Letter Re: Many Pension Funds are Doomed

Jim:
The following article is one example of why “dot gov” will basically collapse, at every level. The threat is faced by teachers and all public service employees et cetera. All of their “retirements” are doomed.

Fort Worth pension bubble will blow up in our faces

You don’t have to be an actuary to know that this pension plan will end badly. The technical phrase is “trending toward insolvency.”

The key problem is that the city is on the hook for all the promised benefits. Taxpayers will have to pony up hefty contributions for years, even generations, and the city may have to cut services to afford it. The pension for city employees is currently projected to pay out $432 million more than it brings in over the next 30 years. – K.T.

JWR Replies: I concur. Coincidentally, SurvivalBlog reader Jon A. in New York recently sent me this: DiNapoli: Local governments face huge jump in pension costs. Jon’s comment was: “I truly believe this is where the unrest will come from in this country: pensioners and/or welfare recipients ultimately receiving less than what they expected from the government.” Meanwhile, we read: President Obama Plans to Cut Social Security Next. The bottom line: Plan your own retirement, and as part of that, have a component that is heavy into tangibles. This will be your “fire insurance” against a collapse in the U.S. Dollar as a currency unit.

Letter Re: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ike, by John in Texas

Jim,

I really appreciate the people who share their lessons learned on SurvivalBlog.com, so I thought I would share my experiences and lessons learned from Hurricane Ike.

Hurricane Ike hit Houston on Friday night September 13, 2008.  The hurricane was classified as a strong category 2 with maximum sustained winds of 110 MPH.  What was unusual about this hurricane was the large size of the storm.  Hurricane force winds extended 120 miles from the center. 

Gas stations in our area ran out of gas the day before the storm (Thursday).  I waited in a very long line of cars only to find out that the station had run out of Regular gas.  I was happy to pay extra to fill up with Premium.  The gas station was a zoo with everyone in panic mode.  It was all the owner could do to maintain order with people complaining about credit card issues, the station running out of Regular, and how people were taking too long to buy gas.  I will never again wait until the last minute to buy gas.  Grocery stores were also crazy.  The grocery stores we visited had all run out of bottled water and batteries.  People were buying canned goods and ice in large quantities. 

On Friday morning I finished installing our plywood storm shutters on our most vulnerable windows and bringing everything inside that could be damaged by the high winds.  In the afternoon we continued with our preparations inside.  We charged all of our batteries, filled up our camping water storage bags, and got all of our battery lamps ready.  I also setup inverters and car batteries in the house for backup power.

Our home is about 70 miles north of the coast.  The high winds and rain started to hit around 9 PM on Friday night.  We went to bed early to try to get some sleep before the strongest winds of the storm hit.  Around 1 AM the wind was making so much noise that I was no longer able to sleep.  The house was making a lot of strange noises due to the high winds.  It was at that point that my panic started to build.  What made me feel uneasy was the fact that my family and I were completely on our own.  If we had any kind of emergency, I would not be able to call anyone for help.  What helped me to calm down was keeping busy reviewing all of my preparations and walking around the house checking for problems.

Our power was intermittent most of the night and finally went out around 2 AM.  The television weatherman said that when your electricity goes out, that is when you know the strong winds are approaching.  That is exactly what happened in our case.  I continued watching the news with a battery powered television.  A television is very helpful to track the movement of the storm.  Since television stations in our area no longer broadcast analog television signals, I had to find another solution to receive digital television with backup power for future storms. 

As I watched the eye of the storm pass near our home to the East on television, I thought the worst was over.  To my surprise, the strongest winds hit our house on the back side of the storm.  During the peak winds, I heard a loud crash and our entire house shook.  I ran upstairs and found a tree had hit our house.  I was amazed at the damage.  The roof framing, roof decking, shingles, sheet-rock, insulation, and tree branches had fallen into my son’s bedroom.  The larger tree branches had come through the roof like spears.  Fortunately, I had insisted that everyone sleep down stairs during the storm.  As the hurricane force winds raged outside, we rushed around in the dark trying to find something to catch the water.  We needed a lot of bins and buckets to catch the water falling from such a large area of the roof.  This kept us very busy for the rest of the night as we were constantly bailing the water out of all of the bins.  We were able to catch enough of the water that the sheetrock downstairs was not damaged.

As the sun came up, we were able to see the damage outside.  Most of the large pine trees near our home had been blown down.  The tree that hit our house was a large pine in our neighbor’s yard.  The tree had broken at mid-height and the top part of the tree was still connected to the bottom half.  A second tree in my neighbor’s yard has snapped (clean break) and the top half landed in my back yard.  A third tree had landed on the roof of the house behind ours and the top part was in our yard.  We also had a mature queen palm that had blown over.  The trees all fell in different directions.  I do not think it was a tornado from the hurricane that blew down the trees since the damage was so widespread in our neighborhood.  The funny thing was that I had cut down all of the tall pine trees in my yard after I realized how dangerous they could be if they fell on the house.  All the pine trees that hit my house and landed in my yard were all from my neighbors and all of the cleanup efforts and repairs were my responsibility.  My neighbors paid none of the cost to remove the trees or repair the damage to my home and yard.

The day after the hurricane hit, I called insurance company and told I was on my own and I could not make any major repairs before the Insurance Adjuster arrived.  We started the cleanup process by removing all shingles, roof decking, tree branches, sheet rock, and insulation that was in the room.  The contractor (thick plastic) garbage bags we had worked great for this cleanup.  I highly recommend everyone keep a few boxes of these contractor bags for emergencies.  We then pulled up the carpet and removed the wet pad.  We used fans to circulate the air and help dry the room out.  We learned from a previous flooding that if the house is not dried out quickly, a strong musty odor will develop.  Since we could not put a tarp on the roof due to the tree, we hung a tarp inside the room to catch all the water and funnel it into a large bucket.  The tree company we hired to remove the trees in our yard used a 100-ton crane to remove the tree on our house.

We started running our generator the first day using gas.  The only gas I had was two years old with Sta-Bil gas stabilizer added.  I was amazed the generator ran well on two year old gas.  I now rotate my gas yearly and put it on my calendar so I won’t forget.  Our generator has a natural gas conversion kit installed.  After the rain stopped, we moved the generator to our back yard and connected it to natural gas.  The generator ran flawlessly for 13 hours per day on natural gas.  I remember praying that our generator would keep running since we were totally dependent on it for all of our power.  I strongly recommend a good quality generator and maintain it well for best reliability.  My natural gas bill went up $100 and my electricity bill went down $200, so I actually saved money running the generator.

Our generator is 7,500 Watts, so supporting the electrical load of the entire house had to be done carefully.  We powered everything in the house except the central air-conditioning.  The generator load monitor we had was very helpful.  As long as we kept the load under 50%, we had no problems.  When the load was at 70%, we sometimes had problems.  At 90%, the generator circuit breakers would trip within a few seconds.

While working in our yard near the generator, I started to feel the effects on Carbon Monoxide poisoning (headache, nausea, and fatigue).  I realized what was happening and went indoors to recover.  I am now extra careful when working around a running generator.  We also use Carbon Monoxide detectors in our house when running the generator.

All gas stations and stores in our area were closed after the storm since there was no electricity.  Stores reopened slowly as emergency generators were brought in.  When the grocery stores opened, they had none of the basic items (eggs, milk, orange juice, bread, hamburger, etc.).  After the storm we lost electricity, cable/internet, and phone service.  We had no problems with water, sewer, and natural gas service.  Many of the nearby neighborhoods had no water and one had limited sewer service.  I was surprised that phone service went down after 24 hours.  After about a week, the phone company restored service with portable generators they connected to the phone system equipment in the neighborhood.  We had no power for 10 days.  Neighbors asked us to charge their cell phones, laptops, and DVD players.  We setup a table in front room with power strips for them to use.  The item most requested by my neighbors was ice.  I made extra ice before the storm and filled many 1 gallon freezer bags.  After two days, neighbors started to clear out their refrigerators and freezers.  We had many offers to take their frozen food.  Several of our neighbors had electric stoves and could not cook.  They came over to our house and used our gas stove to cook dinner.

We decided to shut down our generator at night to keep a low profile and so we did not disturb the neighbors (too much).  At night I used our inverters to power our refrigerators and freezers.  I was disappointed that we were only getting 3-4 hours of run time from a standard car battery.  On the third night, the inverter I was using for our large freezer stopped working.  I took the inverter apart and found many of the internal components had been damaged.  The operating power of the freezer was within the rated load of the inverter, but the surge current was not.  I am now more careful about overloading inverters.  I also purchased larger deep-cycle marine batteries to extend my run time.  With our generator not running for 11 hours at night, I found the freezers were able to maintain a safe temperature, but the refrigerators were not.  I solved this problem by adding blue-ice to the refrigerators at night.

Many of our neighbors and friends told us they were going to buy a generator and prepare for the next hurricane.  None did.  As soon as the power came back on, they forgot all about it.

My wife does not support my preparation efforts.  She has always told me that our generator was a waste of money and a hurricane is never going to hit Houston.  As our neighbors and friends told us how smart we were to buy a generator, I thought to myself I have finally won this argument.  Unfortunately (for me), I was mistaken.  She still says the generator was a waste of money and a hurricane is never going to hit us again.

We spent more time preparing than anyone else on our street and ended up with the most damage to our house and yard.  Just because you are prepared, don’t assume everything will go well for you.  This is my biggest lesson learned from the storm.

The entire process of filing an insurance claim, hiring contractors, completing all necessary repairs, and negotiating the final settlement with the insurance company took well over a year.  Overall we were blessed that the damage was not worse, we did not have to move out of our home, we had a good test of our emergency preparations, and we learned a lot from the storm.

Letter Re: Assessing Those Electromagnetic Pulse Risk Assessments

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) risk assessments have been published by journalists, defense analysts, and foreign policy experts. Unfortunately, some of these assessments rely on incomplete or incorrect information and give the mistaken impression that EMP is not an immediate threat. For example, STRATFOR Global Intelligence recently published a report titled “Gauging the Threat of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack.” The report assesses that the risk from an EMP attack is low because “the EMP threat has been around for more than half a century and there are a number of technical and practical variables that make a HEMP [High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse] attack using a nuclear warhead highly unlikely.”

STRATFOR is a well-respected organization that publishes many excellent reports on national security threats. However, this particular report is badly flawed, suffering from both analytical misconceptions and factual errors. Below I quote from the report, describing why this assessment should not be relied on. (STRATFOR generously allows republishing of its reports with the following statement: Gauging the Threat of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack is republished with permission of STRATFOR.)

“Only the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China possess both the mature warhead design and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability to conduct such an [EMP] attack from their own territory, and these same countries have possessed that capability for decades. (Shorter range missiles can achieve this altitude, but the center of the United States is still 1,000 kilometers from the Eastern Seaboard and more than 3,000 kilometers from the Western Seaboard — so just any old Scud missile won’t do.)”

The report makes the error of assuming that any EMP attack would be carried out with a single nuclear warhead that must be centered above the continental United States for maximum effect. An immediate result of any EMP attack would be the destruction of power grids within line-of-sight of the nuclear detonation. The continental United States has only three power grids—Eastern, Western, and Texas. Therefore, an effective EMP attack need not be a single detonation over the center of the US, but could instead consist of two separate detonations over the Eastern and Western power grids. Such an attack could easily be carried out by Scud missiles. Moreover, as the 9/11 attacks showed, it is well within the capability of terrorist organizations or rogue states to conduct simultaneous attacks.

The STRATFOR report states: “Countries that build nuclear weapons do so at great expense…Nuclear weapons also are developed as a deterrent to attack, not with the intention of immediately using them offensively. …In other words, for the countries capable of carrying out a HEMP attack, the principles of nuclear deterrence and the threat of a full-scale retaliatory strike continue to hold and govern, just as they did during the most tension-filled days of the Cold War.”

The report assumes that any country or group capable of conducting an EMP attack would share the mindset of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. There is a substantial body of thought that Iran in particular would not be subject to these same principals of nuclear deterrence. Bernard Lewis, the noted Middle Eastern scholar, has stated, “MAD, mutual assured destruction, [was effective] right through the cold war. Both sides had nuclear weapons. Neither side used them, because both sides knew the other would retaliate in kind. This will not work with a religious fanatic [like Ahmadinejad]. For him, mutual assured destruction is not a deterrent, it is an inducement.” While there is substantial debate over whether the position of Bernard Lewis and other scholars is correct, this position cannot be lightly dismissed.

The STRATFOR report also states: “One scenario that has been widely put forth is that the EMP threat emanates not from a global or regional power like Russia or China but from a rogue state or a transnational terrorist group that does not possess ICBMs but will use subterfuge to accomplish its mission without leaving any fingerprints. In this scenario, the rogue state or terrorist group loads a nuclear warhead and missile launcher aboard a cargo ship or tanker and then launches the missile from just off the coast in order to get the warhead into position over the target for a HEMP strike. This scenario would involve either a short-range ballistic missile to achieve a localized metropolitan strike or a longer-range (but not intercontinental) ballistic missile to reach the necessary position over the Eastern or Western seaboard or the Midwest to achieve a key coastline or continental strike…Any use of a nuclear weapon would be vigorously investigated and the nation that produced the weapon would be identified and would pay a heavy price for such an attack (there has been a large investment in the last decade in nuclear forensics). (Emphasis added.)”

Their conclusion is factually incorrect. First, a nuclear weapon detonated at high altitude would likely not leave sufficient material at ground level for forensic analysis. Second, the ability of the United States to conduct forensic nuclear analysis has been degrading, as made clear in a recent report by the National Resource Council titled “Nuclear Forensics: A Capability at Risk.” This report reads in part, “Although U.S. nuclear forensics capabilities are substantial and can be improved, right now they are fragile, under-resourced and, in some respects, deteriorating.” Lastly, any nuclear forensic analysis would require continued functioning of national labs such as Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory—a dubious proposition if the Western power grid is down.

The STRATFOR report concludes:

“When considering the EMP threat, it is important to recognize that it exists amid a myriad other threats, including related threats such as nuclear warfare and targeted, small-scale HPM attacks. Some things are more likely to occur than others, and there is only a limited amount of funding to monitor, harden against, and try to prevent, prepare for and manage them all. Clear-sighted, well-grounded and rational prioritization of threats is essential to the effective defense of the homeland. But each dollar spent on these efforts must be balanced against a dollar not spent on, for example, port security, which we believe is a far more likely and far more consequential vector for nuclear attack by a rogue state or non-state actor.”

Here the authors confuse the likelihood of various attack scenarios with the consequences of an attack. An EMP attack is of special concern because it would destroy one or more power grids, which are the underpinning of every other critical infrastructure. In contrast, a nuclear attack on a port city—even one as important as Los Angeles/Long Beach—would have a dramatic but localized effect.

In summary, the STRATFOR analysis of the EMP threat fails on two counts. First, the analysis misstates the likelihood of an EMP attack, in both the technical feasibility and motivations of rogue nations such as Iran. Second, the report never explicitly states the consequences of an EMP attack should the US power grids remain unprotected—the likely end of the United States as a functioning country.

The United States Congress is currently considering legislation to protect our power grids against EMP. While Survival Blog emphasizes individual and small group preparedness, another important means of preparation is government action. Should you find the EMP threat credible, please contact your elected representatives. If even 1% of preppers did this, it would represent the equivalent of a tidal wave of letters to Congress. – Thomas P.

Economics and Investing:

John Tamny predicts: The U.S. Goes Back to the Gold Standard. (Thanks to “T Moo” for the link.)

B.B. sent us this: Homebuyer tax credit: 950,000 must repay

Jonathan C. flagged this: Outlook Gloomy at Secret Billionaire Meeting. “They saw the United States in a long-term slow growth environment with the near-term risk of recession quite real,”

Items from The Economatrix:

US Mint Running Out of Silver (and Excuses)

The Lights Have Officially Gone Out in the US

Union Pension Funds, the States, and Financial Ruin

Sustainability Key to Global Economic Health, World Leaders Warn

Inflation Watch:

Fear As Food Prices Soar

Video: DeLaughter Says Food Inflation to Drive Farmland Demand

Reader L.C. wrote: “I feed my family mostly certified organic foods. We deal primarily with local farmers for our meat and produce and dairy needs, but the kids do like a hot dog every now and again. So I have been buying Applegate Farms organic hot dogs from the local organic market for years. The price in the last couple years has been $5.79 for a package of 8. Today at the market they had a “brand new look” on the new packaging. The price is the same, but the package now contains 7 hot dogs. So if your favorite brand suddenly has a brightly-colored new label – Beware!”

Odds ‘n Sods:

Heck sent us the link to a great article on utilitarian bicycles.

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Speaking of bikes, Reader W.H. notes: “There are several great videos and plans on the net for rail bikes, both with and without motors. I thought this version [with Spanish narration] was neat because it could be broken down.” (See the SurvivalBlog Archives for several articles and letter on rail bikes like this one, including some important safety provisos.)

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Condie Rice tells of Bush row after 9/11. Here is an amazing quote that sounds like something out of the movie Dr. Strangelove: “Rice revealed that the bunker beneath the White House where she was sheltering with Dick Cheney began to run out of air. ‘There were so many people in the bunker that the oxygen levels started dropping and the secret service came in and said we’ve got to get some people out of here. They literally went around telling people that they weren’t essential and they had to leave.’ Government communication systems were failing and Bush had to resort to an unsecured line to talk to Washington. Rice said: ‘Despite all of the sophisticated hierarchy, sophisticated command and control equipment that we had, at that moment much of it didn’t function very well and people instead did whatever they could to communicate messages.'” (Thanks to “Mr. Smith” for the link.)

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Elite Flee Drug War in Mexico’s Number Three City. (Thanks to D.G. for the link.)

Notes from JWR:

Tomorrow is the last day of the big sale at Ready Made Resources on Mountain House freeze-dried foods. Be sure to order soon.

 —

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

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

Round 30 ends on September 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.

Managing Medication Withdrawal in a Prolonged Crisis, by Charles D.

As a pastoral and chemical dependency counselor who has worked in a variety of mental health, ministry and addiction settings, I would like to address one of the unique mental and behavioral health needs that may be experienced in a prolonged disaster. More specifically, I will speak to the possibility of running out of psychiatric and pain medication, and the non-medical ways of dealing with pain and mental health symptoms as well as medication withdrawal.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 58 million adults in the US (one in four) suffer from mental illness, and 45% of those meet the criteria for two or more mental health diagnoses (these numbers do not include children, and the number of children with mental illness is rising). The vast majority of these folks are on medication. Additionally, there are many millions of people taking opiate pain medication on a regular basis for chronic pain. You or someone you love may be taking medication for one or more of these conditions.

Ideally, one should store an adequate supply of medication prior to a crisis event. This can be accomplished through several means: getting an extra prescription from your doctor that you purchase with cash, ordering a 90 day supply (if your insurance allows this), early ordering of refills, or by utilizing a reputable foreign pharmacy (cash, with prescription, but at a much lower cost). It is difficult to plan for every contingency, and in a prolonged disaster, it is likely that your medication will run out. The purpose of having an adequate supply is, in my opinion, to give you the option to safely wean yourself from the medication if it appears that the supply chain will not be reestablished before your bottles are empty.

Once you do have a legally-acquired supply, rotate it. Use the oldest first, and replace it with the new refills. It’s also important that you utilize some OPSEC regarding what you have stashed away, medications included. Your medication and preparedness supplies are your business, nobody else’s. You might even want to keep your medication in a safe or lock box if it is at particular risk of theft. There are plenty of addicts and dealers that would love to get their hands on that medication, particularly if it is in short supply.

If possible, you should begin to reduce your dependence on medications as much as possible before a crisis occurs. If you have chronic knee pain and need Vicodin on a daily basis, for instance, now is the time to lose that extra thirty pounds. Positive lifestyle changes now, can reduce dependence on medications when they are no longer available. A medical taper is much easier when you have medication, your family doctor to supervise it and your insurance company to assist with paying the costs. It’s also easier when your life isn’t complicated with such things such as making water potable, bartering for foodstuffs and bugging out to the boonies.

There are a couple of options as far as weaning yourself from the medication, and both should be supervised by a medical professional (preferably a psychiatrist or family doctor). The first option is to slowly wean yourself from the medication. Again, this should be done under the supervision of a medical professional if at all possible. A gradual taper will reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms (or what the pharmaceutical industry euphemistically calls “discontinuation syndrome”). Discontinuation syndrome is experienced with many antidepressants and antipsychotics. Symptoms include dizziness, vertigo, ataxia (problems with muscle coordination), paresthesia (“pins and needles” feeling on the skin), numbness, headache, lethargy, insomnia, nightmares, vivid/unpleasant dreams, tremors, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, irritability, anxiety, and depression. Around 80% of people taking antidepressants have some of these symptoms when they stop their medication. A gradual taper will also reduce the likelihood of seizures if one is coming off benzodiazepines (minor tranquilizers like Xanax or Klonipin) or, to a lesser extent, barbiturates. The Ashton Manual an excellent resource to help learn about benzodiazepine withdrawal and discontinuation. It recommends a reduction of 2.5% per week (10% per month), so it would take ten months to come off of a benzodiazepine (or other medication) using this method. The second method is a quick taper, which might necessitate the substitution of another drug (in the same class) that is not in short supply. It should be noted that a quick taper usually increases the risk of seizure, so medical monitoring is crucial. An example of a quick taper would be a doctor switching someone from Xanax to Klonipin over the course of a couple months, then weaning them off the Klonipin. In a prolonged crisis, a taper of some sort is by far more preferable to an abrupt cessation of medication, but there will be plenty of people who do not prepare and suddenly run out of medication. This can create a host of problems, both mentally and physically.

Opiate medications can cause dependence even in recommended dosages, so withdrawal is often an issue. The symptoms in withdrawal run from very mild to very uncomfortable. Withdrawal from opiate pain medication such as morphine, codeine, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percocet, Tramadol, Propoxyphene and other natural derivatives or synthetic mimics is rarely fatal in healthy adults. Those in severe withdrawal often feel like they are dying. The symptoms are so severe that medical interventions today include allowing addiction to continue indefinitely (methadone clinics) and “detox under anesthesia”.  Nevertheless, complete freedom from opiates is indeed possible, even without any medical intervention unless medical problems arise. Within 12 hours after the first missed dose of medication, withdrawal begins. Symptoms can include agitation, anxiety, muscle aches, increased tearing, insomnia, runny nose, sweating and yawning. Later on, symptoms become more severe, and can include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, dilated pupils, goose bumps, nausea, and vomiting. Care for a detoxing person like you would anyone else experiencing those symptoms. Be aware that there may be intense drug-seeking behavior at times, but generally people just feel like they have a bad case of the flu. True addicts will tell you that opiate pain medication is the only thing that helps with this “flu”. Keep them hydrated. Symptoms will subside in 2-3 days.
Dealing with chronic pain without access to medication is not easy  to think or talk about, but it is a distinct possibility. You can only stock up on so much prescription medication, Ben-Gay and Tylenol. Heat and cold therapy can help with pain, as can massage, chiropractic techniques, stretches, exercise and even hypnosis. Talk to your doctor about non-medical ways to deal with pain and begin to research alternative therapies. The time to learn about these things and become proficient in their use is before we need to use them full-time.

If someone in your group is experiencing medication withdrawal, there are some things that can be done to ease their discomfort. Support is important, so as long as they are not in a medical crisis, they should be encouraged to talk to someone, preferably someone with some experience helping hurting people – a doctor, nurse, minister, counselor – you get the idea. The next step is creating some sense of balance. Try to get them on some sort of schedule. This will be particularly difficult in a disaster, but it must be done. The body rejuvenates itself as we sleep, so sleep is essential. They should also be given tasks to do – as much as they are able. Keep them busy. A healthy diet, exercise, plenty of water, a multivitamin and some omega 3 fatty acids (found in fish oil and fatty fish, such as salmon) can also go a long way to help. Finding some time for spiritual growth through prayer and scripture reading as well as studies with other believers has been beneficial for many. Massage, pet therapy (even just having a pet around), art, music, reading, even dance are all things that can help people on the road to recovery. Try to make some time for a couple of these healthy activities. These strategies are helpful for anyone not only for withdrawal from psychiatric and pain medication, but for anyone under intense stress. Their use promotes mental, physical and spiritual health, and they should be a part of every comprehensive self-care strategy.

Herbs are also a possibility, and some herbs can help with mental health symptoms or even ease the physical symptoms of withdrawal itself. Their use is beyond the scope of this article, but if you have them and know how to use them, Valerian, Kava Kava, St. John’s Wort, and even Vitamin B-12 supplements (and the B vitamins in general) all have practical applications in a protracted disaster. Melatonin can help with sleep patterns (as can a sleep mask and a set of ear plugs). Herbals should only be given as a temporary measure, however, as they may have a similar mechanism of action as the prescription drugs they are replacing. The ultimate aim is to get the person to be comfortable experiencing life without any pharmacological assistance.

Medications are very important, and we often hear about stocking up, but there are many folks who will run out of medication that helps them function without physical and emotional pain. I pray that this article will assist the preparedness community in becoming aware of this issue, preparing for it, and meeting the needs of such people when a crisis does occur.

References:

The Ashton Manual: Benzodiazepines – How They Work and How To Withdraw, Ashton, Heather C, 2002.

Management of Withdrawal Syndromes and Relapse Prevention in Drug and Alcohol Dependence;  Miller, et. al; American Family Physician; American Association of Family Physicians, July, 1998 

What Is Discontinuation Syndrome?

Substance Abuse, Anger, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Amen, Daniel G.; Brain in the News, March, 2008

Medline Plus entry on Vitamin B-12 (National Institutes of Health):

Natural Treatments for Anxiety and Depression; Amen, Daniel G; Brain in the News, December, 2009 

Letter Re: A Visual New Zealand Earthquake Web Site

Hey Jim

It has been a while since I’ve written, but we still read you every day. Have a look at this site, with a map that show the recent Christchurch New Zealand earthquake and it aftershocks. It provides a very graphic ‘time to relocate’ signal for anybody with a little common sense.

Regards, – Joe Ordinary Voortrekker

Letter Re: Airsoft for Survival Training Adventure

Jim,
You nailed it with your caveat to the guest article “Airsoft for Survival Training Adventure”.

I work at a military college with ROTC cadets, and unfortunately have to spend a lot of time “unteaching” the deadly habits they developed with paintball and Airsoft. I’ve seen the same in the military, especially when conducting urban training- people grossly under-estimate the penetrating power of modern small arms. Examples are soldiers attempting to engage a tiny exposed portion of a target, when the rest of the enemy soldier was concealed behind an interior house wall, or a storage shed, or a similar worthless barrier [that could easily be penetrated by rifle fire.] A lot of us with service overseas can attest to even cinder block walls failing to protect folks who had chosen “cover” poorly.

It can be good training, but it must be balanced with a mix of more realistic tactical experiences or else folks risk developing deadly habits in terms of their use of cover and concealment. – Todd in Virginia

Economics and Investing:

Rosenberg: Here Are 13 Signs That We’re Actually in a Depression Right Now. (Thanks to P.D. for the link.)

Greg G. sent us this: Michael Burry is Long Farmable Land, and Agrees With Paulson on Gold (But Not the Other “Recovery” Themes). (Greg’s observations: “Michael Burry, a famous hedge fund manager has stopped investing other people’s money altogether and has gone ‘all in’ on farmable land with water on site and physical gold. I think that this guy is a undercover prepper.”)

Americans Saving More as Debt, Job Worries Mount.

Steve K. mentioned the “I Want Your Money” Official HD Movie Trailer.

Items from The Economatrix:

Celente: Market Self-Deception Continues on the Flimsiest of Excuses

Fed Banks: ‘Widespread Signs of Deceleration’ in Economy

Obama Added More to National Debt in First 19 Months than all Presidents from Washington to Reagan

US Loses Ground in Competitiveness Report

Consumer Credit in US Fell $3.6 Billion in July, Fed Says

OECD Cuts Global Economic Growth Forecasts

Debts Build Ugly Stress Between Parents, Kids

Odds ‘n Sods:

M.O.B. sent us a link to an article about MREs: A Taste of Home in Foil Packets and Powder

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An easy-to-make and free project for survivalist time-telling: The Ring Sundial. (Thanks to Jeff S. for the link.)

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M.& K. sent this: Asteroid Near-Misses Actually Common, Scientists Say

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The Nanny State Run Amok: Toy guns will have to be licensed in Queensland under new firearms laws. My advice to Australians: Take The Gap.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel, and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” – Joel 2:21-32 (KJV)