Letter Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm–A Natural EMP Equivalent

Jim-
New Scientist magazine article recently published an important article titled “Space storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe.” The article outlines possible scenarios for the risk of solar storms that could severely damage national grids and vital electrical and electronic systems. The effects would be catastrophic and devolve societies into a desperate survival situation for individuals.

One quote from the article:
“Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on technology, has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed from the surface of the sun could wipe out our power grids, with catastrophic consequences.”

Could off-grid standby equipment such as power generators or solar cells also be damaged? See the National Academy of Sciences report. (After registering, you can download a free PDF file of the report): Best Regards, – Gregg T

JWR Replies: I’ve received more than 20 letters in the past 48 hours from readers concerned about this article. In my opinion, this natural “EMP-like” effect is just another reason to get prepared. The probability in any given lifetime is quite low, but the impact if it were to happen would be devastating.

Most home non-grid-tied photovoltaic, micro-hydro, and wind power systems will probably be safe from a Carrington Event. (The field strength and coupling effects will be roughly analogous to that of nuclear EMP.) If you have a microprocessor-controlled battery charge controller, then one fairly inexpensive measure is to buy a spare. But for most of us, buying a spare large inverter is cost-prohibitive. In the event that your large (whole-house) inverter get fried, then perhaps your could plan to revert to DC-only system, and store a couple of spare small inverters for crucial AC loads.

As with any other “EMP redundant” radios and other electronics, you should store your spares in ammo cans, all-metal cookie tins, or similarFaraday cage structures.

Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don’t Need for TEOTWAWKI

Jim
Much has been written in all the various books, discussion groups and forums about acquiring the best G.O.O.D. bag, BOVs and medical kits. Much has been said about what garden seeds to get and the best lead delivery systems to have. There’s been endless discussions about setting up the most survivable retreat and packing the maps to help get you there. …But I recall very little talk about what you don’t need.

I’ve lived on the family farm all my life. I’ve also spent a great deal of time delivering survival supplies to Indian Reservation all over the US. I’m currently managing a Farm Museum. And I spend a good deal of time visiting several Amish communities nearby. In all these endeavors, I’ve had occasion to visit people living on the land. I look closely at how various folks and cultures manage how they live.

On many of the Reservations, there’s trash along the roads and cars up on blocks in many fields. It’s common for someone to take a tire off a vehicle because they just need it until they get a new tire for a different car. Then they “borrow” the battery, then maybe a headlight/radio/other tire/gas tank etc. Next thing you know, there’s a permanent memorial to G.M. sitting in the drive. It all contributes to an environment of futility and hopelessness.

In Amish country, some farms are neat as a pin, and others are just falling apart. I stopped by one yesterday that was just depressing. Not a blade of grass, not a flower bed, dirt and chicken manure everywhere. The signs advertising maple syrup for sale, were hanging akimbo. I stepped in the house to talk to the family, and the clutter was an accident waiting to happen. The man of the farm was as messy as his farm. I doubt he gets up in the morning thinking how much he is looking forward to going out to the beauty of his place.

On the many “English”, (Amish term term meaning anybody not Amish), farms I visit while collecting for the museum, it’s much the same. A friend of mine lives on a diary farm not far from here. There’s several falling down buildings full of grand dad’s rusty stuff, none of it useful any more. There’s discarded and rotting feed sacks inches deep in the milk house. And lots of unused and unusable equipment scattered across the yard. He farms, he makes a profit. He has pretty good hay for sale. But his working environment,…ughh ! Where he works and how he works holds him back. He can’t get as much done for all the junk in his way. Other farms are models of efficiency.

What I’ve learned over many years of “farming”, is that farming gets harder or easier depending on how organized you are. If all your tools are well kept and organized in one place, every repair job is much easier, ..there’s no need to spend half your time searching for a misplaced wrench. If what you look at, as you walk to the barn, is neat and cared for, it tends to help you feel more like doing the next job. If your place is a mess, with lots of undone chores to do, it can get so overwhelming that you to just want to say the heck with it, there’s too much to do.

Right now our society is still functioning fairly well. Most places, the government does its second most important job fairly well. Once a week the trash gets picked up. After the SHTF, getting rid of junk will be much more difficult. When you are getting your retreat ready for what seems more likely every day, consider this. If the economy collapses, what you have is what you will have. The more helpful stuff, the better. The less trash, the better. I suggest you be rigorous, right now, about getting rid of the things that won’t help you survive in tough times. Right now, it’s fairly easy to do.

If a dead washing machine is sitting out back, cut out the metal side panels for use on some other project and maybe save the motor if it’s working. But get rid of the rest of it either thru a scrap yard or trash pick-up. If you don’t, it’s just going to rot away and cause you trouble later on. If the power goes off and there’s no more gas, consider using the last half pint you have to move your BOV to some out of the way place. Once it’s parked, it’s going to be there a very long time. You’ll be tempted to keep many things, thinking that someday you’ll need/fix them. But if you can’t get them running now, it’s less likely you will when the electricity goes off. You might think of it like inner city graffiti. The first day you see it, it might have some “artist value”. But as it deteriorates, it just drags the whole neighborhood down.

The environment you live in really does effect the way you feel and work. Right now, get rid of what you don’t need. Arrange your retreat as neat and clean as you can. It will make all the thousand other jobs of self-sufficiency easier. Give it a thought, what you don’t clean up now, may be a real hindrance later on. The neater you are now, the more efficient and happy you will be now, and…later. – – Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio

Letter Re: An Impromptu SurvivalBlog Meet-up at Front Sight

There was a bit of a ‘covert’ Survivalblog gathering at Front Sight recently. Along with Tim R & Tantalum Tom I was also in attendance earlier in March. I have two grown sons, both of which had expressed a desire to have a handgun for home defense. As a law enforcement officer and former SWAT team member I am familiar with the operation of and responsibility with owning a gun. I am confident in my training and ability to defend my home and family through that training. My two sons, however, had barely even held a gun, let alone fired it. This spurred me to obtain the proper training as any responsible gun owner should do, and when I heard about the “get a Gun ” promotion for the four day Defensive Handgun course that Dr. Piazza was offering, I jumped on board for all three of us.

Both of my sons were shocked when I made the presentation to them last year. Before doing so, they knew something was coming, but had no idea as to exactly what it was. When I gave them the course, including transportation and lodging, they were both flabbergasted and ecstatic. Imagine how amazed they were to find they would also be using a brand new gun of their choosing which would belong to them upon completion of the course, with Front Sight sending it back to our local FFL dealer. I gave them this present last July, and thanks to Front Sight’s generous scheduling policy, I had the luxury of planning the trip at my convenience, choosing dates in mid March.

The trip to Vegas was go od, where we rented a car and drove out to Pahrump, about 50 miles to the west. We even had enough time that first day to go back to Vegas where we feasted on the sights and sounds of ‘The Strip’ and one of the many great buffets, catching a show afterwards. On Friday we drove up to the front gate at Front Sight where we were welcomed and directed to the check in location. Often times any of us are nervous when doing something for the first time, especially in unfamiliar territory far from home. But here we were greeted with a smile by a well organized and helpful staff. Nerves disappeared almost immediately, replaced by the excitement of what was to come.

The five days there were phenomenal, especially as I had the honor of sharing that voyage of discovery with my two sons. You’ve undoubtedly read the commentaries from other attendees, so I will spare you from repetition other than to say the education I received was excellent. I put some 800 rounds through my [Springfield Armory] .45 XD and by the end of my time there it felt so natural in my hand to be almost a part of me.

I was most taken back by the staff who make it truly phenomenal. I will refer to my range-master as the ‘Stair’-Master who took us, step by step, through their procedures in such a natural way. He was informative, professional, friendly, o pen and knew what he was teaching inside out and back to front. But to be perfectly honest, you could say the same for all of them. There were times when we had seven or eight instructors on the line with us. Talk about individual coaching and instruction! Unheard of! This by far is the best firearm instruction I have ever received, and would recommend it to anyone, both novice and expert alike.

In addition to receiving great instruction on the range, we were also afforded some informative and well thought out lectures introducing the concept of owning, using, choosing and carrying a gun. The presenters make it interesting and use their experience and real life situations to better relate to the student body. I even found myself enacting one scenario out with them in a realistic, unscripted way that I have to say, would be very realistic given the situation they presented.

I would also recommend the lunches available through pre-order from ‘Beach Café’, linked through the Front Sight web site. They deliver lunches daily and I found them more than sufficient to get me through the day. As others have said, make sure you hydrate, dress appropriately (layers) and expect to spend long days there which whiz by with all that you do. The coffee is plentiful and the friends you will make from those around you will make it even more special. Come the last day I ‘slowly, carefully, reluctantly’ placed my gun back in its holster and shook the hands of the new friends I had made, determined to return and further my education on a later date. Cruise eBay for some first time student gray course certificates and you too can attend some of their courses at a great rate where you will then discover the awesome deals available to return students. Folks, you will not be disappointed, and you will feel so much better prepared in your ability to protect yourself, your home, and most importantly, your loved ones. – DeFuz

Economics and Investing:

HPD sent this: Geithner plan will rob American taxpayers: Stiglitz

Kevin A. recommended a piece by Bill Fleckenstein over at The Silver Bear Café: Got gold? You’re right on the money. Here is a quote: “We are attempting to print our way to prosperity. That can’t be done, any more than we could speculate our way to prosperity during the stock bubble or borrow our way to prosperity in the real-estate/credit bubble.”

Jeff K. suggested: Bernanke Inserts Gun in Mouth. Jeff’s comment: “We disagree on inflation versus deflation [in the next few years], but one must take notice when a mainstream blogger like Denninger advises preparing for WTSHTF. (See the last paragraphs [of the Market Ticker article].)”

Items from The Economatrix:

Financial Overhaul Plan Draws GOP Opposition

Roubini: Stocks Will Drop, Banks Will Go Belly Up

Geithner Wants Power Over Hedge Funds, Derivatives

Geithner Power Grab Worries Editors

Dollar Dips on Geithner’s Loose Talk

Ford to Dump Volvo at Huge Loss

US Backing for World Currency Stuns Markets

IMF Rescues Romania and Serbia

One Small Problem with Geithner’s Plan: it Will Bankrupt the Banks

Total Fraud (The Mogambo Guru)

Gold Spikes After Geithner Speaks on Dollar

Odds ‘n Sods:

Cheryl noticed this over at Steve Quayle’s site: Growing Food in Times of Scarcity

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Thanks to regular content contributor HPD for sending this: America’s Abandoned Cities

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Vasiilly e-mailed me to mention the Still Tasty web site, where there is lots of data on the shelf lives of various foods.

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Currie sent a link to an interesting PDF at a web site in Canada that describes how to used cooking oil for fuel.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The net effect of the failures in banking is that a lot of people have less money than they expected they would have a year ago. This is bad enough, given our habits and practices of modern life. But what happens when farming collapses? The prospect for that is closer than most of us might realize. The way we produce our food has been organized at a scale that has ruinous consequences, not least its addiction to capital. Now that banking is in collapse, capital will be extremely scarce. Nobody in the cities reads farm news, or listens to farm reports on the radio. Guess what, though: we are entering the planting season. It will be interesting to learn how many farmers “out there” in the Cheez Doodle belt are not able to secure loans for this year’s crop.” – James H. Kunstler Peak Oil: What’s Next?

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 21 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: Two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 21 ends on March 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 author is SurvivalBlog reader Dr. K , an active duty American military physician. (Part I–on treating ingrown toenails–was posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009.)

TEOTWAWKI Medicine and Minor Surgery–Part II: Skin Infections, by Dr. K.

Introduction
The skin has three layers.
1. The epidermis is the outermost layer. It protects our bodies from the environment and has pigment cells.
2. The dermis is the middle layer, and it contains hair follicles, sweat glands, oil glands, and capillaries.
3. The hypodermis (or subcutaneous layer) is the inner layer, and it contains layers of fat that provides cushion and insulation for our body… some more than others.
Any of these layers can become infected, in whole or in part. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, that minor scratch could lead to a painful death. Knowledge is vitally important. Understanding how to prevent and treat a skin infection is relatively straightforward, and it could be a matter of life and death when TSHTF.
Signs of a skin infection are pain, redness, swelling, warmth and/or drainage of pus.

Definitions
Cellulitis: a diffuse infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues. Signs of cellulitis are red, warm, swollen, and tender skin.
Erysipelas: similar to cellulitis, but this infection is more superficial and has very clear borders.
Skin abscess: a collection of pus that is in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues. An abscess presents as a tender mass just under the skin. It is pink to red and may be warm to the touch.
Furunlce (or “boil”): an infection of the hair follicle that causes an abscess.
Carbuncle: a collection of several boils that grow together. This looks like a very large abscess.

Causes
These skin infections can develop in any individual and most are caused by bacteria. Having minor scrapes and cuts, insect bites, rashes, burns, swelling, or being around another person with a skin infection can increase your risk. Having diabetes, being immunosuppressed (HIV, on chemotherapy medicines, autoimmune disease, etc.), or having a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections also increases your risk.
Complications
If an infection is left untreated, it can keep spreading into the surrounding tissues and into the bloodstream. This may lead to local tissue damage, a body-wide infection, and even death in a worst case scenario.
Prevention
All skin wounds, no matter how minor, should be cleaned and dressed immediately. Changing the dressing when it becomes wet or dirty will aid in prevention. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, you cannot afford to brush aside that thorn scratch or knife nick. Take the time to clean it right away. Skin infections don’t care how tough you think you are.

Antibiotics
Cellulitis and erysipelas are sometimes watched and not treated with antibiotics right away. However, if these infections become severe (which can happen quickly), IV antibiotics are the best choice. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, IV antibiotics will be much harder to store and/or obtain. Because of this, I recommend using oral antibiotics with cellulitis and erysipelas immediately.
Antibiotics are typically not needed with a draining abscess or after an incision and drainage (I&D). Once the pus pocket is ruptured, your immune system usually takes care of things rather well. However, I would start antibiotics if a growing redness and warmth develops after the wound has been drained.
Also, I would start antibiotics right away if the patient has multiple skin infections, the patient is immunosuppressed, the patient has previous MRSA infections, or if the patient has signs of body-wide infection (feeling ill, fever, nausea and/or vomiting, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, etc.).
Any of the following oral antibiotics (unless there is an allergy) should be used for 10 days minimum, but can be used longer as long as the infection is improving (search past Survivalblog posts for medication procurement):
Adults
Cleocin (clindamycin) 300 mg every 6 hours (currently treats most MRSA)
Dicloxacillin 500 mg every 6 hours
Keflex (cephalexin) 500 mg every 6 hours
Children
Cleocin (clindamycin) 30-40 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses (treats most MRSA)
Dicloxacillin 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 4 doses
Keflex (cephalexin) 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses

Non-Surgical Treatment
Small boils and small abscesses may respond very well to non-surgical treatments:
* Keep the infected area elevated.
* Warm compresses (a clean wash cloth soaked in hot water and wrung out) and warm water soaks will help promote drainage.
* If it comes to a head, continue with warm compresses until it ruptures.
* Wash with antibacterial soap.
* Continue to use warm compresses until the pus stops flowing.
* Apply antibacterial ointment (such as Neosporin) over the wound.
* Keep a clean and dry dressing in place over the wound.
* Wash the wound and change the dressing 2-3 times a day.
* There should be improvement in about a week.
* If there is a growing area of redness and warmth, consider antibiotic treatment.

Surgical Treatments:

Incision and Drainage
Larger boils, larger abscesses, and carbuncles require incision and drainage (I&D) to heal.
Note: A surgical option, regardless of the problem, is always best treated by someone who has been trained to perform the procedure. You don’t want to be patient number one in a survival situation. Finally, while I am explaining how to do this procedure, I only recommend that you attempt this in a post-TEOTWAWKI scenario where there are no other healthcare options. Proceed at your own risk.
Supplies
Light (a bright headlamp works well. Consider working outside in the bright sunlight.)
Non-sterile gloves
Sterile gloves
Alcohol or povidone-iodine solution (sold as Betadine)
Gauze pads
10-mL syringe
25- to 30-gauge needle
12- to 18-gauge needle if desired
Lidocaine 1% or 2%
No. 11 or 15 blade scalpel or sterile razor blade
Curved hemostats (small device that resembles scissors but has curved clamps instead of blades) a pair of needle nosed pliers (sterilized) can be used in a pinch
Packing material (such as iodoform gauze which are thin medicated gauze strips)
Scissors

Dressing Materials:
Antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin
Gauze for wrapping the wound
Roll of 1-inch tape

Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Have the patient get into a comfortable position. Have them lie down if possible just in case they pass out – it can happen to anyone! [JWR Adds: Vasovegal and other fainting responses are highly unpredictable. Just the sight of spurting blood can induce a faint in even someone that big and macho. In two separate incidents, I’ve personally witnessed two “manly men” who claimed “no problem, it won’t bother me” pass out, unconscious, within moments of seeing their own blood.]

2. Clean the wound. Put on non-sterile gloves and clean the entire wound and surrounding tissue with povidine-iodine or alcohol.
3. Numb the wound with medicine: The easiest method is a field block. Inject the lidocaine around the base of the wound on all sides. If the wound is not on a small body part, you can use lidocaine with epinephrine.
Note: Make sure the lidocaine does not have epinephrine in it if the wound is on a small body part. Epinephrine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it clamps down blood vessels. This can prevent circulation. If you stop circulation with medicine, you have no idea how long it will last, and you could kill tissue. Your patient won’t feel the procedure, but they may lose a body part! Bottom line: Never use epinephrine on the fingers, toes, ears, penis, or nose.
Note: Please read how to load lidocaine and inject it in Part I: Ingrown Toenails. [JWR Adds: Of course check for contraindications and potential drug interactions before using any “-caine” drugs!]
Note: Please read how to dull the pain without medicine in Part I: Ingrown Toenails
4. Make an incision. Using the scalpel blade or sterile razor blade make a straight cut the entire length of the abscess (the deepest red central portion of the abscess). The cut should be deep enough to go to the subcutaneous tissues. Try to follow the natural skin folds for a more cosmetic healing (do an online image search for “cleavage skin lines” to see an illustration). For small infections, you may be able to drain the abscess by perforating it with the large bore (a 12-18 gauge) needle.
5. Probe the incision if large enough. If there are no pain meds, this will be painful. Insert the curved hemostats to slowly spread out the tissues under the cut. This will break up some of the connective tissues that may be holding pockets of pus. You also may find a foreign body (thorn, glass, etc.) that was actually causing the infection.
6. Express the wound. Provide gentle pressure to the sides of the wound to squeeze out any extra pus and blood. Do not be aggressive here.
7. Pack the wound. If the wound is big enough to leave a pocket, then filling the wound with a medicated packing material (iodoform gauze) will aid in healing. Using the hemostats, stuff the material into the wound until full. Leave about a half inch hanging out of the wound. This tail aids in drainage. Trim to size with a pair of scissors.
If the wound is not very large, you do not need to pack it.
8. Dress the wound. Apply antibiotic ointment over wound. Apply a bulky gauze wrap, but do not wrap it too tight. It will throb as sensation returns. Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.
9. Check the wound after 24 hours. If there continues to be more pus draining, remove the packing material, repack the wound, and change the dressing. Keep checking every 24 hours. When the drainage stops, perform warm water soaks 3-5 times daily, change the dressing, and apply topical antibiotic ointment. Healing should occur in 7 to 10 days.

Surgical Complications
Infection: The wound will have some initial throbbing, but should start to improve dramatically in a few days. If your patient is having an increase in pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or drainage, there is likely a continuing or secondary infection. If this occurs, start antibiotics as described above. Consider probing the abscess a second time to make sure no pockets of pus are hiding.

Things to consider
If the wound involves the hand or the abscess is very large, it will be very difficult to treat without IV antibiotics and potentially major surgery. This would be a case where attempting to find a physician may outweigh the risks of leaving your retreat. In rare cases a skin infection can spread to the facial tissue (this is called necrotizing fasciitis or “flesh eating disease”). Signs of this infection are intense pain out of proportion to the wound, fast swelling, spreading redness, fever, and vomiting. This would be a case where lack of immediate surgery by highly trained physicians will mean death.

Training
It will be difficult to acquire hands on training for this procedure unless you work in the medical field. However, this is a fairly straightforward procedure. If you see it once, most people should be able to repeat it. One way to see how it is done is to go to the doctor with a friend or family member who has an abscess or boil. Another option is to do an online video search for “I&D”. There are currently a few videos up that give a nice demonstration.

Economics and Investing:

From Joan M.: Sen. Gregg Criticizes ‘Banana Republic’ Budget Proposal A quote: “The ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee warned on Monday that President Obama’s budget proposal will lead to unsustainable debt levels and send the country on a fiscal path resembling that of a ‘banana republic….called the deficit estimates attached to the budget plan “staggering,” and he warned that such deficits would trigger a national debt that amounts to “running your country into the ground.'”

MVR sent this interesting perspective on the US Dollar and debt from Thailand: The real US financial crisis has yet to begin

G.G. sent this: U.K. Gilts Slump After First ‘Failed’ Bond Auction Since 1995

Steve W. liked this one: Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

Items from The Economatrix:

Economy Brings Out Entrepreneurial Spirit

EU Presidency: US and UK Economic Recovery Plans are “A Way To Hell”

Obama Declares “Signs of Progress” for US Economy. (Shhhh! Don’t tell him about the Alt-A and Option-ARM rate resets peaking in 2010 and 2011. We mustn’t discourage him)

Goldman Sachs to Return $10 Billion Bailout

Vandals Target Sir Fred Goodwin’s (Former RBS Boss) House and Car

Japanese Exports Plunge 50%

Czech Government Collapses Over Economic Crisis. (I told you so: “If and when the global derivatives bubble ever pops, it may topple not just trading companies like Goldman Sachs, or corporations like GM, Daimler-Chrysler, or RCA, but entire nations. I’m not kidding.” (SurvivalBlog: September 25, 2006.)

Freeze the $1.5 Quadrillion Derivatives as First Step to Recovery

Peter Schiff: Stimulus Bill Will Lead to “Unmitigated Disaster”

Ron Paul on Obama’s Stimulus

Why the End of America is Closer than You Think

Obama to Meet With Top Bank CEOs on Friday

Airlines Group Predict Huge Industry Losses

BofA Shareholder Looks to Oust CEO from Board

Odds ‘n Sods:

Just when you thought that you had all the eventualities covered: Komodo dragons kill Indonesian fisherman. (A hat tip to Tamara’s View From The Porch blog, for the link.)

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I was recently contacted by a producer with GRB Entertainment. She wrote: “We are currently looking for a travel expert/adventurer/survivalist who might be interested in hosting a television series. We need someone who is very outgoing and social while also having knowledge in survivalist skills. They can have a military background or just knowledge in the field and we’re preferably looking for a male around the age of 35. They mist be very charismatic with the ability to travel and “survive” or show survival skills in remote locations throughout the world. Camera friendly but knowledgeable in the field.” Contact: Anna Stopper. E-mail showrunner09@gmail.com JWR Adds: I’m sure that someone that reads SurvivalBlog will be a perfect match. Serious enquiries only, please. OBTW, I’ll provide the hat.

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FFF sent this: Thrifty shoppers ‘Sold!’ on grocery auctions

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By popular demand, the folks at Everlasting Seeds (one of our advertisers) have introduced a new Medicinal Herb Garden in a Can product. It is offered either with or without a length of Goldenseal rhizome.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“These derivatives are the root of the credit crunch. Why? Unlike all other property paper, derivatives are not required by law to be recorded, continually tracked and tied to the assets they represent.
Nobody knows precisely how many there are, where they are, and who is finally accountable for them. Thus, there is widespread fear that potential borrowers and recipients of capital with too many
nonperforming derivatives will be unable to repay their loans. As trust in property paper breaks down it sets off a chain reaction, paralyzing credit and investment, which shrinks transactions and leads to a
catastrophic drop in employment and in the value of everyone’s property.” – Hernando de Soto

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 21 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: Two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 21 ends on March 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.

Tantalum Tom’s Front Sight Extravaganza

About 250 people were there the recent week that I took the four day Defensive Handgun course at Front Sight. I was the only bozo who slept in their car outside their gates the whole four days. I couldn’t afford a hotel. That budget item was a “make or break” issue for my trip. I learned that a zero degree rated sleeping bag might be an overly optimistic rating. But, there is basically unlimited unimproved camping space there on BLM land. Bring your RV, or a much better sleeping bag for winter camping there. There is even a dirt airstrip on the charts a couple of miles away if you’re a pilot.

I’m not a professional pedagogist, but I can recognize extremely high quality teaching methods. This place has it. Technical vocabulary was not used unless defined and explained earlier. One step built on the preceding. Two steps forward, half step back to review, continue, unrelenting and informative. I believe I was mostly in the category of unintentionally incompetent. I knew a thing or two, but came to realize, there is more to learn than I realistically can foresee myself learning. I’ll try though. I believe they left out many basic firearms details for sake of time. (e.g., “This is a cartridge, primer, gun, etc…)
Two guns used by classmates broke while I was there. Both were M1911 style. For one, they gracefully loaned him a gun to continue, as he had no backup. One other gun (Glock .45) was malfunctioning often. I blame that squarely on the user though, as he was the only one who had mistakes during dry practice. Bang when there should be click.

The lectures were eye-opening, lively and fun! The lecturers have definitely “been there done that.” Imminently knowledgeable in all matters of handheld weaponry. Cops, Sheriff’s Deputies, EMTs, Paramedics, etc. One rangemaster there had 30 years in Army special forces training. Not a single Mall Ninja.

I have never had a gun on my person for any extended length of time. I learned a great lesson, It feels great to be armed.

There were more women there than I’d ever seen at any weapons venue! (I haven’t been to many though.) My guess (not an estimate) about 30-to-40.

I met R. from Utah. I recognized the story they shared in a lecture to one that I’d read here at SurvivalBlog! Their story will now be incorporated into the Front Sight lectures!

While there, malfunction drills are taught. Live rounds are discarded on the firing line during this procedure. Our range master said it was undesirable to re-use those rounds, but he wasn’t going to stop us from retrieving them. He called them “range carp” Good to fish for, but not to eat. [After the range closed, with permission] I was able to secure several hundred 9mm rounds, about one hundred .45s and about thirty.40 S&Ws, and I could have left with many many more had I been even a bit more aggressive in their collection and also scrounged at the other firing ranges. Great barter item, Great price.

Their claim to teach people how to shoot better than 95% of the people who carry guns may be outdated. The FBI special agent in my class mentioned that the things they were teaching at Front Sight are now taught in many police academies. He could be wrong, I don’t know. [JWR Adds: Imitation has always been a high form of flattery. In fact, many of the techniques taught at Front Sight are derivations of what was taught by the late Col. Jeff Cooper, back in the days of Orange Gunsite. Front Sight has refined and updated them, and has had the opportunity to teach them to a much larger audience, ]

Everyone in my class improved. The “ragged hole drill” with five rounds live fire, five clicks dry then five rounds live fire again really worked, for everyone. Dry practice is the way to go!

Count one through five, prrress!

As they said, paraphrased and modified, “90% of shooting is getting the gun out and pointing in”

I graduated! After not visiting a shooting range in more than 1-1/2 years, I think that’s a decent achievement.

I have just purchased a Glock 22 in .40 S&W. This is due to the fact that I rented their gun, a Glock 17. These guns are almost identical, except their chambering. I now have muscle memory for that frame, and I don’t want to re-train! Also, because I just shot 600 rounds though a Glock with no malfunctions whatsoever. The Glock 22 .40 comes standard with a bigger boom than the Glock 17 9mm. Sadly, however, I still live in California, so I am limited to and 10 round magazines. [JWR Adds: I recommend that California residents go a step further and buy a Glock or XD pistol chambered in .45 ACP. As long as you are limited to 10 rounds, then you might as well have a more potent caliber. There is something just wrong about having a gun originally designed to hold 15 to 19 cartridges neutered into a 10-rounder, by legislative edict!]

I plan on prepping my resume to see if I’m up to the greater challenge to take their instructor development course. – Tantalum Tom