Mexican Flu Update:

Top Flu Expert Warns of a Swine-Bird Flu Mix

12 More Swine Flu Cases Confirmed in Massachusetts

First Flu Death in Canada; US Cases Rise

Mexico Deaths; Cases Higher than Reported

Swine Flu May Be More Infectious than Thought

Swine Flu Moments and Decisions Lie Ahead

WHO Reports Big Jump in Worldwide Swine Flu Cases 3,440 Cases, 29 Countries, 48 Deaths

Japan, Oz Confirm First Cases of Swine Flu

Swine Flu Lacks 1918 Killer Traits (So Far)

US, Costa Rica Flu Deaths Mexico has suspected upswing in cases, delaying school reopening in six states

Number of American Flu Cases Overtake Mexico’s; Now Almost 3,000

Economics and Investing:

Now, the truth comes out: Banks Won Concessions on Tests. I figured the “tests” were rigged, but not quite so blatantly. And here are some more details on the “Buddy-Buddy” Creative Accounting: Fed cut banks’ deficits after negotiations: report. (Thanks to Roger Y. for the links.)

Reader D.D. sent his one: Next challenge for banks: Credit card losses Number usually tracks unemployment, but this time it may be worse

Items from The Economatrix:

Global Financial & Economic Crisis: How Much Time Do We Have Left? “The US-Dollar has been technically hyper inflated, even though no one is saying “the king is nude!!”… Not yet, anyway…”

Imminent Global Stock Market Crash to Support US Dollar

The Clock is Ticking on the US Dollar and Bond Markets

BofE Braces For Third Wave of Financial Crisis

Desperate Baby Boomers Return to Work

Peter Schiff: Don’t Be Fooled By Inflation

Short Sales: Banks Block Way Out of Foreclosure Crisis

Experts Say GM Bankruptcy is Almost Inevitable

Real Estate Crash Shifting to Commercial Properties

Welcome to the Frozen Economy This is a flashback of a piece from July of 2008. It shows how tough the times were in Maine then, before the big crash. Very interesting reading. “My neighbors are like deer caught in the headlights: frozen in fear as something sinister, implacable, and wholly unanticipated lurches toward them. A reckoning has begun to unfurl like a dark flower, slowly at first, then gathering urgency and force. This is not a short detour after all, but an untraveled road to an unknown place from which there is no return, no escape…and we are not prepared.”

On The Subject of Bottoms “Also worth noting is the fact that the yield curve is steepening in the U.S. and in other countries where governments are cranking up the printing presses, signaling that investors are losing faith in those who control the public purse strings.”

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." – John Adams

Odds ‘n Sods:

Only in America! The Weaponizers (A hat tip to KAF for the link.)

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I heard that Midwest Outfitters just received just under one full pallet of 5.56 NATO 55 grain FMJ (“ball”), fresh 2008-production ammo. This ammo is newly-manufactured to military specifications by Bitteroot Valley Ammunition Components in Montana.This is not re-manufactured but made with all new components. The head stamp on this batch is BVAC 08 and the NATO symbol. Right now, just for SurvivalBlog readers they are offering a case of 1,000 rounds for $500 with Free Shipping. At last count, they had only 83 cases left.

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I heard from Gary up in Montana that clones of the recently-enacted “Made in Montana” guns bill are about to be introduced in the legislatures in Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Washington. Yee haw!

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Reader PNG mentioned the DHS Radiation Event Medical Management web site. PNG noted: “The [content of the ] entire site can be downloaded for Windows, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.:nd a subset of the site can be downloaded for PDAs and many smart phones.”

Notes from JWR:

For SurvivalBlog readers that are conversant auf Deutsch, there was a review of my novel in the widely-read Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper: Amerikanischer Bestseller: „Patriots“ Wie das Ende unserer Welt zu überleben ist.

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The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. is now at $1,100. This auction ends in just four days. It is for a large mixed lot, which includes:

1.) A Three-Color Desert Camo Interceptor OTV (Outer Tactical Vest) size XL only, and a spare Woodland camouflage outer shell, kindly donated by BulletProofME.com. These items have a combined retail value of $960!

2.) A vehicle detection system, which includes: one MURS Alert Probe Sensor (MAPS) with 50 foot probe cable and one MURS Alert Hand Held (M538-HT) transceiver. The MAPS unit’s probe can be covertly installed under the surface of a driveway or road to detect vehicular traffic and a voice alert is sent to the hand held transceiver when a detection occurs. Donated by MURS Radio. Retails for $303

3.) Two cases of Yoder’s Canned Bacon, courtesy of CampingSurvival.com. (12 cans per case.) A $276 retail value.

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

5.) Three Garden Security Collections, and two Garden Bean Collections, donated by SeedForSecurity.com. With included free shipping to any US postal address, this is a $100+ retail value.

6.) Two America Stone knife sharpeners (with belt pouches), donated by the manufacturer. (A $60 retail value.)

Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,800. This auction ends on May15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot.

Letter Re: An Expedient Manual Clothes Washer

Mr. Rawles:

How about washing clothes without electricity? One way that works fairly well is to take 5-to-6 gallon plastic buckets and cut a small hole in the center of the lid just big enough for a toilet plunger. Fill 3/4 ways with water add soap (you did remember laundry soap for a year right?) add clothes for about one person pants, shirt t-shirt, under wear and socks, plunged for 1 minute let soak for 5 minutes plunge again for 10 seconds. Dump out water, fill with fresh water again plunge for 1 minute dump out, fill again with clean water plunge for 1 minute dump out. Hand wring the clothes, hang out to dry or hang near wood stove in the winter to dry.

Clothes washing was something I had thought about. I was going to buy one of those old fashioned double tub sinks to wash clothes outside. The “bucket method” sounds much easier AND I already have all of the items I need.

I did think of a few things to do in addition to this. Here is how I plan to use this method. There are three in my family, so we will have three buckets and three plungers. On wash day each person will have their own bucket. The person with the cleanest clothes gets water and soap first and does the above. That water is put in the next cleanest person’s bucket and then that water goes into the dirtiest bucket. By cycling the water down the chain, we should be able to use much less water. Of course the dirtiest bucket would get an extra rinse job. We will also have laundry soap that will not harm plants, so we will use the water for the garden.

I have become an avid reader of your site. I’ve gotten more helpful information from your posters than many books and sites I have used for years. They seem stuck at the basics and have never moved on to fine tuning. Thanks for your work. – Jennifer G.

Letter Re: A Practical Tip on Using Roof Catchment Rainwater

Jim
There are simple old time solutions to the possible problem of collecting and using “polluted” roof gathered rain water.

Add a splitter, (an upside down Y shaped piece of pipe), to the downspout before the pipe runs into your cistern or rain barrel. One side of the “Y” goes to your catchment, the other to the ground or drain. Add a simple flip value to the inside of the splitter. During the first 5 minutes of any rain, turn or flip the valve to run the water out onto the ground or into the usual drain. Once the roof and gutters, (and air), have been washed clean of any dirt, debris or pollution, flip the value over to fill the rain barrel or cistern. Keep the barrel or cistern tightly covered so animals or mosquitoes can’t get in. At least once a year completely drain the barrel or cistern and scrub clean with bleach and water. Rinse well and drain. Then refill. This ensures a clean supply of “soft” water that should be safe to drink, (and incidentally is especially good for using in steam irons and washing hair ). – Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio

Three Letters Re: Deer Ticks – The Threat Within Your Perimeter

Jim,
Good post about Lyme Disease today. I live in Connecticut and caught Lyme in 1995. Took me years of antibiotics to get it into remission. Also, please note that on 50% of people get the classic “bulls eye” rash. I didn’t, and as a result I was misdiagnosed for five months while it established itself in my neurological system.

I recently purchased some special undergarments from Rynoskin which the ticks and other bugs can’t get though. Maybe some of your readers would be interested. Cabela’s sells their own version, called Bugskins but I’m not as familiar with it.

Keep up the great work. I enjoy the blog out here in Blue country!
All the best, – Joe from Connecticut

 

James:

I found your post on deer ticks and Lyme Disease of much benefit. I would like to share with you a brief account of a man I knew who contracted a very peculiar illness. He suffered from severe malaise (general weakness) which was misdiagnosed by the local doctors a number of times.He was diagnosed with anything ranging from influenza to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and even cancer. As it turned out, he had Lyme disease contracted via a deer tick

His symptoms were not much different from what Bill S. described in his letter but apparently at the time, it was not recognized for what it was. there was as much early suspicion of Lyme disease as there is now.
My point is that we cannot be too cautious when it comes to our health. even with competent doctors, things can get missed.
This gentlemen endured quite a long recovery, partly due to lack of early recognition and partly because Lyme disease is a nasty one. It was years before he was “right” again. – M.D.T.

 

Hello Mr. Rawles,
The definitive studies on ticks were concluded in Oklahoma some 30 years ago, in detailed deer habitat/population studies. (See the reference below.) The results of the studies indicated that 90% of the ticks occur only in a small portion of the outdoor habitat. Perhaps as little as 5% of the habitat. That particular habitat is the area where deer bed down regularly.

I live on five acres and in contact with the vegetation outside daily, in waist high shrubs, knee high grass and under some heavy growth of trees. Rarely do I find a tick on me, here in western Oklahoma.

Generally the potential occurrence for ticks on humans is overstated. Because people simply do not regularly pass through, work in or visit the bedding areas of deer.

This does not however belittle the fact that just one tick can pass to a human a disease condition that can impact health negatively. Fear of ticks from outside activities is generated when warnings are described to the public. If you stay away from deer bedding areas your chances of having a tick transfer to you are very low.

The other environmental condition for ticks to gravitate to is a yard with outside penned dogs. Watering tanks serviced by windmills or solar pumps for livestock will also be used by deer, bobcats, coyotes and many small mammals. Watering places frequently will have over runs of water leaving behind pools of water on the ground.
These areas may have higher concentrations of ticks.

Beat the odds:

  • Always inspect yourself for ticks after being outside.
  • If you have an outside dog in a fenced yard treat the dog’s sleeping area with insecticides.
  • Stay out of deer bedding habitat.

But for the first time in more than a year yesterday I picked a crawling tick off of my neck heading for the hairline.

If in a bugout situation stay away from deer bedding areas for sleeping or rest stops. You can spot these areas. The deer will leave behind a mashed down area of vegetation [usually] in brush and/or under low trees. You can also see the imprint of where deer rest and sleep under trees where there is less vegetation.
Distinctive well-used trails will lead to these areas.

Type of habitat that is based on ecological descriptions of a community of plants have a significant effect on the ability of ticks to maintain a population of individuals.

Reference: White-Tailed Deer Utilization of Three Different Habitats and Its Influence on Lone Star Tick Populations, by Carl D. Patrick and Jakie A. Hair, The Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 64, No. 6 (Dec., 1978), pp. 1100-1106. Published by: The American Society of Parasitologists

Understanding ticks is more complex than just understanding the potential for disease transmission. Cordially,- JWC in Oklahoma

Economics and Investing:

From Eric S.: 24,700,000 Unemployed or Underemployed Americans: Job Losses Accelerate with 6 million unemployed over last year. Real Unemployment rate now at 15.8 Percent.

Also from Eric: FDIC Insures $4.7 Trillion in Deposits with a $13.6 Billion Deposit Insurance Fund. This is Like Going into a Hurricane with a 99 Cent Store Umbrella.

Items from The Economatrix:

UK House Prices Continue To Plummet

401(k)s Hit By Withdrawal Freezes

Global Crisis “Vastly Worse” Than 1930’s, Taleb Says “The global economy is facing “big deflation,” though the risks of inflation are also increasing as governments print more money, Taleb told the conference organized by Bank of America- Merrill Lynch. Gold and copper may “rally massively” as a result, he added.”

Obamarket Update #74: You Want Stress? I’ll Show You Stress

Bond Market: Why You Should Be Worried ” …the last thing we need right now is a collapse in the bond market. Unfortunately, it could be just around the corner…”

Boomers’ Retirement Bummer

Small Business: Economic Recovery? What Recovery?

State Budget Gaps Widen as Revenues Fall

Mike Whitney: Economy On The Ropes

Rural Town Feel Downturn’s Ripple Effects as Jobs Vanish in Northern Virginia

States Resort to Furloughs as Need for Services Increase

Bankrupt Banks

What’s Up With These Numbers?

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers sent the link to this BBC article: Do you need to stock up the bunker? Rawlesians are looking more and more mainstream…

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The latest from Nanny State Deutschland: German government plans to curb use of guns. (Even paintball, Airsoft, and laser tag sports may be banned!)

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KAF mentioned this: The Grandson of Vespa will have Four-Stroke Engine. Talk about fuel economy!

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Also from KAF: Tennessee House OKs Guns in Eateries|

Letter Re: Deer Ticks – The Threat Within Your Perimeter

People who venture into the woods or fields should be aware of a very serious, but underreported, threat to their health, the deer tick. Deer ticks carry and transmit Lyme disease and a half dozen other serious diseases. Deer ticks can be found in most parts of the world. They are very common in Central Wisconsin which has a large population of deer, their preferred host. Thanks to the anti-hunting nuts and poor government management practices deer can found in residential neighborhoods, including large cities.

Most people are familiar with the dog or wood tick, a large, easy-to-spot tick that feeds on human blood and is very ugly when engorged. It is however, relatively benign. The deer tick is especially dangerous because it is very small, smaller than a match head. Their size makes it very difficult to detect on clothing or on your body.

Two years ago I was bitten a number of times while clearing land for our retreat. It was prime deer tick habitat; heavily wooded, high grasses and lots of deer. You may not know that you have been bitten by a deer tick (unless the tick is still embedded). It will however sting like a bald face hornet – and for a good 24 hours.

After I started developing the symptoms I put two and two together and did some Internet research. I suspected that I had Lyme disease. I had the classic bulls-eye rash on my hip; it looks like the Target logo. The primary symptoms were extreme fatigue and body aches. After years of outdoor work and practicing yoga I could barely get out of a chair.
I went to the local clinic. The NP took one look and said, “You’ve got Lyme”. She said she had got it earlier in the year, her husband the year before. I was given antibiotics. The symptoms went away within three days. I thought I was cured.

The following year I was not the same, better, but still lacking energy. Over the last year I have experienced the same deep fatigue as well as many other symptoms. I had previously been very healthy. The symptoms come and go and express themselves in a variety of ways. Reported symptoms include heart, lung, visual and mental problems – it can be fatal. It is one bad bug.
I cannot say for sure what the cause of my problems is or recommend a treatment. Lyme disease is poorly understood and often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. It is a complex issue and requires much research into the subject. Most physicians are Lyme illiterate; they don’t have a clue about the disease. One place to start is with a Google search for Joseph J. Burrascano, Jr., M.D. for information from one of the foremost Lyme experts. Also see http://www.turnthecorner.org/lyme-disease-quick-facts.htm for more information.

Prevention is the best medicine. When we have been in tick territory we do a complete body check in the evening – head to toe. Ticks prefer the torso; I have been bitten in the center of the back, hip and groin. I was recently bitten under my arm, my wife under her breast. Ticks live in tall grass, especially along human or deer paths. They are most active during the spring and early summer. A powerful tick repellent should be used around the ankles, wrists and neck. I wrap my socks with wide duct tape – sticky side out, to trap ticks; it works, but is no substitute for a full body check.
It is reported that if you remove the tick within 24 hours of being bitten the disease will not be transmitted and not all ticks carry the disease, this may be wishful thinking. If you do get a tick follow these instructions for removal: http://www.lyme.org/ticks/removal.html

Note that dogs can get Lyme. There is a dog vaccination available.

I urge everyone who visits or lives in areas with a deer population to exercise constant vigilance for deer ticks. If you are bitten you should consult a physician familiar with Lyme disease. Failure to do so can lead to serious long term consequences.- Bill S.

Economics and Investing:

Swine Flu: Worst to Come in Autumn “Doctors are being warned to prepare for a second, “much worse” wave of swine flu hitting Britain in the autumn, the Health Secretary has disclosed.”

Tamiflu Linked to Abnormal Behavior

KAF sent this: Economic crisis in European Union

Items from The Economatrix:

Real Unemployment 15.8%; Highest Since ADA Began Tracking

The Greatest Boondoggle in History

Skousen: Bailouts & Bankruptcy: Undoing The Rule of Law

GM Spots Bankruptcy In Rearview Mirror as it Burns Tankfuls of Gas

Toyota First Annual Loss

Stress Tests Show 10 Biggest Banks Need to Raise $75 Billion

China Fears Bond Crisis as it Slams Quantitative Easing

Markets Bet Worst is Over

Lloyds Banking Group Warns on Surge in Company Debts

Economic Casualties Pile Into Tent Cities

AIG Bonuses Four Times Higher than Last Year

The Derivatives Elephant in the Room ” …$500 trillion of outstanding derivatives, or about 10 times the total annual economic output of the whole world…. And, according to Mobius and a contact of his who works at the SEC, no-one in the financial world understands how these products really work, which means that the threat of a massive blow-up is un-measurable.”

Insiders Selling at a Furious Pace “Last week there was a report that corporate insiders were selling at a faster rate that at any time since October, 2007 — right near the top of the market. Well, the market’s only raged higher since then and insider selling is only getting more intense.”

Bernanke Sees Signs of Recovery But Warns Of More Job Losses

US Dollar Decline is Accelerating