doing this, but I’ve made new friends, helped others, have been able to replace many of my old “tools of the trade”, and have even bought a few “necessities” that I now see as luxuries.

A friend lets me store a few tools, and things in an old truck tool box that I have stuck under his deck. (A wooden deck that I helped build). He also lets me use his address to receive mail. This has allowed me to obtain a library card, which includes Internet access. I can only sign up to reserve an hour block of time, but if there’s nobody else waiting to use it, they let people stay on indefinitely. With access to such a goldmine of reference/research material (including SurvivalBlog), the possibilities seem endless. It is also a warm place to spend a cold winter day.

Winter is, of course, the most difficult time to live outdoors. I dress in layers, and carry at least one complete change of clothes. It rains a lot here, and you will get wet. Wool makes the best insulating layer (even when wet), and “Gore-Tex” type materials are a great shell. I’ve gotten most of my layers cheap at local thrift stores. Shelters have come in many forms, from lean-tos, to public restrooms, or empty shipping containers. I won’t stay in a “homeless shelter”, there is just too much potential trouble there. There is less chance of confrontations when I stay out of town, but there are also fewer resources, and opportunities for employment. There is one huge benefit when I do stay out of town. I’m able to cook, and heat with one of my “Penny Wood Gas” stoves, and not alarm anyone. I’ve made several variations of these and usually keep two or three around for different uses. Using the original size can, with fewer/smaller holes, gives a longer burn, with lower temps. Which is better for warming/drying cold hands, feet, and clothes. I always keep one loaded, ready to light, and it still weighs less than a pound.

There are wild foods to be had year round here in the Pacific Northwest. My diet is primarily vegetarian these days. Though I picked up a wrist rocket for a dollar at a garage sale, that occasionally adds protein to my meals. Cattails grow everywhere around here, and in it’s many stages, is a constant source of nutrients. I highly recommend searching for a site like this one to familiarize yourself with local edibles. If/when the Golden Horde marches through this area, I expect most city dwellers to pass by these “weeds”, without giving them a second glance. Of the 55 plants on this particular page, I had previously only tried a hand full that I knew. Now there are only a few that I don’t use regularly, either because they don’t grow in my area of operation, they have digestive “side affects” or I prefer the flavor of others. A short note on “flavor”… While wild greens, grubs, and ground squirrels, can get you through a survival situation, they aren’t always the most palatable for consuming day after day. Spice it up… a few basic spices can make the worst tasting gruel edible. I get my spices from the bulk food section of a local store. For the price of one pre-packaged little bottle of spice, I can get a variety of flavor enhancers. A few spices don’t take up much space, and weigh only a few ounces. I carry a little with me, and have the rest in a few half pint jars stashed away in a secure location. The Ball company makes plastic (aka. non rusting) screw on lids. While not suitable for heat processing, they are air/water tight, and work great for storing dry goods.

In 2006 I was lucky enough to locate a south facing ledge approximately 12′ x 30′, which sits about 80′ above a major highway, but is still 30′- 40′ below the crest. I call it my “Garden Retreat”. With a sheer rock face above and below, my garden is still readily accessible by any surefooted mountain goat that knows the right route (a.k.a. me). There is a small spring not far away that gives me fresh drinking water and I can carry enough for the plants I am growing during the (very short) dry season here. Anything close to the edge that grows over waist high could be visible from below, but only if you know where to look. It has between 6” and 18′ of top soil. I’ve been adding compostable materials and other amendments for three years now, and can easily produce 3-4 times the quantity of veggies I can eat. I use successive plantings, combined with intensive companion planting/intercropping, to get the highest yield out of the least work, and water. I go heavy on the root crops, because they keep longer, and often can be left in the ground until the rains set in. I’ve managed to assemble a couple of “cold frames” out of scrounged materials and old windows, to help extend my growing season. I can now have fresh lettuce in all but the coldest part of the year. Until I come up with better preservation methods, I’m using excesses as gifts, or barter.

Early this spring, I picked up (and rebuilt), an old bicycle. It has greatly increased my mobility, and extended my range. Now I’m gathering parts to build a trailer, to carry my tools.

Things have turned around for me. They may get bad again, or even worse, but I know that I will survive.

I’ve been sober for five years so far. I still don’t know what God, or my wife have in store for me, but I will be ready. I haven’t completely forgiven God yet, but it seems that he’s forgiven me. I’m doing well right now, and have enough “extra” saved to purchase a prepaid cell phone. Another “luxury”, that will allow me to be more easily reachable/available for employment. If all goes well, I may spend this winter (or the next) indoors.

My advice to you?

  • Never give up.
  • No matter how bad things get… they could be worse.
  • Don’t waste time pitying yourself.
  • Try to think clearly, and constructively. “There’s work to be done!”

Regards, – Trashcollector

JWR Adds: Trashcollector’s article was remarkable. It has earned him a special editor’s prize, that will be dug up from the depths of JASBORR. His narrative reminded me of the same enterprising spirit that was shown by Sylvan Hart (a.k.a. “Buckskin Bill”), who lived a solitary life for many years in the wilds of central Idaho. I highly recommend the book Last of the Mountain Men, that documents Sylvan Hart’s amazing life.