Eric Sprott: Gold Running in Short Supply. (Thanks to Todd for the link.)
Sharp Shepherd sent us this: More Than 90 Banks Miss TARP Payments
Items from The Economatrix:
Uncertainty Restores Glitter to an Old Refuge, Gold
How All Of Us Pay for The Derivatives Market (Caution: There is a bad word in the title…..)
It’s The Ratios, Stupid (Why the US Will Default on its Debt)
Wholesale Prices Fall 0.3 Percent in May
Home Construction Sinks, Building Permits Down
EMB suggested this discussion forum thread: My Emergency Communication Box (Ham radio)
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Trent H. flagged this article in an Australian newspaper: Our own extinction is forecast, but he’s going by dead reckoning
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The folks at Directive 21 (one of our advertisers) wrote to tell me that the recently unavailable Stainless Steel Berkey Water Filter systems are now back in stock, and back orders are being processed and shipped.
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The National Geographic Explorer special ‘Electronic Armageddon’ is going to be replayed this Saturday, 6/19 at 7:00 PM and on Tuesday, 6/22 at 6:00 PM on the National Geographic Channel (typically listed as ‘NGEOG’ or ‘NGCHD’ or ‘NGC’). Check your local listings!
“America faces a new culture war. This is not the culture war of the 1990s. It is not a fight over guns, gays or abortion. Those old battles have been eclipsed by a new struggle between two competing visions of the country’s future. In one, America will continue to be an exceptional nation organized around the principles of free enterprise–limited government, a reliance on entrepreneurship and rewards determined by market forces. In the other, America will move toward European-style statism grounded in expanding bureaucracies, a managed economy and large-scale income redistribution. These visions are not reconcilable. We must choose.” – Arthur C. Brooks, The Washington Post, May 23, 2010
Just three days left! The special sale price for the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course will be discontinued on June 21st. So order yours, soon!
—
Today we present another entry for Round 29 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 29 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
The title of this piece is a motto used during WWII by which the population was being warned to be circumspect about what they discussed and with whom they discussed it.
It seems to me that it may be timely for the motto to be recycled for use by the Preparation Community.
I’ve read over and over in this excellent blog and in other articles “find someone or a group of people you can trust”.
I think that instruction is much more difficult and more time consuming than stocking up on beans, Band-Aids and bullets.
Although I live in Australia and the political and geographical issues we face are somewhat different from those faced by Americans, so it can be said that issues themselves are different in every country in the world both on a macro and micro level.
But the problem of “trust” remains no matter where you live.
My Oxford Illustrated Dictionary has a long list of definitions that start out with “Confidence in, reliance on, some quality of person or thing, or truth of statement …..”
So who do you know that fits that definition?
Let’s start at the macro level with Governments.
I don’t want to start or become involved in political debates but I doubt very much whether there are many people left who totally trust their government no matter what country they live in. But we (in the majority of cases) elected them and we have the ability to make our displeasure known by voting them out next time there is an election. The trouble with that of course is “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know” and they have the ability and power to make less-than-sensible decisions while they are in office. But at least it is an option.
This lack of trust or confidence in them probably adds weight to the reasons why we are preppers.
As individuals, there’s not a great deal we can do at national levels apart from continually writing to our elected representatives – and that can be time consuming and very emotionally draining (and often quite useless).
In the meanwhile I think it is needful to keep a close and watchful eye on the legislation and policies that get passed so that you can evaluate how those measures will impinge on you and yours. Try to make it a habit to watch the news and read papers or web sites that keep you up to date. Depending on what the government – whether federal, state or local – does, it may be necessary to change the way you prepare for disasters whether those be financial, natural or manmade.
The operative word here is Change.
The bottom line is Survive.
Micro levels
Trust at a micro level is even harder.
Who can you trust? What is the factor that makes you trust or distrust an individual? Can you isolate that factor?
There are some extremely charming people out there, they are good company, witty and friendly … and while I may enjoy their company, I wouldn’t trust them an inch – especially with my prepping plans or the safety of my family.
Pre-TEOTWAWKI: there’s still time.
Everyone has many acquaintances – workmates, people in the neighbourhood, relatives – the list is endless. (And just because a person is a relative, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you have to trust him/her.) While I dislike the idea of putting people into categories, it is something we all do almost unconsciously. Some people we like more than others for many reasons.
There is still time to try to look more deeply into a person’s character whether or not he/she is an avowed prepper to decide whether that individual can go on your Trustworthy List.
“Liking” a person is different from “trusting” a person. I like a lot of people but I trust very few.
Conversely there many people you may not like particularly but who are utterly trustworthy. You can work with a person and not like him/her but who is always there when it counts.
And when the crunch comes you need to be able to pull out your Trustworthy List.
Over the course of many years I have been fortunate enough to acquire four really close friends that I could trust with my life, rely on in crises and for whom I would put my life on hold if they needed me.
They are my Inner Circle.
In the Middle Circle there are the people from my Trustworthy List.
In the Outer Circle are People Useful to Know
Then there is Everyone Else
The boundaries of these lists are not engraved in stone because I am bound to meet more people and individuals change with experience and maturity.
I don’t, won’t and can’t give you a set of absolute criteria that will allow you to determine Trust because trust is often related to a gut feeling and that is something that is indefinable and subjective.
But I would urge you to disregard the appearance of a person – the clothing, the mannerisms, the age and the language and try to look more deeply into that person’s character. A friend of mine says “Just because they speak English, doesn’t mean that they think the same way you do” and it is the Thinking part of the individual is the important part.
If this article has encouraged you to think more closely about the issue of Trust without slipping over the edge into paranoia, I’m sure your prepping plans will proceed more smoothly.
I can’t speak highly enough about Timbuk2 and their products. I received one asa gift in 2003. Since then, I’ve carried it all over the world including a war zone, on business, to conventions, while driving.
I’ve stuffed it to the point where I needed a knee to apply enough pressure to close it. It’s been dragged, carried, tossed, shoved, buried under luggage and cargo, through airport security hundreds of
times, and there’s not a loose seam or worn zipper anywhere. It seems to be as indestructible as textiles get. While this style is no longer available, it’s demonstrative of the breed.
Timbuk2 started in San Francisco, designing and making bags for bicycle messengers. They still act like a small company in terms of service and support, including a lifetime guarantee on materials and
workmanship, spare straps and hardware, and a 20% discount on a new bag for trading in an old model, in any condition.
My particular model is the Timbuk2 Data Dump. When stuffed to what should be a breaking point, it exactly fits the carryon size limits for aircraft. The shoulder straps are comfortable, contoured, designed for people
with shoulders, adjustable, with a hip belt. The laptop compartment is padded enough to cushion a computer, and to pad against the wearer’s back.
The accessory pockets are integral, collapsible, and well thought out, with lots of mesh, slots and loops for compartmentalizing stuff, from business cards and pens, to toiletries and computer accessories. The
main compartment opens wide for access, then zips closed and latches down to minimize profile.
The outside is tough and sufficiently padded to keep contents secure. The bottom is a tough rubber over nylon. There are thumb loops/carabiner attachment points on the shoulder
straps and back, and a sturdy, solid carry handle atop with a stitched in piece of hose to reinforce it.
Their models change regularly as new technology is developed, and they offer not only a variety of colors, but a build-your-own option for style, size and color. Some of their bags are imported, made under
good supervision. The custom bags are American built (it seems more appropriate to say “built” rather than “sewn” for these engineering masterpieces).
You’ll pay a little more, but the quality is beyond compare for a travel bag/day pack/briefcase of this type. For a smaller, unobtrusive BOB or a reliable daily carrier, I can recommend this company’s products without reservation. – Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog Editor at Large)
Dear Jim,
The roads are getting worse, gas prices are high, and the taxes keep going up. Something has to give. So far road maintenance seems to be one of the breaking points. I have witnessed roads evaporate. I have witnessed them get consumed in vegetation. I have traveled in the Sierras in places where the 4WD was getting stuck and knew an off road or dual sport motorcycle would cross these places easily. I can’t help but think while I’ve learned to shoot rifles and purify water and stitch wounds, shouldn’t I put at least as much effort into examining alternate transportation options?
So long as law and order remain, we still need to keep jobs to pay the taxes, and complete collapse seems very unlikely at this point. It seems to be more a matter of accepting new standards, and figuring out ways to retain the ones we value most, ones like freedom of travel. The world is already changing due to the end of cheap oil, and the financial melt down also results in various system failures, including road maintenance. Is it not reasonable to see roads get so much worse, particularly where people don’t live to pay taxes for upkeep, that rural roads will become patchworks of pavement, gravel, and dirt? If so, and in the face of fuel shortages, what is the best way to get around?
Motorcycles. Ones that can ride on the dirt, light enough to pull out of the mud yourself, and yet remain street legal once you get to the “highway”. We’ve seen them running around in the countryside, exploring fire roads and logging roads, country lanes, that sort of thing. We’ve scoffed at the MZB acronym, but what if we should be learning to ride a motorcycle ourselves, just as we’ve learned to shoot? Isn’t this just another critical skill? I have been investigating this for several years now, including watching video of travel in deeply rural locations and been impressed by the terrain a motorcycle can cover in a day. I can’t pedal that far or fast. Knowing that a motorcycle can go around many obstacles which would stop or delay a car or 4WD truck/jeep is points in its favor. True, its not going to carry much, but You are the most important part, and as a getting-around vehicle they’re very good at what they do.
As for safety the number one threat is yourself being foolish, and the number two is cars not paying attention. If the roads continue to fall apart (and they will continue) and gasoline rationing gets instituted by the government, both threats will be much reduced. Finally, safety also relies on proper gear, not all of which is expensive. Expensive gear is better, just as a more expensive rifle probably shoots more accurately, but a motorcycle bought for a few hundred and some elbow grease applied is just as good for travel as one costing thousands and may be easier to maintain or convert to E100 you can make on your ranch or buy in town at the co-op or general store. Being able to safely go faster and further than a 4WD SUV on the same road has its benefits and while the SUV still has value on grocery day, the motorcycle will get you to work (or the rail station in town) the rest of the time. Barring rain or snow, at least. Not fun in a thunderstorm, but what would be on a dirt road? We’re used to driving anyway, because on pavement it doesn’t matter much, but once the roads go to dirt we’re going to get used to finding a motel and wait it out. That may seem ludicrous, but think about the world prior to Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. Its not unreasonable at all. We’ll adapt and adjust because we’ll have to. Preparedness means thinking about all the options. Give the motorcycle serious thought. Best, – InyoKern
And so, inexorably, the The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) grows: Obama Officially Begins Push For New Bailout of the States. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)
D.D. sent this: “Housing Still Sluggish”—Harvard study uses the “D” word to describe the real estate market
From the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: AXA fears ‘fatal flaw’ will destroy eurozone. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)
Y.K. suggested a recent audio podcast interview of Gerald Celente by Lew Rockwell.
Brett G. flagged this: Volcker Warns: We Are Running Out Of Time
Items from The Economatrix:
EU Chief Warns “Democracy Could Disappear” in Greece, Spain and Portugal
Hidden Debt is UK’s Real Monster
US Banks Set to Lose Swaps Fight
How to Plan for a Double-Dip Recession
Here is a link to the Milo Nordyke interview on CNN that I previously mentioned. Nordyke is a proponent of peaceful uses of nuclear bombs–including the possibility of using nukes to seal off deep sea oil leaks.
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J.M. in Michigan sent me a link to some videos about “off grid” projects. Go to Vimeo.com and in their search box enter: emas. This takes you to about 10 pages of videos on topics like High Pressure Hand Pumps, Rain Water Harvesting, Water Storage Cisterns, Ferro Cement Tanks for Water Storage, Using the Sun to Heat Homes, Latrines, and many more.
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Brian B. sent this alert: NRA cuts deals to limit free speech.
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I was doing some web wandering, and I found an interesting USGS map of major earthquakes in North America recorded from 1979 to 1996. The USGS also has a variety of similar seismic maps.
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Calvin in Kansas mentioned a YouTube video of a former Marine singing an oft-ignored verse of our national anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner. The later verses aren’t considered politically correct. The anthem’s lyrics were derived from the the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry”, written by Francis Scott Key, in 1814. The full lyrics, by the way, are worthy of some study and pondering.)
"Political correctness is tyranny with manners." – Charlton Heston
Just four days left! The special sale price for the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course will be discontinued on June 21st. So order yours, soon!
—
Today we present another entry for Round 29 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 29 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
The first part of this series described the foundation for success in starting a community preparedness group. Part Two describes the lessons we have learned. If you haven’t read these please do so now before proceeding.
I hope the two previous articles have encouraged you to start your own CQ. Let’s now assume you are at the same point we are. Where do we go from here? If we follow the rules we focus on excellence, but let’s do so in an organized manner.
1) Individual Preparedness (IP)
2) Family or Group Preparedness (F-GP)
3) Community Preparedness (CommP)
4) Regional Preparedness (RP)
I’ve chosen to follow these four points when deciding what topics should be covered at CQ. These topics will generally focus on the first three pretty heavily and on the fourth lightly as I’m not inclined to create a bureaucracy. Some CQ’s may actually have all topics focusing on IP but that may be by necessity due to the time of year, group dynamics or some other essential need or requirement.
IP is focusing on basic skill building. We do try to avoid topics that can encroach upon vocations that can create income during hard times. For instance, we have a group member who is actively perfecting her skills in soap making. We will avoid this topic in specifics but review in general terms as something someone can do for themselves. As a concession she has opted to help teach everyone how to make laundry soap that is far superior to store bought and costs under two cents per load. The idea is to cover general skills and let the individual decide on specialization for their own economic benefit.
F-GP is the natural byproduct of individual skill building. I consider this level the Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids option. This is were we present topics to help the correct, efficient and cost-saving acquisition of materials for families and groups. Our next CQ has two such topics-First Aid Kits and Home Herbal Medicine Kit. By covering these we are focusing on the materials that make up quality kits but will cover at another time the use thereof which would focus on the IP level. You could say this level focuses on the nuts and bolts of preparedness gear and supplies.
CommP we are beginning a two fold plan. The first part of the plan is to encourage growth of CQ groups in local communities in our county and adjacent counties. We started at the neighborhood level and have slowly accumulated members from neighboring areas and towns. We are now running ads in our local radio market advertising CQ for all the towns in the county. The ads are being paid for by one of our business partners who is also presenting a topic. This invite is basically for folks in our area to come and see for themselves and start networking to start their own CQ. Part two of this plan is an extracurricular part to CQ. This plan is designed to mitigate the effects of those in our local area who refuse or can’t prepare for hard times.
As we all know there are individuals who will never see the wisdom of preparedness. There are also folks who haven’t the means, wherewithal or character to prepare for leaner times. A comprehensive preparedness plan must take into account these people and how to deal with them. An immoral fantasy of large scale die-off or armed resolution is nonsense and evil. The possibility of large scale fatalities is real as well as the prospective use of force in defense of your property but to long for it or refuse to prepare to mitigate it is weak, lazy and unethical.
Our plan is to create a food acquisition, storage and distribution plan using the umbrella of an existing entity but run and managed by CQ members. The basic principle is to set up an apparatus that can submit for grant money, buy long-term storage food, secretly store the food and then distribute it safely in times of need. Now, please don’t think this is a food bank approach. Let me explain further.
We have a community organization that is set up as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. This group has paid the expense and taken the time to become a charity. There goal is to be an umbrella for the surrounding community organizations which allows them to apply for grant money using their IRS number. We are using this process for our local gun club to save time. The gun club registered with the state for $30 and now we can pursue grant money using the umbrella group. This food plan would pursue grant funds allowing us to buy a one year supply of long-term storage food for 500 people. Once food is purchased a secure location would be obtained for storage and an agreement with local churches to utilize their existing kitchens for distribution. Think of it as a level between individuals and the Red Cross. This would begin with one location and then branch out to other communities effectively covering all urban/small towns in our county.
We have received encouragement to proceed from the Sheriff’s office and the county Emergency Management Director. They see it for what it is–an extra layer or buffer between chaos and order. The county likes the fact it’s a private endeavor that requires no funding or oversight from them. It will or may require some security provisions when utilized but at that point security will involve the whole community under the sheriff’s leadership anyway. This plan takes a little more time and effort but the rewards of having secure, private foods cache(s) for public distribution can relieve negative and immediate food concerns when troubled times hit.
RP is really just encouraging the first three in communities next to yours. We envision our CQ maturing in content and skills. While this occurs neighboring communities start CQs and do the same. We have two in the start-up phase right now. Once they mature they look to their borders to do the same. Think of it as a growing sphere of influence and protection. The greater the influence outward and away increases defense and potentially mitigates problems translocating to your area. We naturally or by other examples want some sort of leadership or formal organization. We can have the benefit of this without the headache or time-consuming investment. Let me explain.
In CQ-Part Two I explained our radio net that we have here. This is the perfect apparatus to loosely organize the entire network in your area and eventually regionally and nationally. If our network here in Central Idaho matures and begins to grow outward we can add captains to each new area and eventually a group of ham captains to relay regionally and nationally. Again, I don’t like to re-invent the wheel so I will look to established routes to achieve my goal. The last weekend of June is a National Radio Field Day for hams. They will spend 24 hours trying to reach as many contacts as possible. We will encourage those ham folks in our CQ to establish radio contacts outside our region such as Spokane, Boise, Missoula and farther away.
Likewise, new CQ groups with their local net will bump into each other as the CQ sphere of influence grows or as radio networks start overlapping. This model for expansion or connection reminds me of Subway sandwich shops and how they franchised in the early 1990s. You could find Subway’s almost built on top of each other they way they expanded and allowed franchises to open. Let’s hope CQ is so successful that it has the same “problem”.
In closing, we here in Central Idaho hope and pray that you will take the bull by the horns and get started on your CQ. In keeping with our philosophy of encouraging CQ to communities in our area we would like to extend an invitation to attend our next CQ.
Location: Kooskia (spoken “Koo-Skee”) City Park, Kooskia, Idaho.
When: Saturday, July 3rd.
Time: Potluck BBQ starts at 5:00 pm, CQ starts at 6:30 pm.
BYOB: Bring your own buns, hot dogs, lawn chairs, spouse and kids.
Last names ending A-J bring salad/side and dessert.
Last names ending K-Z bring chips and dessert.
We provide: grill, condiments, plates, utensils and water/iced tea.
Contact: H.B. at (208) 451-4890 and leave a message. I will return it ASAP. Please contact only if you need information on overnight accommodations and directions. Please, only serious inquiries.
CQ has been a rewarding endeavor with many blessings and very little headache. May God richly bless you with success with your preparing and new CQ.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the Holy Bible: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” – Proverbs 27:12.
Gloria Deo, – H.B. in North Central Idaho
Dear Jim:
There has been such a great response to the article I wrote about using the basement in my home as a survival retreat, and I want to thank everybody for taking the time to read both parts—and to respond with some great questions. I wanted to take a moment and address a few of the questions, and perhaps give a little deeper insight into the arrangements, processes, and the solutions I have found to each of the various questions.
First, and most importantly, I would like to stress that I’m not claiming this to be the ideal solution. My intent, and the thought process I used while setting up this retreat, was to create a very short-term means to provide for the safety and security of my family. In no way do I recommend or expect this arrangement to be a long-term, permanent solution to a survival situation—instead, my goal was to create a way to lay low during the opening salvo of a major catastrophe, let things sort themselves out for a few days, and then move on to better arrangements. Ideally, I would not hope to be confined to this arrangement for longer then 10 days, with the real intention of using this as a viable survival retreat for a period of 3-5 days, or until a time where we can begin the journey to a more permanent place set up for an extended collapse—and this may be the subject of a future article because it’s one of my current projects.
Ironically, all of the questions and issues which have been brought up are issues I’ve had to address in one form or another during this process—and when I wrote these articles I decided to focus more on the main theme to keep it at a readable length, and omit many of the logistical and technical needs, details, and solutions associated with this arrangement for the purpose of expediency.
Greg L. asked about restroom and sanitation arrangements, along with cooking scents. The restroom issue, for obvious reasons, was one of the first issues I had to address. How I decided to address the bathroom issue was by three methods. First, I have a curtained off area in the rear of the basement to use as a bathroom area. I have purchased a store of 5 gallon buckets, with lids, to use for the purpose of storing waste. Please remember, also, that we are not completely confined to this basement—so during certain times these filled buckets of waste could be moved to an upper level of the home or outside and hidden in a nearby wooded area. I have also gathered a supply of lye powder soap and sawdust to add after each use to eliminate smell and help with decomposition.
For the basic toilet set up I currently have a lawn chair with a hole cut out in the middle—eventually, if I ever get around to it, I would like to create a better solution for the seat. The area where the bathroom is curtained off also contains one of the window wells now blocked off, and I have kicked around the idea of running some PVC pipe back up through the window, rocks, and soil, for the purpose of venting—but this is going to be a major undertaking, and I wish I had thought of it before I filled the window wells.
As far as the smell of food cooking, the plan is to use MREs while in the basement; for ease of use, ease of waste disposal, and to minimize cooking smells. I don’t expect any group to set up squatter’s rights in our home in the first few days of an event, so I’m not really expecting a parade of people moving through the upper levels. Maybe I’m dismissing this issue too easily, but it’s just not something I’m too worried about right now.
Dave in Missouri asked about the furnace, A/C, and hot water heater, and how these impact the useable space. Our A/C is located outside of our home, so it’s not a problem. The furnace, water heater, and water softener are in the basement, but due to the size of the basement and the placement of these appliances they do not cause much loss of space or hinder any of the plans and preparations.
Kathy H. had some great points and issues. The issue of waste and sanitation I addressed above. The issue of CO2 buildup will not be a problem because the basement area is not completely sealed off, and the size alone, coupled with the fact I do have a hidden and secure window I can still open and use to vent gases has me pretty secure in using this basement for the short-term.
The one issue Kathy did raise that has caused me a great deal of thought is the issue of moisture or flooding. I have only had one issue of water in our basement in nearly ten years, and this was due to getting 7 inches of rain in an hour and a half one summer night long ago—so the basement has proven to be fairly impervious to normal rainfall amounts so far. We do have a sump pump, and I’m still in the process of determining the best options for a backup power source I can rig up to use should the weather during our stay in the basement be less then ideal. To find the solution I’m working by the premise of having total failure of the power grid, so battery backup or a solar powered alternative will be what is needed, and I’ve yet to come up with the ideal solution as of this point.
Water is among my greatest fears right now for the basement retreat, and if I ever need to use this retreat for the purpose and reasons it was created I would like to have this issue put to bed—so I’m open to any good ideas from anybody out there.
Dr. A.W. mentioned the need to have the basement area, or any underground area, checked for Radon gas. In our area every home is inspected, during the sales process, for Radon gas. I have also tested it myself with a home test kit that can be purchased at any hardware store—and so far I don’t have any problems with Radon. Great point, A.W., and thanks for the suggestion.
Again, I would like to stress I don’t think of this as the ideal solution—but it is a solution available to me at this time, and instead of dreaming of distant retreats, endless food stores, and the utopia of survival land I decided to use my the things at my disposal, within my budget, and in a way that presents the most realistic scenario should the worst events come to pass. I do hope to improve my plans, upgrade my arrangements, and hopefully someday create that “perfect” retreat—but for the time being, and with the current problems we are facing in this nation, I wanted to have a place I could use now—today—to keep myself, my wife, and my children alive and safe.
I hope some of you may be able to incorporate some of these ideas into your own plans and arrangements, and I’m happy to answer any question that might help.
Thanks and good luck! – Jeff W.
Evan D. suggested this: The Death of Las Vegas.
Niall Ferguson: Debt Has Taken Down Empires Before, There Is No Reason Why It Won’t Happen Again. (Thanks to Eric J. for the link to the lecture. JWR Adds: Don’t miss his discussion of “The Metrics of Doom”, starting about 28 minutes into the video.
Europe Troubles Are About to Start: Wilbur Ross (Thanks to Brian B. for the link.)
Kevin A. sent this incredible article: State Wants to Borrow From Pension Fund, to Pay the Fund. The article begins: “Gov. David A. Patterson and legislative leaders have tentatively agreed to allow the state and municipalities to borrow nearly $6 billion to help them make their required annual payments to the state pension fund. And in classic budgetary sleight-of-hand, they will borrow the money to make the payments to the pension fund – from the same pension fund.” [JWR Adds: If this sounds absurd, then just consider that conceptually, there isn’t much difference between this and the US buying its own Treasury paper!]
In 1930, They Didn’t Know It Was “The Great Depression” Yet. Talk of “recovery” in the midst of a Depression isn’t new… (Thanks to Evan for the link.)
Items from The Economatrix:
Homebuilders Less Confident in Housing Market
US and Other Countries Buy US Treasury Debt
US Stocks Rise After European Markets Climb
German Investor Confidence Tumbles Amid Crisis
All that I’ve been hearing from SurvivalBlog readers thusfar about the National Geographic documentary Electronic Armageddon has been positive. It is about the effects of a High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) on the US. Check your local listings for repeat showings! For further research on this topic, I highly recommend the EMPact America web pages.
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SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson mentioned this free NAS on-line book: Severe Space Weather Events—Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report
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RS.R. noted this: Green Gadgets: Nokia Unveils New Bike-Powered Phone Chargers