Odds ‘n Sods:

Damon recommended this tutorial written by a university professor: Beginning Cheesemaking.

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Tom at Camping Survival (one of our loyal advertisers) has announced a special “Overstock Giveaway”, just for SurvivalBlog readers. Only the first five readers that respond via e-mail will receive a FREE Coghlan’s C Tech Wireless Weather Station. Here is a description: “This device lets you keep an eye on the weather conditions and trends. The high-impact body with rubberized finish is weather-resistant for reliable service in outdoor environments. Includes a long-lasting lithium battery and includes a lanyard cord for carrying. The detachable wireless sensor has a 100-foot range, providing you with ample placement options. This item also features a display with weather icons and trend graph which will relay future weather predictions based on the preceding 8-hour time period. The temperature can be displayed in either Celsius or Fahrenheit and the thermometer has a min/max temperature function for both indoors and outdoors. Integrated hygrometer provides relative humidity percentage, which is helpful in determining the heat index. Also provides clock functions which works on a 12 or 24 hour format with an alarm features. The integrated calendar display shows day, date, month and year. These retail for $34.” Thanks, Tom!

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Reader Michael D. mentioned the Solar Ovens web page.

 

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"You have never lived until you have almost died. For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know." – An unattributed quote, penned on a C-ration box for display at a Marine Corps command post, Khe Sahn, South Vietnam, during the 77-day siege in 1968

Letter Re: Food Storage–of Mice and Moths

Mr. Rawles,
I’m writing both a thank you and a warning. First, thank you, thank you, for putting together the “Rawles Gets You Ready” family preparedness course. By getting almost all of our storage food at Sam’s Club and packaging it ourselves in 6-gallon “super pail” food storage buckets, we saved hundreds dollars, versus buying commercially-packed storage food. That alone made the course worthwhile. (Not to mention the ton of other useful information it includes.) I have also loaned our course binder to both my sister and to my sister-in-law, so the course has also gotten triple the mileage!

Now here is the warning part, for SurvivalBlog readers: When we bought most of our food (in the Fall of ’08), we didn’t have quite enough buckets to fit it all. So I thought, “Well, I’ll just leave out those bags of rice, spelt, beans, pasta, and use them up first, before we use what’s in the buckets.” Logical, right? Well, a couple of weeks ago, I got into the back of our pantry, and pulled out a 5-pound bag of rice, from the top of the back row [on the shelves]. It spilled all over the floor A mouse had eaten a hole in the back end of it. Then I looked more closely, and I found out that a family of mice had built their house, behind a wall of plastic-bagged and cardboard box[ed] food! They even made a bed out of food and some fluffy material (probably furniture stuffing, I haven’t located that destruction yet). And not to just be content with opening a few bags, they chewed holes in almost all of the bags! So as my kids and I were cleaning up the mess–nearly filling a plastic garbage can, I found that among the few bags and boxes that the mice hadn’t penetrated, some moths had. There were weevils! I was practically in tears, ready to scream. So I had to throw out nearly everything else that wasn’t in the thick buckets. Crumb!

The good news is that the mice and moths did not get into any of the stack of big [6-gallon] pails that we had stored with the dry ice [CO2 packing] method you taught in the course. (Which is 90 percent of the food we had stored.) So we learned a valuable lesson, and luckily not too costly a one. Mostly just a big, sickening mess. I just wish that I had taken your advice and put all of it in the pails. I have found, that just like you said, the Gamma Seal screw lids make it very easy to get into the buckets on a regular basis. If I had just bought a few more buckets and Gamma Seal lids, I could have avoided all that waste, mess, and clean-up time. Y’ all learn from my mistake, people.

Thanks again or sharing your wisdom and knowledge! – Jessica in Raleigh, North Carolina (Still Learning!)

Letter Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group

My Dear Brother in Christ,
Before I get to my question my wife and I would like to express our sympathy (a overused word I now but heart felt) at the loss of your partner and our sister in Christ. I know there is joy to be had for her being with Jesus but the loss is still felt by you and your kids and our prayers are with you.

Now my main question. Do you have any ideas regarding security with it comes to putting a group together where the potential members are separated to the extent that it is impossible for them to get together on a regular basis to formulate ideas and plans? The concern over theories that “Big Brother” is out there listening to every phone call or reading every e-mail for certain phrases causes some people to balk at the idea of conference calls. What are you thoughts.
Thank you and God Bless, In Christ, – G.S.

JWR Replies: I was reluctant to post your e-mail and this reply, for fear that it might be misconstrued by someone that is new to SurvivalBlog. (Since we’ve never advocated doing anything illegal, but posts on security might erroneously lead newcomers to think that we have “something to hide.”) With that said, since operational security (OPSEC) is a concern for many readers, here goes: Beyond a cell structure, such as those used by resistance groups, and avoidance of paper trails, bit trails, “cookie crumbs”, and using the phone, there are no perfect solutions. Just don’t recruit anyone into your prepping group that might do anything illegal. You have little to fear, as long as all of your preps are legal. That is, unless “hoarding” (by someone else’s definition) someday becomes a crime. But just on principal, you should exercise discretion, and utilize plenty of OPSEC and communications security (COMSEC).

For extended groups, to avoid a bit trail, hard copy letters that are distributed via snail mail in a circular rotation might work–since we live in the era of inexpensive photocopying. (“Circular letters”.) Each letter is given a number, and each addenda that is eventually tacked on is given a letter. Subsequent letters can reference the content of earlier ones. (“As mentioned in Letter 2-A…”)

Be discreet and proceed with prayer. And it won’t hurt to memorize Psalm 91.

Economics and Investing:

Raymond sent this New York Times piece: Inside The Global Frenzy For Gold

Several readers sent this: Gold price hits record high as dollar wanes. JWR’s advice: Wait until the next profit-taking dip in precious metals, but then invest in silver, not gold. (I anticipate that silver may dip to as low as $12 per ounce, a proportionately much deeper drop, than gold. Watch the silver-to-gold price ratio closely! In the long term, the value of silver will gain versus gold, since silver is being consumed–and not reclaimed–from industrial use. (Nearly all gold is reclaimed, but an incredible amount of silver ends up in landfills.)

“Oxy” liked this article: The Next Big Bubble?

Items from The Economatrix:

AIG Taps Another $2.1 Billion from US for ILFC Share Purchase

Calderon Says Mexico No Longer in Recession

Mexico Faces Possible Downgrade After Tax Bill

World Unemployment Up Despite Economic Recovery

Japan PM: The State of the Economy is Severe

Japanese Shares Close Down 2.31% Over Doubts of US Recovery

Bank of Japan Begins Gradual Pullout of Credit Markets

Odds ‘n Sods:

Jeff B. flagged this from ABC: Massachusetts family of six lives off $4 per week for food. Coupon clipping pays off! For anyone on a low income: If you have the time, but not the cash, then this is one way to stock your larder. (With our Search Posts on SurvivalBlog box, enter the word “coupons” to find previous articles with links to online printable coupons and discount codes, such as this one.)

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Jim W. and Norman both suggested this 60 Minutes segment about a former US spy chief’s dire warning about the vulnerability of America’s power grids: Sabotaging the System.

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Zach F. and Cheryl both mentioned this piece: How Safe Is Your Safe-Deposit Box?

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Bridget sent us another installment on the growth of Nanny State Britannia: Now safety police want to check all our smoke alarms. Britons: If you haven’t caught the clue yet, now is the time to Take The Gap!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Of all contrivances for cheating the laboring classes of mankind, none has been more effective than that which deludes them with paper money." – Daniel Webster

Note from JWR:

The special sale price on the “Rawles Gets You Ready” family preparedness course from Arbogast Publishing began Friday night, and will run until November 30th. Just the first folks that order will also get a free copy of my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It“, so order soon! The course is designed to get a family’s food storage squared away in a hurry, by stocking up on bulks foods, most efficiently a “big box” store such as a COSTCO. Oh, and speaking of COSTCO, my new book is now being sold there (for around $12), and is featured in their latest “COSTCO Connection” member newsletter. The sale ends on November 30th. But again, the free copies of my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” won’t last nearly that long.

Two Letters Re: Food Grade HDPE Storage Buckets

James,
Some time ago mention was made on the site regarding “square buckets” [that are food grade]. I came across this deal which readers may be interested in (I have no relationship with these folks). The company is called Five Star Preparedness, in Utah. God Bless, – Bob B.

JWR:
I have searched your great site, and the Internet in general for more info on storing grain (such as wheat) inside good used food grade plastic pails.

So far I have learned that a mylar food grade bag should be used inside the [sealed HDPE plastic] pail to put the food in, And a small (thumb size) piece of dry ice should be placed on top of the food and allowed to “melt” until almost all gone, And then seal the bag for long term storage.

What I cannot find out is if the dry ice should be applied directly to the foodstuff, or onto a small piece of cardboard etc to keep the extremely low temperatures away from direct contact with the food?

I live out in the boondocks where it is very difficult to obtain actual “dry ice” However, I have been picking up used (But still charged) CO2 fire extinguishers at rummage sales, etc for years and now have plenty of that source of “dry ice” available. Can that source of dry ice be used for food storage? (Of course I would clean up the inside cone of the extinguisher, etc before use to eliminate dirt, bugs, etc.)

If that source of dry ice will work, How big of a “pile” of dry ice from an extinguisher would be about right for a 5 gallon pail of foodstuff?

Any other comments about this source of dry ice, And it’s possible uses?

Thanks again for your great web site! – K9

JWR Replies: Brief direct contact from dry ice will not harm most grains and rice, using a square of cardboard works, fine, if you want your grain to be pristine. Starting with piece of dry ice that is about one cubic inch is sufficient for a five gallon bucket. As I describe in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” family preparedness course, wait until the piece of dry ice almost completely sublimates to fill the bucket with CO2 (displacing the normal atmospheric air. The piece of dry ice should be be allowed to “melt” until it is a disc about the size of a nickel. Do not pound the lid in place with a mallet any sooner, or dangerous pressure could develop in the container.

Letter Re: Retreat Construction, Afghan Style

Mr. Rawles,
Regarding your discussion of adobe construction – Adobe can be used for structural and exterior construction in a range of climates based on how you make it.

I used to work for a company in Fresno, California that made stabilized adobe – it included a bituminous emulsion (tar-like stuff that’s water proof) to make the bricks water proof. They have been sold across California in residential and commercial construction. Their products included several that were considered structurally sound enough to meet California’s earthquake codes and generally made walls from 12 inches solid to 18 inches (two row with slurry in between) wide.

These bricks did not require any surface treatment to protect them from the climate, but did provide all the benefits of adobe.

Bear in mind, the only real drawback was that bricks ranged from 20 to 48 pounds each! – Steve G.

Letter Re: Clarification on the Distribution of SurvivalBlog

James,
Would you be kind enough to add me to your e-mailing list for your blog? I would appreciate it. Thanks, C.R. – Lebanon, Oklahoma

JWR Replies: For the privacy of my readers, I don’t keep any e-mail lists. My blog is accessed by readers with a web browser either by clicking a bookmark, or by using our RSS feed. Just be sure to book mark our URL, or better yet, make it your browser’s home page. SurvivalBlog has been updated daily, without fail, since its inception in 2005. All of the blog’s content, including nearly 8,000 archived articles, letters, and quotes are available free of charge. We do ask for subscriptions to help keep the blog in the black (our “Ten Cent Challenge“), but that is entirely voluntary. I don’t even keep a list of the people that have sent donations. Only about 1% of SurvivalBlog’s 150,000+ regular readers are voluntary subscribers.

Influenza Pandemic Update:

Amid shortage, big NYC firms get swine vaccine. Reader Garth S. (who sent us the article link) asks: “So is this how it works? I get six zeros behind my salary and I can get to the front of the line?”

World First As Swine Flu Found in US Cat

Critically Ill Swine Flu Patients Spend Weeks in ICU

Scandal: NHL Team Gets Priority Flu Shots

WHO Targets Hemorrhagic H1N1 Cases in Lviv, Ukraine. So, assuming that his is a new, more lethal strain, I’m led to ask: Will contracting the current mild strain circulating in the US protect someone from contracting the new strain?

National Swine Flu Pandemic Called in Bulgaria. “Spikes in deaths have already been reported in Turkey and Italy, although none have approached the numbers reported in Ukraine, where influenza/[Acute respiratory infection] (ARI) cases are approaching 1 million, and will likely surpass that number in the next report. The explosion of cases in Ukraine raise concerns that the H1N1 virus has subtly changed, with associated increase in cases and deaths.”

Majority of Californians to Ignore Late Swine Flu Vaccine

Withheld Ukraine Swine Flu Sequences Raise Pandemic Concerns. “[T]he rapid spread of H1N1 in Ukraine… …coupled with the high frequency of hemorrhagic pneumonia raise concerns that a small change is leading to a more virulent virus.”

Reported Cases in Ukraine Double Again
Canada: No Life Insurance for a Year if You Get Swine Flu!

How to Minimize Your Risk of Getting Swine Flu

Banks’ H1N1 Flu Vaccines Stir Outrage. Protests mount that Goldman Sachs, CitiBank, JPMorgan and others have the vaccine amid shortage

H1N1 Swine Flu Deaths Highest in 50 and Older Once Hospitalized. The overall death rate of those hospitalized (the worst cases, often with underlying health issues) is 11%

Polish PM: Poland Not Buying Swine Flu Vaccination Unless it Has Been Properly Tested

WHO Says Swine Flu Virtually in Every Country on Earth

Economics and Investing:

Reader Chad S. sent this: No risk of hyperinflation, says Bernanke. (I feel so much safer now, knowing that he’s grounding the helicopters.)

Also from Chad: The Truth about Hyperinflation and Price Controls.

Items from The Economatrix:

Ahead of the Bell: Consumer Credit

Mortgage Rate Falls Below 5%

GM to Axe 10,000 in Germany

Analysis: 10% Jobless is Obama’s New World. Sadly, 18-22% is more realistic. See the data at ShadowStats.com.

Unemployment Rate Rises Above 10%. “The 10.2 percent unemployment rate does not include people without jobs who have stopped looking for work or those who have settled for part-time jobs. If you counted those people, the unemployment rate would be 17.5 percent, the highest on records dating from 1994.”

Freddie Mac Loses $6.3 Billion in Third Quarter

Consumer Borrowing Drops $14.8 Billion in September

Oil Prices Tumble (on Friday)

AIG Plunges as Sales Decline at Life, Property Units

Soaring US Unemployment Threatens Path to Economic Recovery

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several how-to videos have been posted that were filmed by Outside Magazine editor Joe Spring who accompanied Tony Nester of the Ancient Pathways school on a “Knife-Only” outdoor survival course.

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File this is the “Why Am I Not Surprised?” Department: U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade. This, BTW, is the same Presidential Administration headed by the guy that promised voters: “I’m not going to take away your guns.”

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Jeff B. forwarded this link: Seven (more) ) Abandoned Wonders of America: From Deserted Breweries to Famous Auto Factories.

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Pelosi: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail. We are just now starting to learn what was hidden in the “fine print” of HR 3962, the 2,000+ page bill that was just ramrodded through the House of Representatives on a Saturday.. All that we can hope to do now is stop this socialist legislation in the US Senate. If you are concerned about this bill, then please contact your Senator by both phone and snail mail!