Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 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 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, 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 31 ends on November 30th, 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.

An Adequate Bug Out Vehicle (BOV), by Ed in Kentucky

A really tough Bug Out Vehicle (BOV) can be quite expensive, and possibly beyond most people’s ability to acquire and prepare. One also needs to ask how “serious” of a BOV can he/she actually afford to buy, maintain, and insure ?

BOVs can be viewed as being on a scale of 1 to 10 .. a Yugo being perhaps a 1, and a specially designed “escape” vehicle being perhaps a 10.

It’s probably true that situations most likely to happen, can be handled by a BOV in the 4 – 6 range on that scale.

These would be some things to consider about an “adequate BOV” …

1. Can get over most debris in the roadway that presents an obstacle

2. Can get through 18″ or so of standing water on the roadway

3. Not overly vulnerable to debris in the roadway that could puncture tires

4. Provides decent security from threat by persons in or near the roadway

5. Ability to travel at least 400 miles on one fueling.

6. Can pull a heavy trailer or other load

7. Can carry a lot of gear and/or persons inside the vehicle

8. Moderate cost to purchase

9. Common enough mechanicals that parts can be acquired easily

10. A durable, proven design that has been in production for many years

11. Enough “hi-tech” to make the vehicle useful, but not so much as to make it overly vulnerable

12. Heavy chassis that will take considerable punishment

13. An outward appearance that does not attract attention, and blends into the “crowd” easily

14. Mechanically as simple as possible, using technologies that are as basic as possible.

15. Can go off-road to some extent

Although not the perfect vehicle, and probably vulnerable to EMP, I chose a used 2004 Ford E-150 van, 2-wheel drive, standard length, white in color. This one has the 5.4 L V8 engine (many thousands have been produced), the XLT interior package, privacy window glass, and very little else in the way of extras.

I chose the “window” van because it looks like thousands of others, including Church vans. It presents an appearance that is as American as apple pie. In addition, the E-150 (rather than the E-250 or E-350) is often regarded as “almost a car” rather than a “truck”, when it comes to licensing and insurance. This can save you money and make the vehicle less conspicuous. Be aware that the E-150 (even with the changes listed below) can’t carry the massive load that an E-350 carries, so don’t overload it.

This E-150 didn’t cost much to purchase used with about 90,000 miles on it, is fairly inexpensive to insure, and has a great highway safety rating by insurance companies. In one of these vans, when you are in an collision type of accident, it’s probably the other vehicle that will be seriously damaged and its occupants injured.

Other reasons I chose this vehicle .. it’s a Ford, and that name is fairly well-regarded in America these days. Also, there are so many vans like it on the road that you can easily get lost in the crowd (often a very good thing). In addition, it’s a design that goes back to 1975, with the more recent major upgrades in 1992, 1997, 2000, and 2003 (be aware that 2005 and newer Ford E-series vans have the “computerized throttle” rather than the earlier mechanical throttle setup). The fuel tank is located between the frame rails in the center of the vehicle (greatly reducing damage to the tank during a serious collision). The spare tire is located up under the van in the rear, and has a basic locking arrangement. If you’ve ever owned a van with the spare on the back door or stored inside the van, you will appreciate this feature. Also, the exhaust system is constructed of a type of steel that seems to last almost forever.

This van sits up high off the ground, has a lot of ground clearance, has a very beefy suspension, a fairly large fuel tank (36 gallons), four-wheel disc brakes (easy to service), a seriously good engine cooling system, and a large stout front bumper.

Although there is much that is “right” about the E-150 including a rear-gear ratio that promotes good fuel economy, the stock van needed beefing up. The Ford E-150 van does have its downsides, including: typical difficulty working on the engine, changing spark plugs is especially difficult, is affected by crosswinds out on the highway, marginal fuel economy, weak rear springs, so-so shocks, and a pitifully lightweight rear bumper.

These changes were made to the van, to “beef it up” some, and make it more of a BOV …

1. 1″ thick insulation panels have been placed over most of the windows, painted flat black on the outside of the insulation surface. These provide insulation against heat and cold, and make it impossible to see through that particular window. The privacy-tinted glass makes the insulation panels invisible.

2. Shelf-units were installed inside to store needed items.

3. Water is stored inside, using several 7-gallon plastic containers from Wal-Mart.

4. A “limited-slip differential” was installed, replacing the standard one. This is the best thing since sliced bread. It causes both rear wheels to drive the vehicle ahead in snow and mud conditions. A standard differential will leave you with one spinning rear wheel and the other doing nothing in these conditions. A limited-slip differential has been called “a poor man’s four-wheel drive”. It is really amazing what a difference this unit makes!

5. Replaced the standard “Load Range C” tires with mud/snow rated “Load Range E” tires. E-range tires are far more puncture-resistant, can carry much more weight, the sidewalls are much more resistant to damage, and the mud/snow tread will get you through some surprisingly rough situations.

6. Increased the load capacity of the rear leaf springs. Any E-150 needs this. Adding a leaf or two is plenty.

7. Added a couple of “spring spacers” to the front coil springs, to firm them up a bit. Replacing the front springs with heavier ones is ideal, but pricey; and an expensive front-end alignment with some modification would be needed.

8. Installed shock absorbers that actually work. In this case, Monroe truck shocks were installed. These keep the vehicle much more stable, especially improving the handling when carrying a lot of weight on board.

9. Dimmed the interior lights that come on when any door is opened. In this van the interior ceiling lights also come on when the engine is turned off … and there you are in some dangerous place, with the interior so well-lit that you make a great target. Cover the ceiling light lens with aluminum foil tape (from a home supply store), leaving enough of the lens uncovered to provide dim light when the lights come on automatically. These ceiling light fixtures also have separate switch-operated lights that can be used to brightly light the interior.

10. Replaced the standard rear bumper with a “step” bumper. This is a heavy steel bumper that sticks out about 6″ away from the rear of the van, and can fend off a fairly strong impact. It’s also a great step up into the back door, provides a trailer hitch, and looks great.

All-totaled, I have about $9,000 invested in this BOV. Although it’s not a Abrams Tank, it will probably get us through the situations that are most likely to happen.

The changes I’ve made so far are ones that seemed important .. making the van go through difficult places while carrying a load.

Other changes I’ll make later, as finances permit .. include:

1. A battery/inverter system to provide 120 volt AC power.

2. A rudimentary kitchen

3. A simple way to heat the interior safely in cold weather

4. A way to carry at least 10 more gallons of gasoline

5. A bed that doubles as a 2-person seat behind the driver’s seat

6. A Fantastic Fan (or its equivalent) in the roof.

JWR Adds: I agree that vans have considerable utility as bug out vehicles. If the van will be a “daily driver” where gas mileage is critical, then I’d recommend a two wheel drive model. But if it is only used occasionally for hauling and family vacations, then I recommend starting with a factory made four wheel drive model. (The transmission and drive shaft reliability of some 4WD conversions is suspect.) With 4WD you’ll have much better mobility off road. Also, as previously discussed in SurvivalBlog, carrying a basic set of pioneer tools (axe, shovel and pick) as well as a pair of bolt cutters may make a critical difference in off-road mobility.

Letter Re: Question on Low Oxygen Food Storage Packing

Mr. Rawles,  
I have been looking around and have found sites for procuring nitrogen packed foods as well as read your books on how to do the same.

One question keeps popping into mind is this: By using five gallon [HDPE plastic] buckets, once opened how long before the food stuffs go bad? Would it be wiser or more advantageous to pack in smaller containers to as not to risk spoilage?   I have searched your blog but have not been able to find the answer.   Thank you in advance, – James M.

JWR Replies: Your question is a valid one, and you aren’t the first to ask it. The brief answer to you question could be sententiously answered with the phrase: “Shop like Catholic families: shop at Costco.” Let me explain:

On the packaging (“producer”) side, a food container size is determined primarily by material handling time and space efficiency. On the consumer side, package size preference is determined by the size of the family. You pay much more per pound with smaller packages. (“You pay for convenience”, and “Its cheaper wholesale” are both valid expressions.)

Powdered milk, rice, beans, corn meal, wheat and other grains are less expensive to buy (per pound) in six gallon buckets for several reasons:

1.) It is generally less expensive to manufacture one 6 gallon container than it is to manufacture six one gallon containers. This is generally true, regardless of the container material, be it glass, heavy duty plastic, or steel. Consider: How much steel is there in five one-pound coffee cans, compared to one five-pound coffee cans? However, there are some containers such as plastic sacks and retort packaging foils, where the cost differential is minimal.

2.) The employee handling time required is nearly the same to fill a one-gallon container as it is to fill a six-gallon container.

3.) Labeling, handling, and inspection costs increase proportionately, as the number of containers increase.

4.) You will most likely buying your food in big plain buckets from some drab warehouse, rather than from a high overhead retail store in a prime shopping district.

5.) Most bulk-packed storage foods get to your hands with fewer middlemen worked into the pricing equation.

Also consider that it is more space efficient to ship and store foods in larger containers. (Fewer cardboard boxes, more tightly-filled trucks, and so forth.)

Now all the foregoing talk about the efficiency of large containers is well and good for large families. (Typically, Catholic and Mormon families.) But what about retired couples, widows, widowers, or young singles?

Even though most food items might cost more at the outset, someone living alone is probably better off buying food in smaller containers. That way, they are more assured that the product will be used before spoilage occurs. So, for example, instead of buying dehydrated and freeze dried foods in #10 cans (most common in the food service industry) you might instead buy them in smaller cans. (In the long term storage food industry, these smaller cans are usually the #2-1/2 size.)

For future reference, here are some of the standard American can sizes:

Can Designation Volume Liquid Content Weight
#1 Half Pint 8 Ounces
#2 Pint 16 Ounces
#2-1/2 3-1/2 Cups 30 Ounces
#3 Quart 32 Ounces
#5 7-1/3 Cups 58 Ounces
#10 13 Cups. Used for “food service” and storage food cans. 104 Ounces
#12 One Gallon 128 Ounces

Note: The #10 size cans are often mistakenly called “gallon cans” but they actually hold less than one gallon.

Other than buying smaller cans, there are various ways to get around the spoilage problem. After first breaking the seal on a large container, spoilage can be minimized via any combination of these techniques:

  • Refrigeration
  • Freezing
  • Cooking
  • Brining
  • Resealing the remaining contents in the original container. (Typically with a fresh 02 absorbing packet.)
  • Resealing the remaining contents in a Mason jar or in a smaller plastic package. (Such as with a Tillia FoodSaver, available from Safecastle and several other mail order vendors.)
  • Dehydrating. (We have got a lot of use out of our Excalibur dehydrator here at the ranch.)

As I describe in the Rawles Gets Your Ready Course, I recommend that most families stock up at “Big Box” stores like Costco and Sam’s Club, or at restaurant supply companies. There you can buy items like 25 pound sacks of beans and 50 pound sacks of rice. When you re-package grains and legumes at home in HDPE plastic buckets (made in sizes between 2-1/2 gallons and 7 gallons), you can save a tremendous amount on your storage food buying. Using a sealed mylar liner is recommended, since HDPE is gradually gas permeable. What you will save by doing it yourself will equate to putting away enough additional food that can be measured in extra months of storage food for your family. So it is well worth the effort.

One other option is volunteering at your local LDS church’s Bishop’s Storehouse dry pack cannery. People who are not LDS church members are generally welcome. (They’ve only excluded non-members during unusually frantic peaks, like just before Y2K.) You buy the bulk foods and empty cans from them. You provide the labor, and they provide the workspace and the can sealing equipment.

Letter Re: Square Foot Gardening

Hello James,  
I have not tried to start a vegetable garden yet, but am planning to this coming spring.  I’m not known for having a green thumb.  So much to read and research. But winter has officially arrived, so it looks like I’ve got some time before things thaw out!    That said, I found an interesting article that explains the benefits of Square Foot Gardening.  Looks like a great way to maximize the usable space for growing, as well as making the plants  more accessible for care and harvesting.  Plus it looks easy; on the wallet and to build.    Stay warm! – Christopher S.

Letter Re: Low-Tech Magazine

Hi Jim;

I stumbled onto the fascinating Low-Tech Magazine web site. With sections titled, “Ecotech myths,” “Obsolete technology,” and “Low-tech solutions,” there’s something for everyone!

Really interesting stuff for anyone who wonders how a civilization can be built and run without electricity.

Cheers! – Jason R.

Economics and Investing:

Fierce Finance reports: Private-label MBS debt looms as huge risk

Ireland’s unfolding crisis may be followed soon by Portugal, and then Spain and Italy. That many sovereign debt failures would spell the end of the Euro. If the Euro collapses it might cause a temporary jump in the value of the US Dollar, and a corresponding drop in precious metals (at least in Dollar terms.) That dip may be the last chance to buy silver before it vaults into $50+ territory.

Robert Rubin: “US In Terribly Dangerous Territory,” Bond Market May Be Headed For “Implosion”

Meredith Whitney sees 5,000 bank branches closing

Dr. Gary North: How Max Keiser Was Betrayed by Ellen Brown

Items from The Economatrix:

Bob Chapman on Gold, Silver, Economy and More  

Pay Cuts Aren’t Enough:  Time to Lay-off Federal Workers  

Gloom, Anger Spread as European Economics Teeter  

Consumers Spend and Earn More, Layoffs Slow  

Inflation Watch:

Record-High Turkey Prices Are Just the Beginning. “Currently, wholesale prices are hovering around $1.09 per pound, the highest they’ve ever reached. This represents a 28% increase over 2009’s prices and a 37% increase over 2008’s.

The BHO Administration still claims that inflation is low. Yeah, right. The 2010 list price shows that a standard blue steel Colt M1911 .45 automatic is now $919. (Or $950 for stainless steel.) I can only wonder what the 2011 prices will be. Certainly not lower. For comparison, in the early 1960s a standard blue steel Colt M1911 sold for around $60. But by the early 1990s they had jumped to around $375. Here is a thought: If I just liquidate three of my 1/4-ounce American Eagle gold coins… Here is the math: They cost me $95 each in 2001. ($285 for the three coins.) I can now sell them for $337.50 each. Selling those three coins will put $1,012.50 cash (or a Colt .45) in my pocket. So I shouldn’t so much be concerned that a Colt pistol that has gone up. Rather, it is the dollar that has gone down.

Dr. F.J.D. sent: Consumer Prices For Hospital Services Increased. Modern Healthcare reported, “Consumer prices for hospital services increased 0.7% in October after rising 1.8% the prior month, according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” Conversely, “consumer prices for physician services dropped 0.1% last month after a 0.4% increase in September.”

Reader “Sam’s Mom” notes: “For the past few years I’ve bought boxes of 24 StarterLogg fire starters for use in our wood stove. Over time the price has increased from about $7 to $10 at the end of last winter.  Yesterday I was surprised to see the price at Wal-Mart for the 24-count box is still $10, but when I picked up a box I realized it was smaller than before.  At home, I compared it with boxes from last year and found the older boxes were 9.75 pounds; the new box (with identical packaging) was 6.83 pounds.  I’m considering instead using Dollar bills to start fires.  Thank you for a life-changing blog.”

Odds ‘n Sods:

JRH Enterprises is extending their annual Black Friday sale through Saturday, with sale prices on many items including new Third Generation AN/PVS-14 night vision units as low as $2,895. I can attest from my own experience that you will not be disappointed with these scopes, when used either hand-held or mounted on a rifle.

   o o o

Cheryl N. (a.k.a. The Economatrix) sent this: Survival, Evasion…Vacation?  

   o o o

Emergency Essentials has announced a big one-day “Black Friday” sale with bargain prices on storage foods, wheat grinders, and more.

   o o o

In The Daily Bell: Oath-Keeper Stewart Rhodes on the Rise of Authoritarianism and How US Law Enforcement Can Take a Stand for Freedom. (Near the end of the article Rhodes kindly recommended my writings.)

   o o o

In part because of the spike in cotton prices to all-time highs, retail clothing prices are expected to rise substantially in coming months. Even our own SurvivalBlog and Battle of Bennington Flag T-shirts are expected to jump at least 20% in January. Stock up on clothing now, especially non-durable items like socks and underwear. For more durable items like pants, sweaters and coats, check you local thrift store frequently. Watch especially for items made of Merino wool.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Greece will certainly default on its debts, and it is an open question whether Greece will experience some form of revolution or coup – I’d put the likelihood of that over the next five years as around one in four.” – Andrew Lilico, chief economist, Policy Exchange. (Quoted in June, 2010.)

Notes from JWR:

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving day in the United States. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. (See the special announcement, below, titled: An Answer to Prayer–Introducing Avalanche Lily.)

—

Today we present another two entries for Round 31 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 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, 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 31 ends on November 30th, 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.

The Attitude of Survival, by B.T.

We’re living in a country that’s the equivalent of the Titanic and everywhere around me I see people dancing like nothing’s happening…

In the worst of times and in the best of times, it’s the attitude of your undertaking that matters most. No matter what we may imagine will come to be, most of us will be drastically unprepared when the SHTF. We can have all the basics covered, and we can have a solution to everything we might imagine, but like war and science, there’s always the unexpected we can never account for.

Personally I think most of us won’t actually know when the SHTF  More than likely it will be such a gradual digression that we’ll be unsure if it’s time to bug out or not. I don’t think the major media will be alerting us to the fact the ship is sinking. It’s already sinking and all we hear from them is don’t worry, we’ve got it covered. Don’t let it distract you from dancing to the music.

The biggest unknown is going to be knowing when it’s really time to G.O.O.D.  Am I going to wait until the Golden Horde is rioting in the streets?  It might be too late by then.  Do I continue to watch the news and read the blogs and evaluate all the available data and make the wisest determination I can based upon that?  I don’t know.

I’m not wealthy, so for the time being I need to keep working as long as possible. Do I just keep watching as my dollar is worth less and food harder to come by? Do I let my reserves begin dwindling because circumstances warrant I use them to maintain my current needs ?  In such circumstances the economy itself might just drain my resources before I ever get a chance to use them.  If it all happened tomorrow then I’d venture to say I’m pretty well prepared and my survival rating is pretty high.  If I suffer through a slow drain of my resources as things worsen over time will I be able to maintain my survivability?

I don’t know exactly what will happen. What I do know is I have a good attitude.  I don’t really worry about such things. I have made up my mind to go ahead and move to my retreat this Spring. Hopefully I have the luxury of that much time. I am writing this so others like me who may be contemplating these things, might also reach the same conclusion that I have.  I can’t afford to wait.  I can no longer cling to a lifestyle that I’d have to escape.

Sure, I’ve got my food and water storage going, I’ve got the weapons, survival gear, a retreat to go to, caches along the route in place and a small group of close friends willing to work together in the name of mutual sustainability. All the basics, and then some.  I have the knowledge and experience. I’ve lived off the grid for decades in the past, honing my acquired skills and learning new ones.  I can shoot, hunt, grow a garden, manufacture and improvise low-tech and high-tech. I know the joys and the sufferings.  It’s hard work but full of rewards.

I suggest that if you’re not living on your retreat then plan to do so soon.  Stop contributing to the very system that causes us to live believing  we have to escape to somewhere else from.  If you don’t have a retreat, then devise a plan to simplify and take the first step towards acquiring one or finding someone that does and can use your skills and/or knowledge. Don’t be dead weight.

 If you can’t afford a retreat sell that new vehicle you’re making the monthly payments on and buy used. Become mobile. Get a motor home or trailer or convert a bus or truck, whatever. Consider it your it your Long Term Survival Vehicle).  Whatever solution you come up with tailor it to your needs.

Don’t be owned by your possessions, free yourself and retain only the basics. Sell what you don’t need and get what you do. Make a list of what you can live without and what you can’t. For decades we’ve pampered ourselves with comforts we don’t need and softened ourselves in the process.  Simplify.

Surviving isn’t so much about the equipment you have or don’t have, it’s going to boil down to the attitude you possess. Not the possessions.  Preparedness is an attitude, not an inventory. If we are all to wait until the last moment to make the necessary changes in our lives, we’ll be grossly unprepared.  I no longer believe that it’s a matter of if, but when the SHTF. 

I don’t believe I’m just going to wake up one day and hear it on the radio, grab my BOB, my M1A and jump in my fully outfitted, fully fueled and prepped rig with a secured trailer full of equipment, call my survival squad buddies and make some Mad Max convoy run to our distant retreat  all fully armed and stocked with the necessities of the apocalypse, fending off the Golden Horde with superior firepower while at the same time hastily planting seeds and sending out missions to establish a perimeter. 

I’ve seen all the movies, read all the books and written a few short stories.  I have a very rich and graphic imagination. As fantastical as that is to imagine I don’t think it’s going to come down that way.

I thoroughly believe the beginning of the end will come more like a thief in the night, like some viral disease that cripples you over time.  You slowly become weaker and weaker until one day you can no longer get out of bed, sicken and die. In that final moment you come to the realization that in spite of your best laid plans, you didn’t see it coming. Not when it mattered most anyway. The Schumer isn’t going to hit the fan. It’s going to drip down on it slowly over time, smelling up the air and fouling our nests.

Being prepared is all fine and dandy, but if you are thinking of it like some apocalyptic insurance policy, that you’ll just activate when the moment is upon us, then the attitude is all wrong. The powers that be have always inflicted the ills of their master plan and fiscal folly upon us over an extended period of time, the frog in the hot water analogy.  This will be no different and don’t think it won’t. 

If you wait until the last moment to G.O.O.D., then chances are the authorities will have already outlawed weapons possession, stockpiling food, and owning an inordinate amount of survival equipment. They would have already come through and searched your home, confiscated your outlawed items and hauled you off to some camp for rehabilitation.

That or they’ll establish roadblocks long before they pull the trigger on the apocalypse. Are you really going to resist if they have a warrant and you’ve got your family there to think of?  It’s one thing to imagine yourself wading through the chaos, fighting your way out of the Horde to get where you need to go. It’s completely another when they come knocking on your door with badges, guns and mercenaries to back them up (research Hurricane Katrina). You’ll find yourself a refugee or incarcerated in a world that loathes anyone who thought to think ahead.

They’ll use the excuse that “We’re all in this together” and “All those things you’ve put together and planned for to assure your own survivability are better distributed for the benefit of all.”  They’ll tell you they are much better suited to taking care of you than you are at taking care of yourself. After all, isn’t that the current mindset being employed against us?  Isn’t that the very creed by which we allowed Homeland Security and FEMA and a host of other organizations both visible and invisible to establish themselves as the protectors of our well-being?

We subjugate ourselves to body scanners, body searches, an inordinate amount of senseless laws and policies to protect ourselves from one another. After all, we’ve sheepishly accepted seatbelt laws, helmet laws, mandatory vehicle and health insurance policies, non smoking policies, food and agricultural legislation, consumer protection laws and a multitude of similar intrusions into our personal lives because we’ve been either too lazy or too negligent in taking personal responsibility for our actions. We’ve lost the concept of Common Sense. We’ve neglected the precedent of the Constitution, and allowed ourselves to fall to the level of a herd of sheep.

Our herders have divided and turned us against one another on the basis of race, creed, color and politics.  We’re Red States and Blue States, Conservatives and Liberals, we’re labeled and marketed and sold a bill of goods because we’re awash in comfort and luxury. We stopped making do and sold out for the ability to enjoy it now and pay for it later.

We got distracted keeping up with the Jones’s and connecting ourselves to our possessions.  We are what we drive, where we live, what we live in, how well we eat, what we do for a living. We allowed a corporate consumerist culture to blast us with advertising to the point we’ve forgotten to think for ourselves. That’s all got to change.  You can’t take that attitude with you when the SHTF.
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The first step to preparedness and survivability is to lose the pre-programmed attitude of consumerism and selfishness, to become self-reliant in attitude as well as action.  It just might save your life.

An Answer to Prayer–Introducing Avalanche Lily

By God’s grace, there was a strong response to my late wife’s July 2009 Bucket List post. One of the responses came from a lovely young widow. She is a committed Christian, a homeschooling mom, and very outdoorsy. (She is an avid gardener, target shooter, hiker and kayaker.) In SurvivalBlog posts, my new bride will be known as Avalanche Lily. She plans to chime in on various blog topics, and she has already started helping me edit articles and my book manuscripts.

It was abundantly clear that it was God’s hand that put us together. We both stand amazed at the foresight and selflessness of my late wife (“The Memsahib”) in writing the post that was instrumental in bringing us together.

Avalanche Lily is an amazingly energetic lady, and I’m thrilled to have her as my wife and joining me as co-editor of SurvivalBlog.  God is so wonderfully provident! I feel tremendously blessed.

Thanks for your prayers. My recent marriage is proof that prayers can be effectual!   

Letter Re: Advice on Stored Food Shelf Lives and Insect Proofing

Mr. Rawles;
I see all the news of the economic chaos (bursting budgets, Ireland debt crisis, unemployment, QEII, etc.), just like you showed in your novel [“Patriots”]. (Was it prophetic?) This has me scared spitless, and I’m overwhelmed with all the preps that I have to make, yesterday. My budget is small, since I don’t want to use my credit card for any of this. I really need to get started.

Where can I buy food cheaply, in bulk? The supermarket prices seem too high for rice and beans. There is a Sam’s Club [membership] store nearby, and they have much better prices. At least I was able to find buckets and lids at my local bakery, for free, like you mentioned in your blog. They were very nice, even apologizing that the buckets hadn’t been washed. I can get more in a couple of weeks. (They are saving them for me.)

The one bucket that I sealed was very hard to re-open. Is there some tool for that?

Can I stock up everything I need, right in town? How about [protecting my stored food from] insects? (Both already hatched bugs and eggs).

Last thing: Do you have a list of shelf lives for different kinds of foods?

Thanks for your wonderful blog. It is amazing. – Margaret I. in Colorado

JWR Replies: Good luck with embarking on your food storage program. You can source nearly everything you need at your local Sam’s Club store.

Both square and round plastic buckets are easily opened with a bucket lid wrench. These are usually available in the paint departments of Lowe’s and Home Depot stores, as well at some restaurant supply stores. They are also inexpensively sold via mail order. (Usually under $7.) Further, I recommend that any round buckets that you need to access very frequently should be retrofitted with a screw-top Gamma Seal Lid. Here at the ranch, we use these lids on the buckets for our wheat, sugar, rice, corn meal, pasta, and even our dog food.

Details on insect-proofing your food stored in buckets (including a method with dry ice) and some comprehensive food shelf life charts are including in the Rawles Gets Your Ready Course. It is currently offered at a discounted price. Coincidentally, the course is specifically geared toward stocking up at “Big Box” stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.

Letter Re: Dealing with Common Addictions–True Readiness for Disasters

Jim,
I agree in principle with your response to C.Y. about getting rid of addictions and the things that feed them, but with regard to caffeine I think the necessity “on the ground,” so to speak, can be a bit more nuanced. I’ve always been a “night owl” and function quite well in most instances when it’s dark out, unlike probably a majority of people. I’ve been working second or third shift for more than 11 years and don’t need caffeine to stay awake late at night because my body has adjusted to those hours. However, there are instances when, even though I may be fully rested, I just need that extra kick that coffee provides to maintain alertness–sometimes the body just feels like napping.

In a Schumer-hits-the-fan situation, as you have noted both on your site and in your novel “Patriots”, having one or more people on lookout duty 24/7 may be a necessity, and in such cases alertness can’t be compromised. Caffeine tablets might seem like the easiest way to go, but for some people the tablets might be overkill if they don’t drink a lot of caffeine. One possibility is to get mylar “minipouches” (relatively easy to find online) and seal up a scoopful of whole-bean (not ground) coffee so that in a pinch when alertness is required, the individual could munch on a few coffee beans for as small or large a dose of caffeine as they need to stay alert. Is this ideal? Not at all. Would some people turn their noses up at the taste of straight, bitter coffee beans? Probably. But in one way or another each one of us has had to take “bitter medicine” at times to get through a situation, and when it’s a matter of staying alert to survive, the bitter taste of coffee beans will go away after a few minutes. That unpleasant “medicine” is worth it if the end result is the resolution of a dangerous situation or completion of a vital task. – Chad S.

Letter Re: Digital-Analog Cell Phones for Rural Areas

Dear Jim,  
I have some cell phone details to your readers. I used to work in the cell phone business as a repair tech. Phones made before 2003 are not legal for activation in the USA. Some people continue to use old legacy hardware on the network, grandfathered in, but once that phone dies, they have to upgrade, under law, to an Enhanced 911 compliant/compatible device. That’s straight from the FCC, no ifs, ands, ors or buts. That means the Bag Phone, and even the StarTac aren’t legal. This is not to say that you can’t work around this with a modern phone. Several models allow for an analog/digital service and have plugs for an external antenna booster and some even allow for a full on mini-cell site (though the hardware is expensive). I’m not sure its worth it, but people decide the costs and should read reviews of other’s experiences before spending any money. YMMV. Considering that a phone call to the carrier’s signal engineers might just modify the cell coverage to cover your home if you’re a big enough customer, or can represent sufficient customer dollar value, to solve the problem, there’s often a better way.   Another option is to setup a phone system locally to dial into a 802.11g/n hub via Vonage or equivalent Internet phone service or even work with wireless broadband for phone service, for little real cost. There’s a lot of options. You don’t have to waste money on a obsolete legacy, illegal and won’t be activated by any carrier, equipment whose analog signal is a party line for anyone with a receiver to pick up the frequency. Please remember that analog cell phones are just traditional radios, after all. Digital is where you get your voice security, through the Multiplexing (GSM, CDMA, TDMA). Smart options are best. Read the review, always.   Best, – InyoKern