Finding Community, by Jim Fry

Here at the farm we had the first of a series of free and open classes on disaster preparedness on February 1st. One of the things I intend to talk about at the upcoming meetings are various options for joining a community.

When discussing disaster preparations, the first thing to decide is what you think is most likely to happen. If you think the world is a friendly place where snow means skiing and flowers always bloom, then a disaster is the electricity going out for a couple days if a tree happens to fall. You’ll need a case of bottled water, some soup and maybe a barbeque for cooking. With just that little bit, you’ll still be ahead of most of your neighbors and mostly be comfortable. But what if disaster means, ‘The End Of…Everything’? Then the preps you’ll need will be very different.

We’ve all watched the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina/Haiti/Tsunami/wildfires and snows. Generally life sucks, then the cavalry comes. But what do you do if help never comes? Never. Ever. None. Can you provide for every single thing you will need for the rest of your life, and your children’s lives? Food, water, warmth, medicine, security, communication, civil order, sanitation, entertainment, livestock, eligible partners for your progeny, trade goods, tools and so much more? Can you walk into the wilderness right now with only what you carry, build house and barn, and be able to defend against whatever predator awaits, just as our ancestors did? Because that’s what TEOTWAWKI means. The end of everything as it now exists.

I believe we live in such a fragile society that if the electricity goes off for several weeks continent wide, it just as likely won’t ever come back on. Without power there’s no food, gas, medicine, order. Without the basics, too many people will perish. And since we have become so specialized in job skills, it will only take a few key missing knowledgeable workers for the whole system to permanently break.

Two generations ago there where many self-sufficient generalists. There are very few now. My Grandma saved seeds, kept chickens, put wood to stove, and pulled water from the well. And during the Depression she and her brothers sat on the porch at night, holding a shotgun, to protect the apple orchard. Are you ready and able to do all that? Can you fix or make every single thing you will ever need? We’ve all heard stories about the intrepid pioneers who carved out a life. But for every family that made it, many more failed. Most of them died.

So what do you do? It’s not so likely any of us will do well alone. There’s just too much to do. I believe the best, and maybe only, survival strategy is to join a community. Seems to me there are only several basic ways to do so. 1). Be in one before TSHTF. 2). Be close friends, or family, of folks in a community so you can join when you need, (and trust they will still let you in). 3). Bargain your way into a community with what you know and the skills you have. 4).Bargain your way in with the goods you carry.

Of course joining a community right now, (or yesterday), is best. There is so much to learn, acquire and establish that doing it now, while times are good, is much easier. It’s also much better to work out all the personality issues when not under maximum stress. I’ve have dozens of dozens of folks living here at the farm over the last 35 years. First impressions don’t always count for much. Some people are pleasant to live with, some really make things difficult. You don’t want to find that out when its too late. When it comes to survival, you really need to depend on and trust those around you.

There are actually quite a few communities already out there. You’ve probably already checked the “Finding Others” page on SurvivalBlog. But there’s also IC.org . On their home page, click on “resources”, then click on “reach book”. There are intentional communities all over the world. A lot of the ones listed are “love me, love me” type folks, but there’s also some pretty good ones. And of course talk with your trusted friends and at Church to see who’s doing what and what’s possible.

If you’re not already in a safe place, or set up to go to one, then you’ll have to walk up to the unknown “door” and ask to join. You’ll need something better than, “I’m hungry, my kids are starving”. That’ll maybe get you a meal, hopefully, maybe. But it doesn’t get you in. You’ll need skills. Everybody’s a babysitter/cook/computer programmer/garden weeder/ditch digger. Don’t really need you. Blacksmiths are surprisingly common, (gotta love America and all her hobbyists). What’s valuable is a really good herbalist/midwife, a veteran with experience, somebody who knows and can do the thirteen ways of preserving food, a trapper/skinner/tanner, a shoe/boot/wagon wheel maker, a weaver or tin smith. Be a veterinarian or nurse/third world doctor or dentist. Then you have usefulness in really basic times. If you can’t get to community now, acquire some of the more rare or valuable skills. You, and they, will need them. With knowledge, it’ll be harder to turn you away.

Another way into community is what you possess and can offer. If you have lots of antibiotics, treadle sewing machine needles, surgical instruments, maybe fish hooks, certain books, maybe bullets, the more rare tools for old time crafts and trades, copious amounts of food or a thousand spools of thread, most communities will consider you. The problem is some communities may like your goods better than you. Some might decide to “share” what you have then say bye-bye, (or worse). You might try to bury your goods, observe the community from a distance, then walk in and make a deal. But they better be kind hearted or you’ll just end up “sharing” again. And if you hunker down concealed in order to observe a community for a couple days to see if they are worth joining, you probably don’t want to join them anyway. If they don’t catch you, its not so likely they’ll catch the bad guys doing the same thing. With goods, you’re possibly valuable, but at a real disadvantage in deal making.

Then there’s the last unmentioned way of joining a community. That’s “joining” by not joining. For thousands of years there have been traveling tradesmen, craftsmen and peddlers. Folks with tools, goods, and skills who traveled from community to community where they provided items to trade, gossip and information from down the road, sometimes entertainment and amusement to break to sameness of everyday life in isolated villages, and needed specialty skills such as dentistry or pewterer. They’d stay for a short while, re-equip, rest up, then move on. Keeping to somewhat scheduled rounds, so they would be expected and welcomed at the next stop.

Peddling may not work so well in the first months or even year after TSHTF; the world may be too unsettled and dangerous. But for certain personality types, it may be a good option. It’s something to think about.

So, I suggest you give some real thought to how you will get into a community. My opinion is we survivors/thrivers will need to. I think it will get that tough. And that soon. Don’t know what’s going to bite us. If its a pandemic, being near a city might not be so bad, if the hordes die off fast enough and you don’t also get sick. If its EMP, then being anywhere within a couple weeks walk of a major city may really suck. And if certain people get re-elected, then we’re all toast. I don’t really know what will happen first and worst. But whatever it is exactly, I suggest you have a determined way to join with others in order to survive.

A few books that might be helpful, to add to SurvivalBlog’s already long list of suggested useful books, are:

The preceding list is just a few of the hundreds that are useful to have. Do searches on Barnes and Noble Used books, or Borders Used Books in subjects that interest you. Get them now. The world will become very small when the power goes out. Also, at YahooGroups there are hundreds of Groups of people with extremely useful knowledge on any subject, trade or skill you can think of. Get the knowledge before it is all lost. – Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment

P.S.: For those interested, see the posting at the Preparedness Groups Page for Feb. 1, 2010, about North Central Ohio. Free and open meeting for discussion of disaster preparedness. — If we can help you now to be prepared, you can help others later when charitable living will be needed.

Preparing Your Church Congregation, by JSX in Virginia

My preparedness background started as a youth.  My father took us camping often and had an amazing gun collection; I’ve been able to teach my kids what he taught me – great memories both then and now!  In the 1970s, my mom and step-dad bought a little 2-acre farm in the middle of nowhere.  We kept a dozen or so chickens, had a few garden spots (that seemed to grow and multiply with each new season), homemade soap, homemade root beer (an acquired taste!) a “sewing room”, a small orchard, solar heating, our own 250-gallon fuel tank, and a year supply of food (much of it canned at home) for a blended family of 10.  In the late 80’s, I got married and had my wife encourage me to follow the counsel of a church leader “to be prepared for anything”.  I did some homework, organized my gear and ended up teaching others for the last 15+ years the basics of being prepared.   My greatest mentor has been Glenn Anderson, who I met from the Yahoo group PrepJr.  (Check out his survival notebook section in the files).  I have taught disaster education for the Red Cross and served as a police reservist in a couple of small towns.  I enjoy ham radio, beekeeping, shooting, Dutch Oven cooking, serving in my church, backpacking/camping, canoeing, and delving into the many facets of being prepared and independent.  After reading (in quick succession) Lights Out [a free e-book], “One Second After”. and “Patriots”, I’ve been taking it up a notch and inviting anyone who will listen to join me in a more advanced state of preparedness.  I’ve bought extra copies of the books to loan out (or sent out links to acquire the e-books).  In my church, I am responsible to help some of our local units get better prepared.  During this process, I’ve thought how other churches might want to consider the same thing, and thought I could use this format to share what I have learned over the years.  Being a “work in progress”, here are the thoughts that I’ve come up with so far to help a congregation get better prepared:

Initial goals for this year:

1.  Basic “phone tree” functioning – map out and divide the church boundaries into geographical districts.  Assign each family 2 or 3 other households within a district to do welfare checks, especially during a significant event where loss of phone service is minimal.  Help your members become their brother’s keeper.

2.  List of those with special needs – physical handicaps, mentally or emotionally challenged, critical medicines and/or durable medical equipment.  Make plans on how they can be helped.

3.  Define resources across your membership: specialized skill sets (medical, transport, security, heavy equipment & operators, “prepared”/food storage, etc.)

4.  List of homes willing and able to take in refugees (consider list from #3).  Consult the map to help determine closest options and alternate routing if needed.

5.  Emergency Communications training – locate current ham radio operators across the area and establish a scheduled net to practice traffic handling and prepare to facilitate communications in the event of an emergency.  Use their homes as focal points for the collecting of information.  (If ham operators are non-existent, skip to item #7.) Also, consider befriending local hams and arrange the use of their skills and equipment until such time as you can provide your own Emergency Communications.  Local church leadership can help coordinate assistance as information comes in from across the area.

6. Hold a “Preparedness Fair” to help motivate/kick start the basic concepts of home storage and self-reliance.  Plan to hold mini-classes as members start to see the wisdom of being prepared.

Goals for next year:

7.  Begin ham radio classes – encourage those in church leadership to at least obtain a Technicians license in order to allow “local” communications.  It’s not that hard. Invite the membership to participate.  As more members obtain their licenses, the geographical districts become more manageable and communication is simplified.  Information sharing, especially health hazards, is absolutely critical in allocating the resources available.  It is also a psychological boost to be able to share and learn about local conditions.  Contact your local ham radio club(s) for assistance or go to www.arrl.org

8.  “Disaster Communication” tree – those who choose not to get their ham radio license, make use of what is available outside of phones/internet:  (FRS radios, CB, GMRS, car, bike, foot).  Practice communicating without normal means and check on those in each district. Set up specific hours and frequencies and see how well the equipment works.  For those who are unable to participate “electronically”, a runner will need to knock on the door.  Might encourage more to consider other options.  The goal is to be able to check on each member of your congregation.  Use local weather events to activate communications (flash floods, snow storms, ice, etc).  Encourage acquisition of NOAA weather radio with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME).

9.  Advanced prep classes (designed for those who have at least a couple of months of food storage and have a basic vision of preps):

  • Camping skills and equipment (the foundational layer of being prepared in general)
  • First Aid and CPR
  • Alternate water/lighting/cooking and fuel storage options
  • How to stay warm/freeze protection – alternative heat sources for the home
  • Real “Bug-out-bags” and optional transport
  • Pressure canning, dry-pack, dehydrating, local cannery, etc – food preservation
  • Gardening & herbs – no matter where you live you can grow something
  • Beekeeping
  • Hunting & game “preparation” – team up “novices” with experienced hunters willing to share.  Opportunity to teach many outdoor skills.
  • Home defense & security
  • Practical map & compass and GPS use
  • Raising farm animals
  • EMP preparations (grounded Faraday cages for all critical electronic devices)
  • Prep library – fiction and non-fiction, a never-ending collection. Begin discussion groups to open up the thought process of what we can do right now.  Helps keep “the eye on the ball”.

Goals for the following year:

  1. Pre-positioning & movement of gear – trucks & trailers available to haul members gear to a centralized point if personal safety becomes an issue.
  2. Rally points: Look for areas that allow for shelters/tent sites, water sources, firewood, pre-dug latrines, defense trenches, LP/OP, graves, etc dug while machinery is easily available; perhaps a members property/farm or hunting camp.
  3. Backup plans for those unable to report (see #3) due to their own challenges or needing to use there own “resources” elsewhere.  Cross train.
  4. Security detail:  Safety, Training, practice, CCW,  proper storage of guns and ammo.

Other considerations:

– Any members with large tracts of land that would be willing to “invite” the membership and like-minded individuals to gather for safety (see point #10 & #11)
– Airplane/ultra-lite for recon
– “EMP proof” vehicles (plan to have necessary spare parts on hand)
– Those with farm animals, fuel storage, solar panels, wood lot/firewood
– Potential access to a pharmacy, backup refrigeration for critical meds
– Organized responsibilities: Medical, Security, Sanitation, Burial, Water collection/treatment, Hunter/Gatherer, Construction/Home repair, Firewood collection, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Communications, etc.

I have appreciated the opportunity to organize my thoughts as I am preparing to implement the plan above.  I just recently discovered SurvivalBlog,\ and found that it is a treasure of knowledge.  Thank you for your time and efforts to help us be better prepared.

Letter Re: The Rocket Stove, Refined

Several times in items I’ve sent out or in live presentations I’ve mentioned the “Rocket Stove,” a simple stove concept worked on over the last 20 years or so at the Aprovecho Research Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon (and elsewhere) by Larry Winiarski and others. The goal in refining this stove was to create a wood or charcoal – burning stove that would use the absolute minimum amount of widely available fuel to boil a given amount of water, thus minimizing fuel use and waste, and also smoke that could contribute to health issues for those tending, or in proximity to, the stove. These are all issues in third world settings where these stoves have been tested over a number of years.

Many designs have been tested over the years. What you see at sites like this is the result of a great deal of trial and error. I have received Aprovecho’s newsletters for 15 years and have watched some of this honing process.

Aprovecho has found a manufacturer in China capable of producing a stove that incorporates this very efficient design and they have just begun selling them domestically at a very affordable price.

I have had a hand in working with homemade versions and it involves a bit of work to come up with an easily portable, efficient wood-burning stove. For $40 and shipping this is a unit that can potentially help a lot of people, and not just in the third world.
Besides basic cooking applications and boiling water consider its possible use for heating during a power outage: a covered coffee/paint can, metal pail, pot, or 4 – 8 quart Dutch oven filled with golf ball-sized stones or pebbles, can become a portable “heat sink” after being warmed up on such a stove to bring a source of heat into a makeshift tent you’ve set up inside your home, or just in a small room (place the hot container on non-flammable material like bricks and keep small children away from it ). Having just small amounts of fuel available can mean having hot water and food plus a means to stay relatively warm in an emergency.

Check out the video – the main video will access more info – videos on building your own stove and/or using Rocket Stoves. You can access a number of “rocket stove” clips as well directly off YouTube.

The link above will give you considerable information on the manufactured unit. Even if you already have a camp or backpacker’s stove this kind of unit is one to consider for emergency back-up because of the ready availability of its fuel.

A very small wood-burning alternative is the “Zipstove” for about $65. I’ve worked with and sold these units going back almost 20 years and they are a proven item.

If you have enough people interested you might consider a package shipment to obtain 200+# UPS discount rates.

Even if you believe you’ll have access to unlimited amounts of wood in an emergency don’t let that consideration keep you from a very cheap piece of insurance. – Greg L.

Economics and Investing:

I warned you, folks! Coin Composition Change Included in Obama’s 2011 Budget. Have you socked away your nickels yet? Do so before they start making them out of stainless steel! Gresham’s Law is still in force. (Thanks to CRD for the link.)

Matt B. mentioned that the Geography of Recession interactive map has been updated. This is looking grim!

The Other Jim R. forwarded us a link to this Zero Hedge piece: Brace Yourself for the Coming Gold Shortage

GG sent this: White House to paint grim fiscal picture

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) flagged this: Obama’s 2011 Budget Proposal: How It’s Spent

Items from The Economatrix:

Obama Seeks $1.9 Trillion Tax Rise on Rich, Business

Britain’s Banks Downgraded by S&P

US Hunger for Gasoline Falls, Unlikely to Return

Is America Broke?

How Japanese Hyper-Inflation Could Turn the USD Into Toilet Paper

Odds ‘n Sods:

From Chad S.: Seed shortages could imperil home gardens. JWR Adds: Stock up on heirloom varieties before gardening season. I’m sure that our advertisers that sell non-hybrid seeds would appreciate your patronage.

   o o o

S.F. in Hawaii mentioned that John C. Campbell’s Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina has expanded its course catalog. Some of the traditional skills taught there such as metalworking, spinning, and weaving would be important in the event of a societal collapse.

   o o o

Inadequate sanitation leads to disease in Haiti, just as predicted: Chaos eases as Haiti food lines focus on women. (Thanks to Russ D. for the link.) And, in the No Great Surprise Department, we read: Haiti food convoy attacked; UN warns of volatility. (Thanks to R.D. for the link.)

   o o o

Reader F.D. spotted this: New groups mobilize as Indians embrace the right to bear arms

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“He who lets the world, or his own portion of it, choose his plan of life for him has no need of any other faculty than the ape like one of imitation. He who chooses his plan for himself employs all his faculties. He must use observation to see, reasoning and judgment to foresee, activity to gather materials for decision, discrimination to decide, and when he has decided, firmness and self-control to hold to his deliberate decision.” – John Stuart Mill, “On Liberty”

Note from JWR:

Today we present the first entry for Round 27 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: 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 $350.

Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

Round 27 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.

Running for Disaster Readiness, by A.R.

Proviso: The writer of this article and SurvivalBlog shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury or death as a result of any actions that the reader may take after reading.  This article is for informational purposes only. 

I write this because one of the core elements of being prepared includes maintaining an above average level of physical fitness.  Having been a swim and fitness coach for over ten years, as well as training for and completing two marathons, along with a number of other road races, I feel adequately prepared to try to motivate readers of this blog to improve their own level of fitness. 
           
A personal aside: I have also been able to motivate my wife off the couch to start running to stay fit, over her initial protests of various mysterious leg pains.   My solution was to introduce her to a running store, staffed by running coaches, to watch how she took her strides, and have them fit her with an appropriate running shoe (which turned out to be very similar to what she already had.  But interestingly, her leg pains disappeared).   Also, almost a year ago, due to life changes, I had stopped my personal exercise and running routine.  And after about 9 months, I had to motivate myself to restart.  So much of the advice I am about to give, I’ve had to follow firsthand.
           
I’ve been reading this blog for about a year now, after stumbling across it while searching for reading material on the direction of the price of gold spot.  That led me to read “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”.   In any survival scenario, physical fitness is extremely important.  It means being in shape to haul your G.O.O.D. bag out of the city; it means possibly hiking six miles to scout out a neighboring camp.  Or, it could simply be that your doctor finally tells you ominously that your heart is a muscle: use it, or lose it. 

Fortunately for me, if you are reading this on this blog, my job to motivate you has already become easier.  You are concerned about the future, and may have already begun great preparations in learning useful skills, accumulating an inventory of arms, storing water and food.  Have you begun to prepare yourself physically?  You can give yourself all the excuses, but I’ve heard them all.  It’s too hot; it’s too cold.  My body wasn’t build to run.  It takes too much time.  There are no good places to run.  I don’t know where to get started.   Let’s start here.
Start by going to see a doctor for a physical, especially if you have been inactive.   One way to help motivate yourself is to get baseline readings of resting heart rates and blood pressure readings, so that after a few months, you can measure your progress this way.  Inform your doctor that you will soon begin to get into better shape by running, and he/she will help insure you are fit enough to do so.  Meanwhile in the days leading up to you doctor’s appointment, start an easygoing walking routine.  Strap on a pair of good walking shoes and head out your door. Pick a time of day where you can spend 20 minutes.  Unless it’s raining, anytime is good.  For me, I’ve found that some days, I’ve run at 11 PM just to get a workout in.  Later, I’ll discuss the benefits of actually going outside, rather than going to your health club and using the treadmill.  Be properly dressed.    Cotton may be comfortable, but if you start running, you’ll soon want the water wicking ability of synthetic fibers over the water absorbing cotton threads.  For me personally, when I run, I am in shorts unless the temperature is in the 40s, when I will wear long sleeves.  Under 40, I will wear gloves, hat, and wind pants.   Wind chill also factors in, and a windy 45 degree day usually also means that wind pants, hat, and gloves are worn with sleeves. But everyone is different.  Find your own comfort levels and adjust accordingly.    

Start with a walk around your block.  Walk purposefully, as if you are going somewhere. (You are!).  Focus on your breathing by inhaling through your nose, holding it for a second or two, then exhaling slowly through your mouth.  Build up a good breathing rhythm as you stride.  Keep a relaxed, brisk pace, just slightly above an easy stroll.  Until you get your doctor’s okay, do not push yourself too hard.  Time your walk with a wristwatch, and mark off ten minutes.  If your block is too big, then walk out from your place of residence for 8 minutes, then turn around and walk back for the next 2.  After 10 minutes of walking at a brisk pace, slow your gait down to an easy stroll, and walk back home. At this point, continue your cooling down by stretching.  Do simple stretch exercises:  Stand with your feet together, lean over and let your hands hang for ten seconds.  Stand up, relax, and repeat slowly, trying to reach for the ground, the second time, placing your palms on the ground if you are able to.   Spread your legs apart beyond your shoulder-width, and lean over to one side for ten seconds.  Relax, then try again, this time lean your head into your knee.  Repeat for the other side.   Then, while standing on your right leg, take your right hand and grab your left foot and hold it behind you for ten seconds.  You should be stretching your left quad muscle.  Repeat for the other leg.  These are a few simple stretches.   At this point, your heart and breathing rate should be close to normal (resting heart/breathing rate).
Repeat your walking for a few days in a row.   Use this time to meditate, clear your head, improve your fitness.   Also, find time to visit a good running store.  I’m not talking about the big box sporting goods retailers like The Sports Authority, or Dick’s Sporting Goods. Runner’s World magazine published a list of running stores in USA and Canada. These stores will usually have salespersons who can visually watch how you run.  Specifically how your foot strikes the ground, and whether it rolls in or outward or not at all.  A variety of foot/ankle/joint ailments can be simply rectified by wearing the proper shoes!  Any many stores will offer to replace and refit you, if they don’t get it right the first time. 
           
After you have been cleared for running by your doctor, you can graduate from walking to jogging.  Again, start with the 10 minute plan.  Still focusing on your breathing, start with a slow jog heading 8 minutes out, turning around, then heading 2 minutes back.  Note that as we begin, we pay little attention to how far you actually go.  But rather, your goal is to elevate your heart rate for a period of time.   The mechanics of how you run can vary from person to person.  But to be simple about it, relax your arms, but keep them close at your side.  You should not be swinging your arms upward, but rather naturally forward with each stride.  Your hands should be relaxed, not clenched tightly.  Some of you may find it easier to hold the tip of your index finger with the tip of your thumb, forming a circle, while allowing your other three fingers  to relax and be open.  Again, rhythmically breathe in through your nose, and out slowly through your mouth.  It may help to purse your lips to channel your exhaling breath.  Again, after 10 minutes of jogging, briskly walk to cool down.  Then complete your cool down with some stretching.
           
A good general rule is to run three days on, and then take one day of rest (or alternative activity).  Monitor your progress in terms of how you feel.  Learn to embrace soreness as it is a sign that your body has broken down its muscles, but will rebuild them stronger.  But also learn to monitor signs of injury:  Muscle cramps (a painful, sharp tightening of your muscle, commonly in your calf) are possible.  Massage and ice are good remedies.  Other injuries may include sprained ankles (beware of running on uneven surfaces) and shin splints (compression of the muscles in the lower leg will help).  Obviously, if running outside, be aware of your surroundings.  Watch out for text-messaging drivers who aren’t watching the road! 
           
After at least 1 cycle of 3 on, 1 off, try to lengthen the amount of time you are running.  Go from 10 minutes, to 15minutes, then 20 minutes and beyond, as you see fit.  Don’t try to improve all in one week, though.  Your body needs time to adapt and recover its newly formed running muscles.  Finally, when you build up your confidence in your running ability, find a running club to join.  Often times, these clubs are very open to anyone, with running groups of varying abilities.   A good running conversation sure beats the iPod! 
           
As a measure of last resort, if it is bone-chillingly cold, running indoors on a treadmill is preferable to not running at all.  But if you use a treadmill as your primary avenue to run, your body is missing out.  Aside from the benefits of learning about your surroundings by running your way around, your bones and muscles will miss out on the impact that a sidewalk or grass would bring.  By running on a treadmill, the treadmill surface “gives” way much more than the pavement would.  Thus making it much softer, lessening the impact.  While it is true that your heart might not know the difference, and you will be able to sustain an elevated heart rate, your leg muscles will definitely feel the difference. When TSHTF, you won’t be on a treadmill trying to get out of Dodge.

Letter Re: Matching and Meshing Personalities for Close Quarters Living

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I have read your novel “Patriots” and found your web site. I have been going through your archives to see if anyone has touched on this subject but so far I’ve only found partial references to this topic. Although I have not made it through all the archives yet.In your book I noticed that the characters knew each other for years and had time to work out differing personality traits or not be included in the group. (BTW, it really saddened me when you killed off two of the characters.) I got to thinking about the types of personalities that will come together when TSHTF. and I wanted to offer some insights to people building their retreat group.

One of the biggest challenges to survival will be to learn to live with others.We won’t have unlimited computer time to hide in or malls or friend’s houses to escape to and hang out at. There might not be 1,200 or more square feet of private space to storm off to and stew and or pout. most of us will be living in tight quarters practically on top of one another with duties, chores, and responsibilities to attend to. When I was considering the mission field a recruiter/trainer explained that one of the biggest problems with retaining missionaries was not: funding, people, dedication, or training, but rather the lack of emotional maturity and the ability of the team members to live in isolation away from modern familiar creature comforts and to just plain get along. This cost the missions lots of money and time when people deserted their post or demanded to be sent home because they couldn’t bear another personality or presence. I am a private person and mostly quiet, with a slightly melancholy personality. This sometimes irks the fun-loving prankster because if the joke is at someone’s expense who is not really laughing I don’t find it funny and this makes me a spoil sport.

What about the male or female flirt? Think of the tension and drama for a new married couple or an insecure spouse if too much attention or help is given to another, or if those cold and boring guard duty assignments start to seem too cozy. Does this sound silly? But we have all seen public arguments over some poor slob looking at a passing pretty woman for too long. And marriages end over so much trivial stuff now that we’ve termed it irreconcilable differences. Women need to consider that monthly moodiness that can lead to tears, sullenness and cold shoulders. Now multiply that by a wife, a couple of teenage daughters, and a girlfriend or two. That makes ravaging looters start to look absolutely friendly.

Men: Don’t get too smug. You’ll face your challenges too. There will be no televised sports. Bye bye NASCAR, NFL, NBA ,WWF, Super Bowl, Rose Bowl and The Fishing Channel. Work becomes tedious and shooting draws too much attention and depletes ammo when there is no rest,or escape from stress, nagging,whining,indifference or complaining.Here are some thoughts on what to do.

Melancholy people: Lighten up, learn balance,compassion, stability count your blessings once in a while everything won’t always end badly.

Pranksters and life-of-the-party types: Tone it down. We don’t always like being the butt of your fun.

Seducers: Have mercy on the single people,everyone knows your beauty and talent just make sure the praise is earned and the beauty is more than skin deep.

Whiners/complainers: Stop annoying others take it to God only He can give peace and satisfaction in every situation

Addicts (including drunks dopers, gamblers, over eaters, and porn seekers.): Fight and defeat your addictions. Fight now, fight hard, and get help. Seek mercy and forgiveness from family friends and the Lord or you’ll find yourself on the outside looking down the barrel of a gun.

Teenagers: Sorry! We adults messed things up and let the wolves get in charge.you will pay a hugh price in loss of childhood but get angry then get over it there are no more malls, iPods or freebies. Pull your weigh. Start unplugging from electronics and the Internet, including MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. Reintroduce yourself to your family. Give them the same courtesy and chances that you gave your Internet friends. Learn to channel that restlessness, hormones, and teen angst in ways that help you grow and aren’t hurtful or endangering to your retreat group. Getting your own way all the time is no longer the norm, storming off somewhere or sneaking off to meet unacceptable acquaintances for a little harmless fun will no longer be just selfish or no big deal. Nor will it be an easy fix with mom and dad’s checkbook or [social] position but instead a possible life-threatening endeavor for your entire group. Information and facility security must be taken seriously. How much of your family’s or the group’s supplies do you think will be fair to trade to get you back safely from your new cool friends who understand you oh so much better than your family? If you want to be seen as an asset and as and adult–not a child, burden or liability–then learn something. Help out, take care of others, contribute to the homestead, and be an example and dependable help with younger siblings. Have interests that don’t always involve electricity. Remember chess, checkers, board games? As I asked the girls in my church group, if you don’t enjoy your own company why should anyone else.?

Procrastinators: Get it done, stay on schedule.

Perfectionists: Have pity, have mercy, have patience. We all know you can do it better and/or faster but you can’t always do it alone. Let us help and we’ll all get there.

Controllers and Micro-managers: Delegate, rest, trust us, lean not on your own understanding. God is in control.

Fatties: Get chocolate and sugar cravings under control now with nutrition, herbal remedies I found a great book on this called “The Complete Medicinal Herbal” by Penelope Ody from a mention in SurvivalBlog’s Bookshelf page and I checked it out from the library. Now I am looking for my own copy to add to my supplies, medicines and exercise. Yes the dreaded “E” word. Exercise can be a walk with your husband (remember him?) neighbor (they aren’t all creep) )friend or kid who you have only seen coming and going from the car rear view mirror all week. Keep your eye open for holiday sales of your favorite goodies as a treat not a life or death issue. Learn hobbies that are restful soothing and can be necessary for survival or bartering: crochet, knitting , weaving, sewing, hunting, fishing, flower gardening for soaps lotions and perfumes. (You know… the stuff our grand mothers and great grand mothers did for themselves and their families.)

Parents; Your kids will no longer be the responsibility of the state, school, church, or clubs. Start collecting age appropriate books for games, crafts, and lessons. Homeschooling will become a priority and a necessity not an option.Look to others with skills and temperaments that you would like your child to emulate to supplement your training but they are your kids so get busy There are numerous homeschooling networks available now check the library. How they turn out is partially your doing. Remember why you had them and remember that at sometime you did love them now learn how to like them they’re pretty terrific( God don’t make no junk).Families;couples and groups star talking resolve those years of hurt and hateful words and actions. Confront the problems, we are running out of time and room to hide. Drugs will run out, alcohol will be scarce or nonexistent and some of us might be tempted to shoot you ourselves if we have to listen to one more petty argument about something stupid someone said or did yesterday, last year or 20 years ago. I read a news story about a man in Italy who tried to get arrested this past Christmas season just to get away from his relatives who had come to visit. When the police wouldn’t take him he went next door to a store, threatened the clerk and stole some candy then sat down to wait while the clerk called the police. Pitiful!

I know my faults and I know my failings (mostly). I moved 2,000 miles away from my family to find peace and adventure. I have found both in God but He’s not finished with me yet and I am doing my part to not be obnoxious to those around me until He is done. So search yourself , learn about yourself, know yourself, and like yourself . We already have plenty of self love, and you will be in high demand as a retreat member when times turn to TEOTWAWKI. Thanks for listening and much success and many blessings to all you Preppers out there. See you on the flip side.- Theresa in California

Economics and Investing:

George Gordon (“GG”) sent this: In Coke We Trust; Investors now view a default by the U.S. Treasury as more likely than a default by the Coca-Cola Company.

Sue C. sent us this: It only gets worse this year for commercial real estate

Kevin K. flagged this: Kalashnikov Gun Factory Offers Food in Place of Salaries. JWR’s Comment: If they don’t have cash to pay workers, then they probably don’t have cash to pay the food suppliers, either. I suspect that some barter is going on. (Which would make me very happy, if I were a local farmer.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Central Banks End US Dollar Emergency Swap Lines

Dr. Gary North: Fed Starting to Unwind Loose Monetary Policy, Could Trigger Secondary Recession

Stock Market Heading for Black Monday Crash?

Banks Under Attack from Washington, the Impact on You

“Underemployment” Tops 20% in Three States

Obama Unveils 2011 Budget with $3.83 Trillion in Spending

Fewer Banks Imposing New Loan Hurdles; Demand Low

Lower Gasoline Prices Vary Widely Across US

Stocks Climb as Manufacturing, Spending Increase

Odds ‘n Sods:

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“In a country like America where riots occur during brownouts, and people stab each other for cutting ahead in service station lines during gasoline shortages, one has to wonder how our society would react to a total disruption of its artificial life-support system. In researching magazine articles I’ve interviewed urban disaster planning authorities who are more skeptical about saving their citizens from major civil disruption than Mel Tappan ever was.” – Massad Ayoob, in “The Truth About Self Protection“

Notes from JWR:

And the winner is… We’ve completed the judging for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. I must mention that the judging was very difficult, since there were 35 great articles submitted!

First Prize goes to Lin for her article: Feeding Your Family Well During Hard — and Harder — Times, that was posted on December 9th. She will receive all the of the following: 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize goes to JIR, for his article COA Analysis of Common Survival Strategies, that was posted on January 13th, He will receive 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 $350.

Third Prize goes to Bob in South Africa, for his article: Six Survival Necessities That Don’t Fit in Your Kit, that was posted on January 9th. He will receive a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

There were also a lot of great “runner up” articles. I’m sending teh following six writers some free books. They are:

They will each receive autographed copies of both my novel “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse” and my latest non-fiction book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”.

Note to the prize winners: Please e-mail me, to let me know your mailing addresses. Thanks, and congratulations!

Round 27 (that begins today) will end 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 Money Market Managers Unleashed–An End to the Road to Redemption

Last week, SurvivalBlog reader Noah C. sent me a link to piece by Dan Denninger: SEC Tightens Rules for Money Funds. Noah made this comment that amplified Denninger’s observations: “Here is the most interesting part: That a Money Market Fund’s Board of Directors can now ‘inform’ the SEC (instead of request) that they are suspending fund redemptions.” I also heard from our friend Darrin in Wyoming about same topic. He wrote: “A Wall Street Journal report mentioned that the SEC voted Wednesday (1/27/10) to allow money market fund managers to freeze redemptions, in an effort to ‘make your investments more safe'”. This is the closing sentence from the WSJ article:

“These and other changes will provide significant additional protections and will benefit money market fund investors.”

Ahem, but I don’t feel any safer, knowing that my money market accounts could be “temporarily unavailable” when the net asset value (NAV) drops below $1/ per share. (They call that “breaking the buck.”) This change echoes something that I’ve been warning about since 2006 over in the hedge fund world. (See; Hedge Funds–A Disaster Story that Could Unfold in Quarterly Episodes.) There, they’ve already had the ability to suspend redemptions, at will. Seeing a comparable rule implemented for Money Market funds is very troubling. I thought that in the wake of the big credit market meltdown, that government control of the financial markets was going to increase. This new rule is something quite the opposite.

Let’s face it: The SEC has a high population of staffers that formerly worked in the same industry that they are now regulating. The “foxes guarding the henhouse” metaphor comes to mind. And to see folks like Tim Geithner and Ben Bernanke–both formerly banking industry insiders–now placed in the highest levels of oversight really makes me wonder: In who’s best interest are they governing? And, more importantly, from a preparedness perspective: What circumstances are they envisioning for the future that would make this rule change necessary? Why do they need to empower fund managers with a giant “OFF” switch, that can be thrown at a moment’s notice? Buckle up, folks. There is a bumpy ride ahead.

Letter Re: Are Decommissioned Missile Silos Still Potential Nuclear Targets?

Jim,
I know your time is valuable,so I will get right to it. The recent post on buying [decommissioned underground US Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic] missile sites raises a question. Aren’t these sites vulnerable during nuclear attacks/exchange with a foreign country? Thanks for your site and your service. – John

JWR Replies: They would only be pinpoint targets if the Soviets are still using ancient targeting data, and that is very unlikely. From all that I have read, they simply are no longer included in the “target structure” for any nation states that are potential combatants. (Like Russia, China, and North Korea.) I cannot imagine a nation state being that inept. The only significant threat to some of these decommissioned sites is that they are contiguous to–or immediately downwind of–newer, currently-deployed missile sites. That was case for a old Titan I silo that I researched on behalf of a consulting client, who was considering buying it. This site is near Chugwater, Wyoming–which is also the home of a fairly new, active Minuteman III silos!)

On a related note, I should mention that I was forced to use out-of-date nuclear targeting data in my book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”, but only because there has been no declassified targeting data (that is, CIA assessment of likely Soviet targets) released since the late 1970s.