Letter Re: Assembling a Survival Library

Dear Editor:
There is a wonderful source for free e-books called Project Gutenberg.  The books are free because the Copyright for these books has expired in the United States. (They may still be copyrighted in other countries). So anybody may make verbatim or non-verbatim copies of those works.  

This is a wonderful source of information.  They will even send free cds and dvds that have as many as 29,000 books each if you request.  You can find books on a multitude of ‘How To’ subjects from a time when doing it yourself was the only option.   

Of course you can find many of the literary classics including Shakespeare and original writings by and about our Founding Fathers as well.  

When I ordered my DVD, I received two copies.  One for myself and one to give away to a friend.  They encourage making copies and giving those away too.  Check out the CD and DVD Project link at the bottom of the page to download or request copies to be mailed to you.  

They offer many opportunities to contribute if you aren’t in a situation to donate money (neither of which are required).  It definitely is worth anything that you can do to help this project that is working to provide knowledge to everyone who wants it at no charge.  

Regards, – Teka

Economics and Investing:

Several readers pointed us to this New York Times article: A Secretive Banking Elite Rules Trading in Derivatives

Patron Mark mentioned some commentary about the debt problems in blue states that makes a compelling case that severe hard times are inevitable.

Cheryl N. sent this: Why Use Gold As Money?

Social Security advocates fear payroll tax cut. (Thanks to Sue C. for the link.)

Bram flagged this news item: Australia Overhauls Banking Rules

Odds ‘n Sods:

Dr. John Waterman will be hosting a two hour show on The Prepper Podcast about herbal medicine. That show will air on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Central Time.

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I just noticed that Amazon.com has dropped the price of my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” to just $6.98. This is their lowest price ever, so it would be a good opportunity to get a short stack, for Christmas presents. (Hint, hint.)

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H1N1 virus returns, already claiming lives of 10 British adults with early signs that illness has spread to other European countries. (Thanks to KAF for the link.)   

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F.G. sent this: Representative Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman [, Utah], wants to declare the Browning model 1911 .45-caliber pistol Utah’s state gun. F.G.’s comment: “What’s not to like? (A lot, if you’re a anti-gun Tribune reporter.)” FWIW, your editor would like to make the birthday of John Moses Browning a National Holiday.

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Also courtesy of F.G.: Top 10 States People Are Fleeing: New York, Illinois and Louisiana are expected to lose more residents than they gain this year. Given California’s budget crisis, I suspect that California will soon join the list. Speaking of fleeing, I’ve had five different blog readers and consulting clients mention that they are making mid-winter relocations to Idaho or Montana. That sort of action only comes from strong conviction. This by the way parallels the recent moves by Chuck Baldwin’s entire extended family, also in the dead of winter, to Montana. Obviously, some folks are feeling the need to move, immediately.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Most of the central banks have a lot of Ph.D.s, with no real world experience. They have read books, but have not been in the trench to “feel” what it is truly like. This is why government employees rarely have anything worthwhile that will ever contribute to society. There is not a single economic statistic that is even valid, no less any plausible guide as to what is going on. There are manipulated so much to try and influence the ‘public confidence’ that it becomes a joke.” – Imprisoned economist Martin A. Armstrong

Notes from JWR:

The publisher’s on-hand supply of the Rawles Gets Your Ready Family Preparedness Course has now sold out. However, the publisher will still honor the sale price and take orders until midnight Sunday (Pacific time). But for any orders that are received in the last few hours of the sale, customers will have a 3-to-4 week wait to receive their orders. As of Monday, December 13, 2010, the course will be officially out of print.

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Today we present another entry for Round 32 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 $795, 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 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 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, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) 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 32 ends on January 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.

Assembling a Survival Library, by Jim E.

I know that I would be preaching to the choir telling SurvivalBlog readers to have a well-stocked survival library but I just can’t help my self.  I’ve read most of the archives and I must admit I was unable to find exactly what I was thinking about in terms of building and maintaining a survival library.  Everyone that is even a casual reader of this blog knows that knowledge is far superior to having a lot of neat toys and gizmos. The truth is, knowledge is king when it comes to survival, and knowledge can only be obtained in basically three ways: trial and error (experience), other people (apprenticeship) and from books (study). 

When it comes to the area of survival, experience is the worst way of learning something because life is usually on the line.  The next best way of learning about survival is to know someone that is an expert, as of yet I don’t know any experts personally.  So that leaves finding information that has been written down and learning from it.  Books have been historically recognized as one of the most influential tools in teaching people and because of this they have also been recognized as one of the most dangerous.  Throughout history evil dictators, evil organizations and cults have taken great pains to prevent people from reading “dangerous” books.  Books contain ideas and ideas are dangerous.  The survival library that I am suggesting will focus on three different but equally important areas; Skills, entertainment and ideology.  I’m going to look at each one of these areas separately.

Skills—this is the first place a survivalist should have invested in concerning survival skills.  Books that cover things like survival in the wild were the first on my shelf because it’s interesting (and the show ‘man vs. wild’ might have had something to do with it).  When I started I bought every book on the subject.  I now consider myself an expert on starting a fire with two sticks (and a lighter), building a expedient shelter and finding north using my watch (which I don’t own).  I noticed though that after a while I was very heavy in survival situation books which I never used because the only out doors I saw was from my front door to the car.  I then discovered the exciting world of prepping.  I have started to buy books on all sorts of skills that could be used in TEOTWAWKI, things like gardening and animal husbandry were educational and will be very valuable one day.  There are many areas that are more than just survival but they are going to be useful for the rebuilding of society.  Just to make it easier I’ll make a list other things that I have started to or will be added to my library.

  • Soap making
  • Shoe making
  • Candle making
  • Wood gas conversions for vehicles
  • Manual machine design and construction
  • Paper making
  • Retreat construction
  • Weapons smithing
  • Blacksmithing
  • Cheese making
  • Beer and wine making
  • Canning and drying food
  • Making antibiotics (I own it and I don’t understand it…but someone will)

You get the idea that to rebuild society we will need skills to do this.  It’s sad that we have lost the ability to do certain things that were once done.  For instance did you know that in the middle ages they could make stained glass windows with such pretty colors, and they can’t be duplicated today?  The ability has been lost.  Of course who cares about some stupid pretty glass but what if some of the skills that we have today are forever lost?  We could be heralded as a truly wise man if we had the forethought to preserve these skills in writing for future generations!   

The next area of importance is the area of entertainment.  While we give this a cursory head nod, it is not really an important issue, if we look at what is written in SurvivalBlog.  Just stop and think about how entertainment oriented our society has become then this area will take on new meaning and importance.  Our highest paid people in America tend to be actors, sports stars and cartoon characters, which should show what importance this area has on American life.  While a book is not the same as a movie it is very close.  The movie is by far and above less valuable than a good book.  You’ve heard that the book was better than the movie?  That’s because the movie represents something less.  The theater that we have in our mind is better than any special effects or actors skill.  Some of the greatest books ever written were mainly written for entertainment purposes.  I personally have a printed copy of The SurvivalBlog Bookshelf list with extra books mentioned in the blog and I am feverishly working on buying all of them, the list is over 12 pages long double column.  Entertainment will be something that people will need even if they don’t realize it.  The ability to leave our current situation, and take a mental odyssey to never-never-land, Narnia or the Land of Oz is so very important!  Especially in a situation where normal sucks, such a TEOTWAWKI or our favorite sports team looses, whichever. 

The final and most important aspect of a good library is that it offers ideology.  What I’m saying is that history is full of examples of books that have influenced all of society.  For example look at the changes the Bible has brought about; Vikings used to raid, rape and pillage until some of the women they brought back home taught them the truths found in the Bible, and their whole society changed.  They no longer went on raiding parties but started churches.  If you ever have the chance to read about the Sabine women it’s very interesting. 

A less positive example is Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf (My Struggle).  This book inspired an entire nation to rally around this young idealist and then to try and expand (growing room) eastward all the while killing six million Jews.  Ideas are the most important thing that can be preserved, more than food, guns and gear combined.  Ideas are what build every great society and also what has destroyed every great society.  America is a prime example of a people that had an idea and used to form a more perfect union.  Of course new ideas have come in and destroyed the once industrious nation into a nation of beggars.  Socialism is nothing more than an idea that when implemented ends in starvation. 

What we have here is an opportunity to shape the society after the end of the world into a society that will be strong based on ideals that have been proven to work.  Ideas like the Christian work ethic (Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, Little House on the Prairie), charity (A Tale of Two Cities, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ ), Sacrifice (The Chronicles of Narnia, Captains Courageous).  The list goes on and on.  The fact is that most of the great influential novels of our history were written from a Christian point of view.  Of course we don’t know that because we don’t read the books anymore.  There are many people that think that the book ‘Ben Hur’ is about a chariot race and this shows that ignorance of the American people but it’s also our greatest opportunity.  We can influence how people think and subsequently how they will act.  It’s too great of an opportunity to pass up.  So go out and find the books that have influenced western civilization and buy them, one day they will be useful for the information, entertainment and most importantly of all, the mind changing ideas they contain.

Letter Re: Evidence that Physical Silver is in Short Supply

James,  
An interesting trend to make note of: Here in the Great White North, ScotiaBank (one of our Big Five banks) sells physical bullion through it’s investing arm: ScotiaMocatta.   I simply walk to the main branch in my municipality, make an order at the bullion desk, pay cash, and walk out with a number of 1 ounce silver bars (or whatever precious metal suits your tastes. I find gold too cumbersome at $1,420 per ounce to be useful for trade/barter WTSHTF…)  

As of last week, the 100 ounce silver bars were no longer available either online, or through the bullion desk at the main branch here in town.   Now, neither are the 10 ounce silver bars.  And I’m told that, if their mint is making them, it’s going to take a while as they’re having problems with fulfillment shipments of raw silver.  Wondering when the 1 ounce bars are going to reach the same conclusion…   Keep Your Powder Dry, and God Bless!   – J. in the Great White North

Two Letters Re: Building a Dryer Lint Stove

Sir:
I have made something similar and would agree it is and easy and cheep way to make a reliable stove.  In my instance I have used Altoid cans and I personally like the size and having the lid attached.  I like that there is no “where did I put that lid” problems. – Jason H.

Hi Jim and readers,
Brian C. mentioned his stove. I was  fascinated with the dryer lint stove idea,  I do it a little different, many many years ago, and a long long time ago, I learned a similar way of making a stove, but we used a alternate method using long strips of corrugated card board box material  cut just a little narrower than the tuna can, and wound very tightly into the tuna can, and using paraffin for fuel. They work very similar to Brian’s stove, and spread the heat quite well. I use a lot of wax in my business, So every now and then I make up a few stoves, and place them in my G.O.O.D. bags.  One stove is good for about one meal, or warming a tent.  I think they would be great as part of small kits made up for charity as mentioned in one of the other pieces I read today. Blessings and Merry Christmas, – Dave M.

Economics and Investing:

David C. suggested a good interview with John Williams of ShadowStats, wherein he outlines the case for hyperinflationary depression in 6-to-9 months. 

Regulators close banks in Michigan, Pennsylvania. The number just goes up and up…151 banks thusfar in 2010. (Thanks to Kelly D. for the link.)

Glenn Beck Warns of Food Riots, Martial Law & Gun Confiscations. (Thanks to H.W. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Gold, Silver, Copper Hit Record Highs On Weakening Dollar

It’s Not IF The Euro Collapses, But WHEN

Zero Permanent Jobs Were Created By The Stimulus

Global Bond Route Deepens On US Fiscal Worries

Odds ‘n Sods:

Newsweek asks: Are We Running Out of Antibiotics?

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Reader F.J. suggested: How to Make a Secret Book Safe

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Camping Survival has added several interesting new products to their line.

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Reader F.G. sent this: “An acclaimed outdoorsman who wrote movingly about testing himself against nature is presumed dead after a crocodile snatched him from his kayak while he led an American expedition from the source of the White Nile into the heart of Congo.” K.T.’s wry comment: “Sadly, his ‘test against nature’, failed. He and his friends also failed the ‘Carry a very large caliber handgun on your belt in Crocodile Country’, test.”

Notes from JWR:

The Rawles Gets Your Ready Family Preparedness Course is only rarely offered at a discounted price. While supplies last, the publisher is running a special sale. Don’t miss out on the chance to get a copy for yourself, or to give one as a Christmas gift before it goes out of print.

—

Today we present another two entries for Round 32 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 $795, 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 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 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, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) 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 32 ends on January 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.

Building a Dryer Lint and Wax Stove, by Brian C.

This easy to make tool has been in my inventory for 30-plus years. It has come in handy while camping as a scout, serving in the Marine Corps and even on the ground in the Gulf Coast as a First Responder after Hurricane Katrina and during Hurricane Rita.

Once assembled it is primarily a stove, but a bit of its contents can be cut away and used as a fire starter, and–if the area is properly ventilated–a heating device. That’s right, a single, self contained, water proof unit consisting of just three materials of which many of us have and throw away.

Materials

  1. Dryer Lint (About a one-pound coffee can full)
  2. Empty 12 oz. Tuna can (Clean and dry)
  3. Wax (Approx. 12 oz) [JWR Adds: Plain paraffin is available wherever home canning supplies are sold.]

Equipment

  1. Fry Pan
  2. Small Pot
  3. Stove
  4. Water
  5. Small stick (Popsicle type. I use my fingers but the wax is obviously hot!)

Assembly

  1. Place an inch or so of water in the fry pan and bring to a mild boil.
  2. Break or cut wax into small pieces and place into the pot.
  3. Place Pot into the water and allow the wax to melt.
  4. Pack as much lint into the tuna can as possible.
  5. Slowly pour wax over the lint. The lint is going to absorb the wax and contract.
  6. Continually add lint. One tuna can will hold almost all of the lint that you have collected.
  7. Once the tuna can is almost full, top off with just a bit of wax.
  8. Let the wax cool and harden. I place it in the fridge to expedite the process. Even in the fridge it will take several hours to cool thoroughly.

Once assembled the total weight will be approximately 12.5 ounces.

How to use
 Acting as a wick the lint burns the wax just like a candle. The Flame base is wide, almost the circumference of the can used, so it’s large enough to make quick work of a plate of food or a pot of snow. Take your utility knife and pierce the contents about a quarter of an inch and gently pry up creating little peaks you can easily light.
 If you are having trouble getting that fire started, just grab your handy knife and carve a bit of the lint and wax away and place it under your kindling.
With wax as the fuel source once this handy item cools it is also water proof. I will admit it is a bit heavy however for three days in the field about half a can will work.

Options
Different containers, e.g. an empty shoe polish can, will make a smaller stove with a lid. A larger can will burn much longer allowing for larger items to be heated.

JWR Adds: All the oft-repeated safety provisos on open flames and stove ventilation apply. Also, keep in mind that once ignited, you are dealing with liquid paraffin, so it will create a napalm-like burning puddle if the stove is tipped over. So show great caution when using your stove. Once you are done cooking, it is best to snuff it out by covering it with a tight-fitting steel lid. And of course let everything cool down completely before moving the stove.

Letter Re: The Shelf Reliance Food Storage Planning Tool

James,
I wanted to share some info on food prep. I’m sure you know about Shelf Reliance but I wanted to mention them to you and their great resources. I am trying to start prepping food and found their site a few months back. Yesterday, I went to their site to try and figure out how much of what I will need and what it will cost.

They have some good tools and packages in there for general prep and emergencies. They also have some decent medical supplies and kits too. Under the “TOOLS” tab, you can use the THRIVE Planner to set up your family and food needs based on each person’s age and daily caloric intake needs. You can even specify what percentage of the package is ready-to-eat entrees (such as macaroni and cheese or linguine and meat sauce) and what percentage is freeze dried food. You can add in drink mixes and basic cooking items like salt and sugar and what not. You can even set what your monthly food prep budget is and set up a monthly program. Once I entered in my family needs and the duration of anticipated need, it auto-generated a plan consisting of a variety of grains, fruits, veggies, meats, dairy, and so forth. It will group everything by type and you can swap out items that you may not like or may be allergic to. I found this tool great for me since I don’t know as much about food storage and planning as I would like. They know their products and what a person needs and put the package together for you. It is also handy to be able to put in $200 per month for food and they will break the package up and set up a recurring monthly plan to get me everything and will show me how many months it will take at a given budget.

In addition to the food, they have food rotation storage systems, recipes to use with your prep food, emergency kit planners, and general emergency/prep information.

I was also enjoying browsing their emergency supplies which seem very extensive and include supplies for cats and dogs. I have already put together several kits for hurricanes and bugging out for my family and pets. – Ford M.