Odds ‘n Sods:

G.G. flagged this: The Most Dangerous Cities in America. (All of them are nowhere near the American Redoubt.)

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45 Seconds: Memoirs of a Joplin ER Doctor from May 22, 2011

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Loyal content contributor F.G. sent this: Police on radio scanner apps: That’s not a 10-4

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Courtesy of John in Ohio: Mark Zuckerberg’s new challenge: Eating only what he kills (and yes, we do mean literally…)

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Yankee Prepper sent us this to file this under “Emerging Threats”: Mexican officials seize ‘narcotank’. (The linked video is also enlightening.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, [or] if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness [there be];

What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, [even] thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.” – 1 Kings 8:37-40 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

Please pray for the folks in Joplin, Missouri, where there are more than 230 people missing. The recent satellite photos show horrendous destruction. The latest headline: Search for missing tornado victims enters fourth day.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 34 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 34 ends on May 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.

Bug Out and Strategic Planning Aids Using Freeware and Open Source Software, by Josh M.

The following is intended to introduce some free computer resources to use for disaster planning. Topics covered are Bug Out Route planning, neighborhood  resource identification, and offline data back up.

My background includes growing up in the Arizona desert. Living forty miles from town and two miles to the nearest neighbors encourages one to be self reliant. Later in life I moved to and still live in the Pacific Northwest. During most of this period I was in complacent consumer mode. After the birth of my two children I began to question my abilities to provide for my family in an emergency or tough time. Around the time of the tech stock crash in 2000 I began to question the path of our nation and its political and economic choices. Fast forward to the pop of the housing bubble. That event spurred my quest for answers and leads us to today.

There are two free programs I will cover using for disaster preps and planning. One is Gadwin Systems PrintScreen. The other is
WinHTTrack, an open source offline browser.

Gadwin PrintScreen has the ability to save images to a file or capture portions of anything viewable on your screen to a JPEG.
These can also be saved in a numeric sequential order for ease of identification.

WinHTTrack allows the user to assemble entire web sites for offline  use. This is a powerful tool that comes with responsibilities. Sites such as Survivalblog.com offer an archive of their site for purchase but also encourages offline backup by other means [as long as it is for private, noncommercial use.]. The other consideration is the usage of bandwidth. Whomever is hosting the site your are considering downloading is paying to keep their site up and may have bandwidth caps or fees based upon the amount of data transmitted.

Setting up Gadwin PrintScreen will only take a few moments after installation. Get to the properties or options menu in Gadwin while it is running. Set your hotkey. The hotkey is what will be activating the capture. A common hotkey is the “Prt Scr” button. Check the preview captured image box. Under the source option box check rectangular area. Under destination option box check copy captured area to file. Also check automating naming and set the filename to the number 0. Doing this will begin naming files as 0001, 0002, 0003 an so on as you save them. Set the Capture  Directory or destination folder as well. Under image menu set as JPG. Hit “OK”. Upon pressing the hotkey an instruction should appear showing you how to size the area to be captured. 

This only covers web browsing map interfaces as I have chosen not to use Google Earth.

One use for this tool is probably already obvious to many of you.

Go to your favorite online mapping tool or web site. I use Google maps. Personally I began from a regional view and began setting and saving files/pictures as I zoom in. You may get to a point where everything you want will not fit on one JPG. At this point I find my focus point and using the map tool move it to a far lower or higher corner and screen capping that. Keep moving your focal point around your four corners and capturing those images until you have made a satisfactory assembly of images. For vehicle route mapping I tend to use a standard map view. For area specific maps I use the satellite view. These settings are visible in the upper right area of the map.

Clearly making a bug out map is one use here. The following is of the most use to those of us living in major metropolitan areas. While browsing a specific map area to the top and right of the screen there will be a menu to check a few selections. The one that will be most valuable to the bug out in a vehicle is the traffic box, put a check mark next to it. An overlay will appear showing the live traffic flows for the viewable area. To the bottom left there should be a box saying live traffic and small text saying “change”. When you change the times you can cycle by day and time to simulate morning or evening rush hours in your area. I have had varying effectiveness with this setting.

Many have said it before but here it is again: If you and yours are going to relocate, then do it before the majority of the population decide to flee in a panic.

Google Maps also enables one to type in the starting point and destination for a suggested route. The information given by this auto trip planner is valuable. You can set it for car, bike, or foot travel. It also notes car travel minimum and maximum predicted times with traffic. You are easily able to interface with the map and “drag” your route away from areas you wish to avoid and toward predicted safer lanes of travel. Every time you do this it will refresh distance and predicted travel time. It is easy to create several folders of screen captures on your pc to hold individual routes and means of travel. The wise choice here is to verify as many of these routes as you can physically. It may be as simple as a picnic with the family or a new route to the hunting camp. To put ones trust in an untested route is asking to get stuck in a bad spot.

Another valuable use for the browser maps is scouring your neighborhood, region or retreat for visible resources, threats, and unknown avenues of travel. An example is a friend just moved into a new house and looking online at his house showed me his neighbor owns a pool, relatively uncommon for the Northwest but an item of note. Several blocks away but invisible from the street are a few homes with large undeveloped backyards. In time of shortages, the owners of those parcels might me agreeable to someone planting that ground with vegetables, in exchange for a share of a crop.

During neighborhood walks you may notice fruit or nut bearing trees and berry vines on public land. These can be noted on your map with a simple mark in the Paint program that comes with many operating systems. Resource awareness and becoming friends with your neighbors at the same time. There may be areas or neighbor that receive a mark for one or more reasons. Perhaps evidence of unsavory activity or even the presence of arable land. Fresh water is worth noting, especially if it is not visible from the street.

The next step is for intermediate users. GIMP is an open source photo editing program that uses layers just like a well known photo editing program. With it you can now take your captured images and combine them to build large medium resolution images.

 You see where I am going with this. Four screen captures assembled into one image comes to 19″x13″ at 72 dots per inch on my pc. This covers 3 block to the North and South and 6 blocks to the East and West. At this resolution viewing at 100% cars can be identified by their color but not make and model. Houses, driveways, and greenspaces can be seen but not in great detail. An additional benefit of Google maps is the auto labeling of businesses, parks, and streets.

For the budget minded prepper consider printing out sixteen 8″x11″ black and white pages and pasting them on some cardboard. The next step up is a 25″x25″ b+w laminated at Kinko’s for $16. A 25″x25″ color laminated is $41. The final destination is a 50″x50″ color laminated map that runs $184.

This is not my area of expertise but I am also attempting to define perceived threat or awareness areas. Part of this includes lines of travel, fields of fire from my home and block, as well as effort required to seal off areas from vehicle traffic.

For the more advanced computer user let us consider WinHTTrack. Part of the power of this program is the ability for it to set filters for file type and size.  In the help menu of this program you will find a robust  “how to” that will allow you to download portions of web sites for personal use. There are examples of good/bad scan rule interactions as well. WinHTTrack will not download Flash or Javascript well or at all.

It is up to the individual to use good judgment when using this tool. When set on below dial up speeds you will be able to assemble large amounts of text and pictures over the course of one nights sleep.

At the end of the day it should also be considered what to do with and how to manage this data. Consider printing, burning a CD or purchasing several USB flash “thumb” drives for data redundancy. Every member of the family could easily carry 4+GB of information for as little as $12. That might be most or all of the families pictures, documents, plans, maps, and collected reference material. This article does not cover data security but it is a major consideration if personal, financial, or medical documents are digitally backed up.

 

The Endless “One Gun” Internet Debates

I often read suggestions in survivalist and shooting forums that run something like this: “If you had to choose just one gun to handle all your tasks, then what would it be?” A lively debate then ensues, usually marked by extreme opinions, running the gamut from pipsqueak calibers, to elephant guns. These debates go on, endlessly. The result is a confusing muddle that does little to educate folks that are new to shooting as to what is truly practical. What prompted this post is that recently received a “one gun solution” article entry for SurvivalBlog’s writing contest, which I politely declined to post. (That one had recommended buying just a Glock 19 pistol.)

The “one gun” debates are spurious starting points for any logical discourse. Alarmingly, some people take this talk seriously, and in doing so, they usually end up opting for the Lowest Common Denominator. They often end up pushed toward a .22 rimfire rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun (often a single-shot) or a 9mm handgun. The reality is that there is no “one size fits all” solution. Owning just one gun is like owning a tool box containing just one tool for all your household and automotive repair tasks. Which one tool would it be: A hammer? A screwdriver? Pliers? A hacksaw? Remember, you can only choose one tool.

To be realistic, the minimum number of guns needed for a family preparedness firearms battery is four:

  1. A semiautomatic battle rifle. I prefer 7.62mm NATO, such as a FAL clone, AR-10, or HK91 clone. For someone on a tight budget, a used SKS or an AK might suffice.
  2. A .22 rimfire rifle. I prefer the stainless Ruger 10/22. If compactness is a key issue, then buy a Marlin Papoose. For someone on a tight budget, a used Marlin Glen field Model 60 .22 would suffice.
  3. A large caliber handgun. If concealment is a key factor, then get a Glock Model 30 or a XD .45 Compact. Otherwise, make is a Glock 21 or a full size XD .45. For someone on a tight budget, a used Argentine Ballester Molina or Sistema Colt .45 ACP would suffice.
  4. A precision shooting / hunting rifle. My top choice is the Savage Model 10FP in .308 Winchester. For someone on a tight budget, a sporterized Mauser would suffice.

An optional fifth gun would be a pump action 12 gauge shotgun with both bird hunting and riotgun barrels. (Such as a Remington Model 870.)

There is simply no way for one gun to handle everything from shooting garden pests to big game, and self defense in both concealed carry and “reach out and touch someone” modes. Yes, there are some versatile guns out there, but they would be compromises. For example, a Kel-Tec SU-16 .223 could be considered an adequate rifle that is marginally concealable. Ditto for the new .308 Kel-Tec RFB bullpup. But in attempting to handle all functions with one gun, it wouldn’t perform those functions as well as a purpose-built gun.

Now if I were hypothetically forced to “grab just one gun and run” for some reason, it would probably be something like the RFB. But if budget were the constraint rather than “what you can carry on your back”, then I would recommend buying a small battery of guns, as I outlined above. (And, as I noted, there are some very modestly-priced alternatives.)

I’m sure that will folks will chide me, saying that they can get by with just a bolt action rifle. Well perhaps you might. But if I’m ever faced with superior numbers, then I want to have power, accuracy and repetitive fire at my disposal. I also want the flexibility of having concealability for some guns, and some chambered in quiet low power cartridges that are suitable for small game and pest shooting. Again, there is no “one size fits all” solution available in one gun. That is my view, and as they say, “Your mileage may vary.” Your budget might also vary, so plan your purchasing wisely. Don’t shy away from buying used guns if they are in good condition. Not only are they less expensive, but odds are that you will be buying from private parties, so that adds to your privacy.

A reminder, in closing: Be sure that you also budget for training ammunition and instruction, regardless of your choice in guns. Tools without training are useless.

Letter Re: Food Handling and Cooking Safety

James,

While I enjoyed the article written by Jason A., there were minor points that stuck out to me. As a professional chef who has completed numerous food safety courses, many of them the same that health inspectors must take to be certified, Jason’s list of final food temperatures and cooking suggestions were a good start, but had some potentially precarious recommendations.

Washing fruits and vegetables will rarely remove all the pesticides and bacteria, unless you use a food sanitizing liquid such as bleach water, which you may or may not have in such a situation. Washing removes any exterior contaminants, such as dirt, mud, rocks, etc. However, picking from a polluted field and washing the produce will do you no good and could seriously injure or kill you. Washing is still a good habit to use, but it cannot remove everything dangerous. Inspect the source or field first, if possible.

For meat temperatures, cooking “at” any temperature is relatively unimportant. Cooking “to” a final internal meat temperature is the important number. Obviously, cooking at 140 degrees will not allow you to reach an internal temperature of 165. Cooking at virtually any temperature higher than the desired final temperature will. The bottom line is, for any meat (beef, chicken, fish, etc) in a questionable situation, the final minimum internal temperature for safe consumption is 165 degrees, according to the USDA. The meat may finish with a grayish color, but some meats begin and end gray at virtually any temperature, depending upon the animal’s diet. However, it is relevant to know that a 165 degree internal temperature is sometimes overkill. Whole pieces of meat (not including chicken) that have not been ground are generally quite safe at 145 degrees, according to the USDA’s recently updated guidelines from a couple of days ago.

Ground meats are another set of rules. E-coli is killed at 155 degrees, and is the final minimum temperature for any ground meat, other than chicken.

Chicken is yet another different story. Optimally, a 165 degree internal temperature, ground or whole, taken at the bone, is the safest way to go. If you do not have a thermometer, cooking the meat “until juices run clear” is a reasonably safe bet.  It was done that way for quite some time prior to thermometer usage. However, it is not always a safe alternative because any one person’s definition of “clear” can vary vastly to another person’s.  Also, waiting for a clear juice depends upon whether there are bones in the chicken.  Chicken bones can cause juices to run pink until a much higher temperature, even though the chicken is cooked.

Fish also has its own set of guidelines. Again, in a questionable situation, cook until completely opaque and preferably 145 degrees. Granted, in almost every case this will resort in very dry fish, but better dry than you being sick or dead. The term “flakey” is a little too vague unfortunately. Each fish has a different internal muscle structure and will become flaky at different final temperatures, if at all.

Hopefully this can educate folks out there. These are temperatures that are listed by the USDA as safety minimums. There are numerous other temperatures for “degrees of doneness,” such as rare, medium rare, etc. Those are an entirely different article, though. – David B.

Economics and Investing:

A foretaste of life in the U.S. in the near future?: Belarus devaluation spreads panic. On the same topic, Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge posted some commentary and a scary “hockey stick” currency chart: Welcome To Hyperinflation Hell: Following Currency Devaluation, Belarus Economy Implodes, Sets Blueprint For Developed World Future

J.B.G. sent this: Greece risks ‘return to drachma’

World Bank Predicts the Demise of the US Dollar by 2025

 

Items from The Economatrix:

Stocks Likely To Face Bumpy Ride Into Summer

Gas Prices Dampen Memorial Day Vacations

States Shorten Duration For Unemployment Benefits

What Is Behind Europe’s Stock Market Selloff?

A Look At The Recent Rout In Silver And Oil Prices And What It Means To Commodities Prices

Odds ‘n Sods:

Senator Rand Paul speaks out in opposition to renewal of the misnamed PATRIOT Act.

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An interesting History Channel documentary: How The States Got Their Shapes. Note that one segment on Montana includes a SurvivalBlog reader. (I haven’t been given permission to name names, but you might be able to guess which Montanan this is.)

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Enemy at gate? Not in this case. (Thanks to N.R. for the link.)

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Obama: We’re Working on Gun Control ‘Under the Radar’. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)

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This article has some downright scary implications: Liquid Medicine: Controversial call to add lithium to drinking water for mental health. Wow! A quote from Buckaroo Banzai just popped into my head: “Lithium is no longer available on credit.”

Notes from JWR:

With the recent spate of tornadoes in America’s Heartland, (the death toll in Joplin is now at 124) and a new round of Icelandic volcanic ash clouds threatening northern Europe, it is time to re-double our preparedness efforts. Prepare and pray hard!

—

Today we present another entry for Round 34 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 34 ends on May 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.

Preventive Maintenance, Medicine, and Measures, by Jason A.

As the saying goes “preventive medicine is the best medicine”, this can be said for many aspects in life. Why wait until something happens to fix it? Why not perform proper maintenance procedures so you don’t have to fix it? Frankly, before I became a prepper, I’ve always found this approach to be best. It can save you time, money, frustration. Even if something is going to break no matter what, with preventive procedures, you can sometimes see it coming, therefore fixing or changing a part. From a prepper’s perspective, preventive measures are a necessity. The U.S. military puts an emphasis on Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS). Throughout the rest of this essay, all preventative measures will be termed PMCS.

Preventive Maintenance
When it comes to machinery, PMCS must take place. The last thing you need when disaster strikes is to hop in your bug out vehicle and realize you’re low on fuel and the battery is dead. When it comes to vehicles, generators, freezers, or anything that is a complicated system, you need to perform PMCS and keep a record of it. When it comes to vehicles, whether tractors, cars, pickups or SUVs, you can keep the record book with the vehicle. For items such as generators or tools, keep them in a filing cabinet for easy tracking. Some items that should be checked include:s
Oils/lube, Fuels, Filters
Belts, Batteries, Fuses
Plugs (spark or glow), Tires/wheels, Specialty tools
Check your owner’s manual or with the original company to find out when you should perform PMCS, with what specific parts, and where to find all of the proper parts and tools. When it comes to tools, they also need PMCS. Visually inspect all parts for cracks, tears, bends, or partial pieces. Simple tools such as a hammer will not help you if the head is ready to break off of the handle. Remember to sharpen blades and teeth, oil moving parts, and always clean and dry your tools to prevent rust.

Preventive Medicine
Once the SHTF, making appointments to see you doctor are probably not going to happen. Even if you have a medical professional in your group, some supplies will not be available. Those supplies that are available will eventually run out.

Dentistry: I personally am one of the worst when it comes to taking care of my teeth and gums. I’ve also paid for it. Brushing your teeth is not enough. You should brush your teeth first thing in the morning, in the afternoon, and before bed. Flossing needs to be a part of your brushing routine. Full flossing of every space should be done in the evening, prior to brushing. After flossing, use a mouthwash so you don’t push anything back into spaces, and then brush. Throughout the day most people have snacks. After eating, use dental soft picks. These can be purchased fairly cheap and are found at many stores.

Lifestyle: TEOTWAWKI or not, a healthy lifestyle should be sought. You don’t have to be a gym junkie either. Sports are a great way to get some exercise. Some prefer hiking or bicycling. The point is to be active and flexible. However, bulking up like Arnold doesn’t do you much good if you’re eating steaks and burgers, then finish it off with a smoke. While the science of nutrition is difficult to understand, there are some basics that make it easy. Check out mypyramid.gov to help plan better meals. This shouldn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: drop your bad habits! Tobacco is the big one, but anything else that you can’t handle in moderation. This could be alcohol, caffeine, or sweets.

Medicine: Take care of any health concerns now. Lifestyle changes can change some of these issues. Diabetes type 2 and high cholesterol are a few of the conditions that could be managed better, or even resolved, by lifestyle changes. For medical concerns that can’t be resolved be lifestyle changes should be looked at before it’s too late. If you’ve been putting off a surgery, you just might have to live with your current condition if the SHTF today. Make sure that you are updated on all of your medications and have a stockpile. If you have any sort of condition that requires an apparatus such as canes or braces make sure that you have extras or extra pieces. Most of us will be doing quite a bit of work outside. Have a good supply of lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellant, and foot powder. If you’re sunburned or have blisters on your feet, this makes survival rough. These are simple steps that you can take.

Sanitation: This section is extremely important for people that bug out somewhere where there is no house. This could be out in the woods or on someone’s property. The first is on defecation. One simple idea is the cat hole. The cat hole is good for on the move or for one person for no more than one day. Dig a hole 12 inches in diameter and 6-7 inches deep. Do your business in hole and cover it with the dirt that was removed. This is also helpful for OPSEC being that if it was out in the open, you may give away your location. If you plan to stick around a spot for one to three days, use a straddle trench. Dig out a rectangular area 1 foot wide, 4 feet long, and 3 feet deep. After use, cover the excrement only. Once the trench is filled to 6 inches below the ground, cover the rest with the remaining dirt. One trench is good for up to 25 people. I wouldn’t recommend a burnout barrel latrine unless you are in a large camp with security. Basically, somewhere where everyone knows you are there anyway. This consists of a wooden bench with a hole in it over the top of a metal barrel cut in half. All openings must be covered so vermin cannot get in. Once the barrel is half way filled, drag it out from the enclosure and at least 10 feet away. Add 3 inches of a fuel mixture containing one part gas and four parts diesel. Set on fire and monitor. Once all of the waste is gone, clean and sanitize the barrel and return it to the enclosure. When it comes to urination, this needs to be put into the ground as well. For males, dig out an area 4 feet wide, 4 feet long and 4 feet deep. Place metal tubes 8 inches into the pit and fill with stones and gravel. Place funnels on the tops of these tubes to be used as urinals. For females, construct the same pit but instead of pipes, use a barrel. Place it 8 inches into the pit with gravel underneath and around it. Place a wooden seat on top of the barrel.

For other liquid wastes such as bath water and dishwater, dig out another area that is 4 feet wide, 4 feet long, and 4 feet deep. Place a barrel with a perforated bottom 6 inches into the pit. Then dig out four trenches from the pit starting at one foot deep and ending at 2 feet deep. They need to be 6 feet long and one foot wide. Fill all of this with gravel. When it comes to trash, I don’t like the idea of burning. It is an announcement to people of where you are and what you may have. I also imagine that many people will be recycling and reusing heavily thus reducing the amount of trash produced. Start off with a pit that is 8x8x8 feet. As you dump your trash in, make sure to cover it with at least 6 inches of dirt. This will cover smells and hopefully deter vermin. Always make sure that all of your areas are clearly marked for present and past areas. You do not want to dig in an area that is filled with trash or excrement. Guidelines for latrines are 50 feet away from living/sleeping areas, 100 feet from water sources, and 300 feet from food storage/preparation areas. For garbage areas they need to be 100 feet from food storage/preparation areas and water sources. Always make sure that these areas drain away from water sources, on level ground, and well above water tables.

Food: Getting food poisoning is no fun. I’ve had it a few times. Always be aware of what you are eating. Just because something looks like a food you know, it may not be. It may also be poisonous. Wash all fruits and vegetables before consumption. Even if you are going to cook them, there could be critters or dirt on them. They may have pesticides as well. When it comes to meats here are some guidelines on cooking temperatures: beef, lamb, and goat needs to be 170 degrees in the center or until uniformly brown. Pork needs to be cooked at 165 degrees and until no longer pink. Poultry should be cooked at 170 degrees or until juices run clear. Fish needs to be cooked until 140 degrees or until it is flakey. Rabbits and squirrels should be cooked at 180 degrees. Cats and dogs? I’m hoping I won’t ever have to find out.

Water: If you aren’t lucky enough to have a filtration system there are some basic techniques that will make your water safe to drink. First up is boiling. Pass the water through a filter or fabric in order to get rid of sediment. Bring the water to a roaring boil for one minute. Once cooled, it is safe to drink. You can also use bleach. Use 8 drops per gallon if the water is mostly clear. If the water is mostly cloudy, use 16 drops of bleach. Once again, make sure to pass it through some sort of material as a filter first. Also, look at where you are getting water. If you come across two ponds and one of them have algae, mosquitoes and other wildlife that is probably the safe one. It’s the water source that has no life that should raise a red flag.

Preventive Measures
Security: Don’t wait until the SHTF to come up with a security plan. Start one now. Find out where certain positions will be and what weapons are needed. Figure out how you are going to set up your schedules.

Land: Every year property owners cut back their grass and trees and bushes because fire season is coming. This is something that should always be taken care of. Fires can happen any time of year. Look at your land and figure out where you are going to situate things. If you are going to put in more gardens or a trash pit after the SHTF, figure out where those places need to be now. Go so far as clearing those areas.

Investments: The US could face an economic collapse tomorrow, or in ten years. No one knows when it is coming but we all know that it will come. There is a lot to be said for investing in tangibles and stocking up on food and fuel. For preppers that are younger and are not already financially secure, food and fuel isn’t enough if you’re renting an apartment with no BOL and TEOTWAWKI is still fifty years out. I would first recommend getting a college education and a secure job. Learn how to make investments. The stock market may not be the greatest place to invest, but talk around to others that are knowledgeable and ask for advice.

Family and Friends: I had talked to my wife about prepping and to no surprise she thought I was crazy…at first. I approached her slowly and gradually showed her all of the problems in the world and how they could pan out. Then I introduced her to the scary thought of the “bad men.” She is the one who keeps asking me when I’m going to take her out shooting again. She wanted a garden in this year so she could practice. She came around. Make sure that you get your immediate family on track. When everything is falling apart around you, you do not want this to be the time to start talking prepping. Get your kids involved in prepping activities such as fishing, hunting, gardening, canning, and sewing. Also be aware that there are some people that will think you are nuts no matter what. These same people could be a danger to you before and during TEOTWAWKI. Make mental notes of who these people are and make sure to not talk “prep” with them.

Preventive actions are much like prepping. You are preparing for the worst, but making the best of it right now.

Letter Re: An Antique Well-Drilling Blog

Hi James,
I’ve been putting together a blog illustrating well-drilling methods and machinery called The Jack Line. Although I’ll cover early powered drilling machinery at some point, the emphasis right now is on hand-powered well drilling and hand-built drilling machinery. I hope people can find it useful. There is much more material to be added as time permits. – Jeff B.

Economics and Investing:

Ah, yes, the inevitable rush into tangibles: Belarus snaps up TVs, fridges as ruble plunges. (Thanks to Diana V. and Jay H. for the link.)

QE2 was a bust. (A hat tip to John R. for the link.)

Linda U. sent this report from Texas: Record farming, ranching loss seen. (Stock up on cotton socks and jeans, since cotton prices are likely to skyrocket in 2012.)

Why The “Is QE 3 Coming?” Debate Is A Moot Point. (Thanks to John R. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Eurozone Woes May Boost Gold

Foreclosure Flood May Not Have Crested Yet

45% Of US Foreclosed Homes Said Are Damaged And Not Habitable Without Renovation

New-home Sales Up, But Pace Remains Sluggish

Odds ‘n Sods:

Phill K. sent a link to an interesting story about insulin that can be stored at room temperature.  

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Voting with our feet: Americans Try to Outrun State, Local Tax Hikes. Wyoming (which has no personal income tax) and some of the other American Redoubt States are looking better and better.

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C.R.W. spotted this over at Jim Sinclair’s web site: Wanted – Farming Couple in Tanzania

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Lousy Timing Department: Just as hundreds of thousands of people in the central United States are having their lives devastated by tornadoes, Hollywood is about to release a movie that appears to malign people that build tornado shelters. Why is it that Hollywood screenwriters so consistently portray preparedness-minded people as lunatics?

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Loyal linking legion member K.T. sent this heapin’ helpin’ of Hotel Sierra: A Bofors in Your Backyard. (I want one of these for the ranch… I shall not covet.)