Odds ‘n Sods:

The recent fires in Australia with large loss of life and property underscore the need to have defensible space around buildings. There is one factor in the Australian bush fires is not common knowledge in the US: In extremely hot weather, some tree species found in Australia–such as eucalyptus–exude volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are extremely flammable. When the conditions are just right, this can cause a firestorm effect.

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Chris E. flagged this: Rep. Kanjorski: $550 Billion Disappeared in “Electronic Run on the Banks.” A key quote: “[if the Federal reserve had not acted] by two o’clock that afternoon $5.5 trillion would have been drawn out of the money market system of the United States. [This] would have collapsed the entire economy of the United States, and within 24 hours the world economy would have collapsed.”

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Cheryl sent us the following economic news and commentary: 15 Companies that May Not Survive 2009 — Nissan to Cut 20,000 Jobs — US Job Losses Hit College Educated — Bank of England to Issue Grimmest Warning Yet on Economy — US Treasury to Pump Billions More into Banks — Grab Your Torch and Pitchforks: Homeowners Protest at Morgan Stanley CEO’s Home — Peter Schiff: this is Just the Beginning — US Inflation Could Hit 200% — Silver/Gold Ratio Reversion — Merrill Lynch: Gold Hysteria Continues, Could Hit $1,500 — Peace of Mind Comes in Yellow (The Mogambo Guru)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Time and the laws of trade will restore things to an equilibrium if legislatures do not rashly interfere in the natural course of events." – New York Evening Post, June 15, 1819, as quoted in The Panic of 1819: Reactions and Policies, Murray N. Rothbard, Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007, pp 31–32.

Note from JWR:

The current high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is at $1,510. This auction ends on Sunday, February 15th. This auction is for a large mixed lot, which includes::

1.) A “be ready to barter” box of 36 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 12 – Used original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) steel 20 round magazines, 6 – Used original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines, with cartridge counter holes, 10 – Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 – Excellent condition original Glock Model 19 9mm 15 round pistol magazines (early type, with “U” notch), and 2 – New and very scarce original FN (Belgian-made) US M1/M2 Carbine blued steel 30 round magazines (marked “AYP”) . All of these magazines are of pre-1994 manufacture (and hence legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $710, in today’s market. Note: If you live in a state where full capacity magazines are banned, then you must choose to: refrain from bidding, or designate a recipient in an unrestricted state, or re-donate the magazines for a subsequent auction.

2. ) A brand new-in-box Hot Jaw Bag Sealer and a box of 10 Mylar bags . (Every retreat group should have one these, since they are a tremendous labor saver!) This is a $200 retail value, courtesy of Ready Made Resources.

3.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com

4.) A NukAlert compact radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value). 

5.) A gift certificate for $100 worth of books, courtesy of Back 40 Books.

6.) A case of 12 cans of recent production nitrogen-packed storage granola (mixed varieties) This is a $96 retail value, courtesy of CampingSurvival.com.

Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,565.

This auction ends on February 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot.

Letter Re: What Does the Drop in the Baltic Dry Index Really Mean?

Dear Jim:
I just read a TEOTWAWKI warning article [at Rense.com] stating that since the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) was down 95%, [and that therefore] all shop shelves would be empty in short order. The writer said that the BDI referred to the number of ships in transit. I thought it only referred to the price charged for the transport of those ships and that while the cost was indeed 95% lower, there were still a lot of ships in transport. Can you clarify? – SF in Hawaii

JWR Replies:
I see plenty of scare pieces like that, mostly written by people that aren’t looking at the whole picture. Here is a videoblog clip, on the same topic.

You are correct that it is not the international shipping volume that has dropped by 95%. It is just the rates (shipping costs) that have plummeted by 95%. Key agricultural commodities like wheat and rice are still being transported in quantity. But the balance sheets of the shipping companies are suffering because orders for imported consumer items like cars and plasma HDTVs have dropped to nearly nil. Shipping companies proactively raise or lower rates, as needed. During boom years, shipping rates (bids) are high, but when orders decline, the BDI figure drops rapidly. This is because the last thing that any shipper wants is to set sail with a hold that is not nearly full.

The BDI is a useful indicator of global trade and global economic health. It is indeed presently signaling economic depression. But it is not indicative of imminent starvation in the US!

Two Letters Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Jim,

For starters I would like to say that Jim you are dead-on with your Delta Junction recommendation. I live near Delta. And it is some of the finest farm land in the world. everything grows amazing here. Some of the information in the previous letters is wrong and I would like to clarify them . The growing season may be a little shorter in days of light, but in total hours of light it is much longer than other places. It gets light here in May and gets dark at night again in late August. Some vegetables will grow great, some don’t do so well, Corn doesn’t like it, but potatoes grow without trying. And as for isolation, that’s the idea. Things are harder to get, but you learn to live with less and enjoy it more. As for power, at least in the Delta area you do not need to worry about that in the winter, solar is awesome here in the summer, but in winter the wind is ever present. I have four wind generators that I built from old car alternators and Fan blades. I never had a loss in the battery bank. I live off of their grid anyway, so I am used to adapting.
As for the wood situation, certain types of trees do incredibly well here, And they grow faster not slower, I have trees that I know weren’t there ten years ago and are over twelve feet tall, Spruces grow well here, and birch is my main heat, I have a fair sized house, and a new, catalyst stove and burn 5-to-7 cords of wood per winter.

Fuel is more expensive here, but it fluctuates like anywhere else, buy when the price is low, and stockpile it. In this area it is common for people to have a couple of 1,000 gallon tanks buried in their yard, Moose and caribou ar always around as a meat source, as with buffalo in this area. (Yes we have buffalo in Alaska). Along with Many other species of flora and fauna.

On the other hand Alaska is not a place for those who can not take care of themselves. In this area it is not uncommon to see the temps dip below -60,F. I have seen -72. It is dark all winter, And the stores never have what you want. There is plenty of water though, my well is thirty feet deep, and the pump is set down to twenty feet, My suggestion for people who are thinking about moving to Alaska is simple, Unless you have lived a subsistence lifestyle for a while, are used to constant extreme weather changes, and can do it on your own, stay where you are, or find some place else. As for me, I will never go outside [Alaska] again, you can keep it. – Z. in Alaska

 

Mr. Rawles
I too am a long time reader and this is also the first time I have written. I urge all of your readers to take head to Mr. Galt’s letter concerning Alaska as a retreat locale. It is harsh up here. I live in Delta Junction area and love it. We have been here for over 10 years now and have our place set up pretty well. We live off grid and in the bush, hunt, fish, trap, mush dogs etc. etc. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to try to move here and set up a retreat this late in the game. We just went through a couple weeks of -50 to -60(Tok recorded -78) temperatures then 70 m.p.h. hour winds that blew down many trees and damaged a lot of structures. These things are a regular occurrence. A lot of Russian immigrants have moved from the lower 48 into the Delta area. Most of the ones I have met seem to be good people but most live off welfare. When the welfare stops we’ll have problems. The bad bunch of them are thieves already not just the Russian but Americans also. The Russian community has a bad reputation for it though. Anyone planning to move here and find a job might be in for a rude awakening.

The local jobs don’t pay enough to live on the grid and the government jobs stay filled mostly. Delta is profiting from a small military bubble economy brought about by the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program but with you know in office now all that could come to a screeching halt at anytime. Because of the GMD program everyone around here thinks their land has gold on it and prices it accordingly.

Yes, Delta does have a big farming community. Most of the farmers get buy living off of government programs and are deeply in debt. The ones that don’t live off the program hurt. Most farms lay dormant wile collecting CRP checks. I have heard that there will be no more new CRP contracts in the future. The fertility of the farm land has gone way down too because of the climate here. The cold doesn’t allow much time for plant matter to decompose plus it’s hard to have crop rotation with only Barley. (Barley, hay grasses, potatoes, and carrots are the main crops grown here.) For the last three years we have had a frost in the middle of August that pretty much killed any vegetables that were not in a green house.

Wells in Delta are any where from 40 to 450 feet in depth. If you buy land where there is bed rock you may drill 450 deep and still get mastodon pee to drink. Wells are at $50 a foot this year. Better plan on how to get water out of the well when the power goes down. Currently heating oil is 2.23 at the pump in town, more if its delivered. Diesel is currently $3.69. It hit $5 last winter. Fire wood from Delta Lumber is $180 per cord until they run out for the winter other sources are up to $250. The people from Delta lumber are great people and will work themselves silly trying make sure no one goes cold. I have seen one add for firewood for $300 per cord. Dry firewood is a must because -50 the soot form green wood builds in the chimney thus creating chimney fire. A friend of mine got burned out at -50 for that very reason. They didn’t get in enough dry wood for the winter. Luckily they were able to run to separate garage and no one suffered any cold injuries. Finding a place to cut fire wood now is getting hard to find.

Most people here are enjoying high power bills now since Golden Valley increased their rates. The average size house power bill is running $300- $400 [per month] in the winter maybe less if your really frugal. You have to keep your vehicles plugged in. In a diesel that is like running a 1,500 watt electric heater. Wind power is a possibility if your turbine can withstand the wind. Closer to the mountains it has been 100 mph. The wind here isn’t steady it is really gusty, not good for turbine. Rent is running around a $1,000 and up for a three bedroom home. Certified sewers are from $6,000 to $16,000 depending. Cost to build is running around the $150 per square foot range and going up.

If you don’t know how Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) will affect you, then you’s better find out before you try to make a permanent move here. Cabin fever has been the demise of many people who move here and plan to live the wilderness experience. The only cure for it is to be outside. It don’t matter what the the temp is you got to get out side when it’s light. SAD has be the cause for suicide, alcoholism, and drugs. People do the latter two to cope. I personally have never had it. I have too much work to do. People who don’t procrastinate and get all there chores done and food stores in order for the winter and plan to stay in the cabin for the winter suffer the worse. We don’t procrastinate but we don’t stay in either. The cabin is only a place to warm up, eat and sleep. Living is done outside the cabin. We trap, mush dogs, care for the horses, cut more fire wood when it’s not too cold, fire up the blacksmith forge, build some log furniture. It is easy to get lazy and lethargic during the winter. You have to fight the urge daily. We had a couple move in not to far from us. I told the lady to make sure she kept the windows uncovered in the winter. Well, they were the lazy type and didn’t ever have enough wood cut so they covered the windows and blocked out some of the cold but mostly the light. They made it though one winter but the next one they didn’t. They pulled up [stakes] and left middle of the winter.

As much as I love living here, if I were looking for a retreat locale this late in the game then it would be some place more hospitable. We did move here for the lack of people and when things get even worse I expect people to start migrating out of Alaska especially the interior. It requires a lot of hard work to live here more especially so if your living off the land. How would you like to cut 20 cords of wood with a hand operated saw and axe when you run out of gas and or you saw goes down? Running chain saws in the sub-zero weather is hard on them. Better get extra clutches for them. What about when the mosquitoes bloom and you have run out of bug dope?

Hunting is decent here. The Russian community poaches a lot of the moose in the Delta management area. They do it to eat. I am not knocking them for that. When the SHTF it will be even worse therefore even we will have to start going further into the bush to hunt using sled teams to get there. If you plan to have dogs and sled they require a lot of food. [Here they eat mostly] fish. The salmon that makes it this far inland is [best -suited for] dog food. It is pretty beat up by the time is gets here. The flesh is a faint pink to gray color as they are close to the end of the life span. Anyone planning to come to Alaska to survive the upheaval better have there you know what together or they won’t make it. This land is unforgiving and the least mistakes get big in a hurry. Sorry that my letter has gotten so long but I want people to know what they are getting into if they come here thinking it’s paradise. It ain’t. but it’s the life we love. People here are willing to help if you are not stupid. Our favorite saying around here is “If you gonna be dumb then you’d better be tough” – C.B.

Letter Re: Some Online Resources on Determining Prescription Drug Shelf Lives

James,

I worked for 20 years as an analytical chemist and was responsible for running experiments to determine the expiration dates of our medicines. We were always conservative when setting limits.

There are many factors that affect the stability of medications. The most easily controlled by the end user is temperature. As a general rule for biological compounds near human temperatures the rate of decomposition approximately doubles with each 18° F rise in temperature and is roughly halved with each 18° F fall in temperature. So if the shelf life of a medicine is six months at 90° F and about three months at 110° F. That same medicine is expected to decompose about the same amount during four years in a refrigerator as it would in one year at room temperature or 16 years in a freezer.

Once a package has been opened oxygen, water, or microorganisms may enter the medicine and dramatically shorten it’s shelf life. In general

Letter Re: Canned Food Storage Rack Alternatives

1

Hello Mr. Rawles,
There’s a better product than the Cansolidator [that Michael Z. Williamson reviewed], but very few people know about it. It’s made by a local company in Idaho Falls, Idaho. I use to live near there, and visited their store several times. The store is Pharaoh’s Storehouse.

The reasons that the Pharaoh’s Storehouse products are better than Cansolidators:

Made of metal, not plastic!
No wasted airspace between the cans, like Cansolidator, so you can store a lot more food in a very small space.
Made in America [JWR Adds: But FYI, so is the Cansolidator]
Their wall units [are shallow and hence] can easily be hidden by false walls.

Sincerely, – Garnet

JWR Replies: We should also remind readers that are budget-conscious: Don’t overlook the do-it-yourself alternative,using cardboard material that A. in Texas mentioned in a January 24th letter posted in SurvivalBlog.

Letter Re: Bloom Where You’re Planted

Thank You Mr. Rawles,
My husband and I are new readers of SurvivalBlog; we have been so encouraged/convicted/moved/enlightened/blessed by your wisdom.

Gertrude’s “Bloom Where You’re Planted” article, for me, was amazing. It’s the “if she can do it, anyone can do it’ – I am encouraged. I don’t really have words for what I’m trying to say, just that I don’t feel so overwhelmed now after reading her words.

We are just in the baby beginning stages of preparedness. My amazing husband is leading us in the most right direction, and is a very steady purposeful man. I trust him and his ability completely.
I think to sum up this attempt at an email to you Mr. Rawles, is that hearing Gertrude’s calm direction and wisdom has changed my entire approach, or my thinking….does that make sense?

Ultimately, my trust rests in my most Gracious God, and then, He knows my fears and doubts and places folks like Gertrude in my path. I am grateful. Blessings on you, – Kristy in Oregon

Odds ‘n Sods:

Bob at Ready Made Resources wrote to tell me that they have just one BP-Solar 190 Watt Solar Module in stock, that a customer had canceled after it already shipped;. (It was re-routed back to RMR but the panel is still brand new.) Because of the circumstances, they are selling this one panel below wholesale cost at $750, plus shipping. (Additional panels are available at RMR’s normally-discounted price.) Call RMR during normal business hours (Eastern time) for the special price 1(800) 627-3809.

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Our friend Art suggested that those interested in a gun-friendly nationwide alternative to Craigslist, should try SwapGiant.com. It’s new in most areas.

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HPD recommended this piece by Mish Shedlock: Employment Cycles During Recessions

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Rourke mentioned that the French wire service piece on SurvivalBlog is still getting plenty of mileage. Most recently it was picked up by a Jakarta newspaper.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are." – Niccolò Machiavelli

Product Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator, by Michael Z. Williamson

The following are my experiences with a product called a Cansolidator. My order for two Cansolidators was filled very promptly, and they arrived within the week.

These racks are a common concept for people storing canned goods in bulk. This is a first in, first out (FIFO) rack. New cans go in the top, old cans dispense out the bottom.

The Cansolidator is modular, made of a very sturdy and flexible plastic, and the rails are numbered to make it easy to set consistent widths. Each unit contains four top and four bottom rails, and five vertical rails/spacers. You can extend the rails to make wider units, and use additional bottom rail sections to build vertically. It was just slightly too tall for my kitchen cabinets–it wouldn’t quite fit under the shelf, but may fit in newer ones. It’s also fairly deep. Shelfreliance also sells smaller units intended for inside cabinets, and larger, freestanding units up to “The Harvest” that will hold up to 600 cans, and can be adapted to fit a smaller number of #10 cans.

I managed to adjust the unit to fit three slots for standard cans and one for smaller cans (fruit cocktail and beanie weenie sized cans). A standard modular plastic shelf system will fit a Cansolidator section six cans wide, with enough room atop to fit a flat of additional cans between it and the next shelf up. This dramatically improved the cubic efficiency of our canned goods storage.

My only criticism is that a basic unit is not quite wide enough, by about 1/2 inch, to fit four rows of regular cans. I will definitely be getting more of these, and one of the larger freestanding racks, to improve our food storage.- Michael Z. Williamson

Letter Re: Gun Ownership in Chile

Hello JWR,
I hope everything is going well for you and your family! Every day that passes makes me realize how blessed I am to be out of the states and living at a great retreat location in Chile.
I was reading your site yesterday and saw your article asking for information about foreign gun laws. I recently purchased a new shotgun in Chile and will share that experience with you. First, I don’t think most Chileans follow the gun laws here. The law is that you must register every weapon you own, and registration is limited to three per person, but no limit per family. That means I could register three in my name, three in my wife’s name, etc. Laws state you must keep your weapon in your home and if you transport in somewhere else, you must ask for permission and get a form to do so. If you are stopped by the police and have a weapon without the transport form, they have the right to seize it. (I have been stopped many times for a registration check, and they have never searched the vehicle or asked about weapons, so this is a very remote possibility in normal times, IMHO).

From those restrictions, you can see why I feel most Chileans don’t follow the law. I wanted to ship down my grandfather’s old Mossberg, but since it didn’t have a serial number, and the associated government paper hassle, I just bought a new one here. When buying from a dealer, you have to follow the rules, and being a foreign national residing here, I went along (for my first). I wanted a basic Mossberg pump action 12 gauge, and the dealer informed me I had to pass a hunting exam before I could buy the gun. He gave me some example tests, true-false questions, and I went to register for the test. Not being a native spanish speaker, I was a little worried about the exam. It cost about $24 US to get a study book and pay for the test. The exam covered all the separate hunting laws for the country, broken down by state. I had to know the dove daily limits for a region 1,500 miles from my house! Unbelievable. I managed to luck through the test and pass with a 70%, even though none of the test questions given to me by the dealer were on the test- wouldn’t you know it!

Once I had my hunting license I returned to the gun dealer/ sport shop. I paid for the gun, and then they took me to the local Chilean army office to register it. On the way, the dealer casually mentioned I had to take a test there to ensure I knew the proper care and maintenance of the shotgun I was buying! I had no idea what those names were, so I had about 10 minutes to learn what a sight, breach, stock, etc were called in spanish, and I lucked my way through another multiple choice test on basic maintenance, and how many shells I was able to buy at a time, etc. What a pain! Now you see why I think most chileans skip this law. Everyone was quite nice and helpful, it was just the process that stank.

The next step was needing the police to check my residence on the application to ensure that I lived there. Well, I live 150km from this town, and I could not take possession of my gun until my residence was checked. For this reason I used a friend’s residence in the town. I was checked out and returned the next morning for my shotgun. What an ordeal. Total cost, not including the shotgun itself, was about $60 US. Fortunately, now I have my legally registered shotgun, even though it is registered at a residence far far away, so it would take some searching to find me if the officials were so inclined. Obviously my next weapons purchase will be from an locals to skip the whole bureaucratic nightmare. Since I live way off the beaten path and know the local police, I am not worried, but the national system here is set up for potential confiscation if necessary- remnants of the 1970’s and the civil war/Pinochet days.

Hope you find this informative. Chile is a great country for old German rifles and such like. I look forward to getting a Winchester .44-40, .357, and other weapons off of the grid. I’ve actually had my folks bring down boxes of rifle shells and deer slugs in their airline luggage- no problem with customs. In other news, I now have my pigs, chickens, and the sheep are on the way! Fresh eggs and ham through any crisis! Best wishes. – Bruce

Letter Re: Advice on Shogun Selection–Do I Need a 3-1/2″ Chamber?

Jim:
I am soon buying my first shotgun and wanted to know if you would recommend it. It is a Remington 870 Express Super Magnum which handles everything from light 2-3/4″ loads to heavy 3-1/2″ magnums interchangeably, in a ribbed 28″ barrel. I am looking at it for home defense. Best regards, – Greg

JWR Replies: The 3-1/2 inch chamber is only an issue here in the US when shooting at high-flying ducks and geese, using the now-mandatory steel shot. For home defense, a 3″ chamber, or even a 2-3/4″ chamber on the older guns is sufficient. Don’t pay extra for a gun with a 3-1/2″ chamber. Spend the difference on getting a spare 20″ barrel with slug sights. That is the barrel that you will want for home defense. OBTW, for the greatest versatility, try to get all barrels with “Rem-Choke” screw-in choke tubes.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Our Editor at Large (Michael Z. Williamson) sent this evidence that the MOAB will continue to grow, unchecked: A $15,000 gift for home buyers?

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Reader Leon H. suggested this great video segment: Peter Schiff: Stimulus Bill Will Lead to “Unmitigated Disaster”

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Bob McC. flagged this: California, Georgia banks are latest to be seized. Bob’s comment: “These bank failures were in Southern California and Atlanta, Georgia, no doubt being dragged down by failing real estate, in two of the formerly hottest markets. Is it me, or do the bank failures seem to be coming at a steadier pace now?”

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Cheryl sent us these: Financial Coup D’Etat — UK: 38,000 Companies Expected to Go Bust — Three More US Banks Shut By Regulators

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Thus says the LORD:
‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the LORD.

For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:5-8