Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter

Mr. Rawles;

The Old Yooper’s statistics on range brass may be somewhat skewed in favor of automatic pistol cartridges because revolvers do not [involuntarily] eject spent rounds. Few cops are ‘gun guys’ but anyone who reloads saves their brass. This is easier to do if you don’t have to chase them, so a higher percentage of auto pistol cartridges are left behind. This having been said, I don’t think anyone will go far wrong stockpiling 9mm, . 40 S&W, and .45 ACP–both live rounds and spent brass. The pocket pistol cartridges are less attractive to reloaders, but I would not overlook .38 Special and .357 Magnum.

JWR Adds: And some revolver calibers that are favorites of handloaders, such as .41 Magnum, probably won’t be found at all, unless someone accidentally drops a piece! Nor can I imagine anyone that owns a .454 Casull or one of the new .500 S&W revolvers just walking away from their brass.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Government warns of “catastrophic” U.S. quake in New Madrid Seismic Zone

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David V. sent this: Argentine Stocks Threatened as Biggest Holders Seized.

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There is an old saying on Wall Street: “Nobody beats the bear.” That was recently proven out by Warren Buffett, the legendary manager of Berkshire Hathaway. Because of some bad trading decisions, the company’s share value has declined $23 billion since September 17th. Buffett’s company had a value over $55 billion, but now they’re down to just over $32 billion. That is still quite a nest egg, and they’ve still made a pile of money for their stockholders in the past 42 years. OBTW, stocks may be down, but it looks like the gold bull may be resuming his charge. The analysts quoted by Bloomberg seem to agree: Gold Surges Amid Deflation Concern; Silver, Platinum Rebound

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Reader B.H. mentioned that the USDA now has a rural loan program for middle to low income families that offers “zero down” or “low down” loans. The goal of the program is to get people to move to rural areas. The loans can be for new construction, remodels and even manufactured homes or multi-family units. I’m adverse to debt, but if you must get a mortgage, then get a low interest one, and pay it off as quickly as possible!

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Another Day of Dollar-based Dreariness from The Economatrix: Citigroup’s Troubles Will Not Sleep — EU’s Superbank EIB in Perilous Waters — Brutal US Share Sell-Off as Oil Drops — How the Oil Collapse Changes Everything — Freddie Suspends Foreclosure Sales Temporarily — The Global Financial System is Coming to an End Here are a couple of quotes: “There are going to be stock market rallies within this bear market, and that will be the time for those still holding and hoping to get out before the bear really begins to claw in 2009.” And, “Before this secular Bear Market is over, we are going to new lows in all indices, more than 3,500 banks will close, unemployment will surge, there will be violence in the streets and people will kill you to get what you have.” — Silver in Crisis — How Low Can the Dow Go? — Stocks Rally as Obama Picks Geithner to Head Treasury — ‘Unprecedented” Biotech Bankruptcies Erupt as Global Crisis Curbs Funding — GMAC Applies For Bank Status, TARP Funds — Traditional Pensions: Are They At Risk?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"No one can read our Constitution without concluding that the people who wrote it wanted their government severely limited; the words ‘no’ and ‘not’ employed in restraint of government power occur 24 times in the first seven articles of the Constitution and 22 more times in the Bill of Rights." – Edmund A. Opitz

Notes from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $960. The auction is for a large mixed lot that includes:

A.) 15 brand new 30 round M16/M4/AR-15 magazines from JWR‘s personal collection. These include four scarce and desirable brand new HK steel “Maritime Finish” magazines, and 11 new USGI alloy magazines made by Center Industries. (Note that most of these were made during the 1994-2004 Federal ban, most of them have restriction markings, but those became null and void after the ban sunsetted.) Even if you don’t own an AR-15, these magazines are great to keep on hand for barter. (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.) In today’s frenzied market, these magazines have a retail value of at least $460..

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

C.) An assortment of loose leaf teas, a box of Bellagio hot chocolate (25 individual packs), and your choice of $50 worth of ground or whole bean roasted coffee. (A combined retail value of more than $150), all courtesy of CMeBrew.com.

D.) A case of 24 cans of canned storage butter, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $110 retail value).

E.) A carton of 10 rolls of Hydrion fuel test strips, (with a retail value of $85), donated by UR-2B-Prepared.com.

F.) “Alone in the Wilderness” book and 2 DVD Value Set on the life of Richard Proenneke (a retail value of $51.95) courtesy of Camping Survival.com

G.) An EVAC Easy Roll Stretcher kit, (a retail value of $49.95), donated by FrostCPR.com.

This auction ends on December 15th. Please e-mail us your bid for the entire mixed lot.

 

Today we present another entry for Round 19 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

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

Round 19 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Mini Dairy Goats for a Sustainable Future, by Donna G.

Goats are one of the most versatile animals of all livestock. With hard times poised on the horizon, they’ll greatly improve your quality of life. They provide us with milk, meat, leather, weed/undergrowth clearing, environmentally friendly to the earth, non-toxic garden fertilizer, horse companionship, 4H or FFA projects and as pack animals to carry their own “Bug Out Bags”. My husband and I have been breeding and raising goats for over fifteen years. This article is presented as basic information for anyone thinking about adding these wonderful animals into their lives.

What is a Mini? There are two recognized breeds of miniature dairy goats. One is the Nigerian Dwarf. A small (21 to 22 inches at the withers) friendly, colorful, easy going goat who with minimal or no assistance can deliver kids easily . The second is a hybrid goat derived from the crossing of a Nigerian Buck and standard dairy Doe. The standard dairy breeds are: Alpine, Nubian, LaMancha, Oberhaslis, Saanen, and Toggenburg. The product of this cross breeding is called a Mini. To further differentiate between the breeds, they are identified as Mini Alpine, Mini Nubian, Mini Mancha, etc. They are a medium size goat larger than the Nigerian Dwarf and smaller than the standards. Both breeds are easier to maintain, feed, shelter, and transport.

Why Would I Want a Mini? The miniature goats are ideal for small homesteads/farms/retreats. A person could easily raise two Minis or three Nigerian Dwarf to one standard. They are adaptable in all climates and are found in all 50 States, Canada, and Mexico. Their feed to milk production ratio is more efficient than the standard size dairy goats. Since they are smaller, their housing needs are simple. We have made 3-sided shelters using wooden pallets and recycled plywood for the roof. Goats do not like rain or windy conditions and enjoy snuggling down inside a small retreat. In general they are more resistance to parasites if left to browse on, and in, native terrain. They will starve in a field of green grass, but will survive readily on weedy woody plants. Countless plants are natural herbs with properties that build immune systems, maintain or correct mineral deficiencies, and serve as natural antibiotics when necessary. Minis can be less aggressive than their larger cousins so children can handle them easily. Numerous people, myself included, do not have the energy or strength anymore to physically maintain a herd of standard size goats.
Even though these are small breeds, the extra kids born that are not used to increase your herd milkers or sold, can be raised for butchering. Goat meat has a wonderful flavor. The meat can be smoked, ground, and even stuffed like a turkey. Meat and milk could also be handy items for barter.

Got Milk? One will soon tire of beans and rice. However a little cheese added to provisions will certainly make mealtime more pleasurable. Having fresh milk from your backyard would certainly lower the grocery bill too. Cheesemaking is not all that difficult. You can make soft cream cheese, semi hard mozzarella, hard cheeses such as brick, colby and cheddar to name a few. The soft and semi hard cheese can be consumed immediately or frozen and after hard cheese has aged for sixty to ninety days, it can be frozen and used as needed. I have to be careful opening the door on my freezer, as multiple packages of cheese are stacked and could be dangerous to my feet below!

Nigerian Dwarf milk has one of the highest butterfat content of all the dairy goat breeds, 5.6% to 10%. It is that butterfat that produces a higher yield of cheese, as well as providing the prospect of making your own fresh butter. The breed averages between 2 to 4 lbs (4 lbs equal 1 quart) of milk from two milkings per day. Minis will give more milk, (1?2 gal) less butterfat, (3 to 5%) however the butterfat content is still higher than most standard dairy goats because of the genetic influence from the Nigerian Dwarf.

Raw milk versus pasteurizing is a question that has no correct answer. We drink raw milk with no adverse problems, however others may feel more comfortable with pasteurized milk. Everyone has their own opinion on this topic and it is best left to each individual to decide for themselves. See: PriceWeston.com

One additional point I would like to make, is that a good milk goat can be milked for years before having to be bred again, especially if you do not have a market for the kids or you do not want to butcher them. It is actually harder on their bodies to deliver kids, milk for a few months, dry up and then breed again, year after year. They will be far more productive and have less health problems if you can milk them for 2 to 5 years before you breed them again. Plus you will continue to have a constant milk supply during winter months. Yes, the milk production will go down a bit in the fall, however it will resume again in the spring.

How Do I Acquire Some Minis? Here are some suggestions based on my own experiences. You can Google Nigerian goats, Mini goats or use the member directories from reputable goat registries. See: The American Goat Society, the Nigerian Dairy Goat Association, and The Miniature Goat Registry. Read books specifically written about caring for and raising goats. However, remember the goats haven’t read the books and therefore are not going to act exactly the way you think they are!

All things being equal, purchase a registered/papered goat. The breeder is showing responsibility by utilizing selective genetics to produce a hardy and healthy animal. You will feed the same amount of food to a registered goat as you would an unregistered one, so you might as well have the paperwork on them. 4H and FFA members need registered animals for their projects and they are a good source of potential buyers for your goats. Prices will vary depending on supply and demand, as well as the geographic area of the country. You may find quality animals for as little as $100 up to $300 or $400. There are some very nice breeders who will work with you, educate, explain, and make sure you acquire the right animals for your situation. However, you may also encounter those who use deceptive practices to sell their animals. Use common sense and go with your “gut feelings”.

Dos and Don’ts As with all things Do your homework. You wouldn’t go out and purchase a car, a gun, a home without researching, right? Do contact breeders, as many as you can, and tell them what you are looking for. Do ask them if they milk their goats. You would be surprised as to how many breeders promote and sell their goats as milkers but don’t milk them! Do ask if you can visit their farm/ranch to view available animals for sale. You will learn much by observing their herd management. Do ask them if they test their goats for any type of disease. If you purchase goats from them, ask if you can have a copy of the test report for those animals. Do ask if they will give you a “care package” for the animals you have purchased. This simply consists of a small amount of food the goats are use to eating so you can mix it with your own. This small step allows the animal to make an easier transition to their new home. Do remember when telephoning or e-mailing, that many goat breeders have outside jobs, children, chores and other responsibilities that may delay replying to your emails or phone calls.

Please don’t acquire goats at sale barns or auctions and expect them to perform the way you think they should. There is a reason breeders send their animals to these places. They may be diseased, old, or problematic and in the long run you may spend more money on them than they are worth. Don’t purchase just one goat. Goats are herd animals and they need a “buddy”. A good breeder would never sell just one goat unless you were adding to an existing herd. Don’t purchase the first goat you see. Make sure you have talked to several breeders before proceeding with your purchase.

In conclusion, I hope this information is helpful if you are interested in goats as a survival animal for your homestead. It does not matter whether you decide on the standard or mini dairy goats. With an uncertain future looming ahead, the more information we pass along to each other, the better prepared we will be–and so will the goats!

Letter Re: Determining the Best Pistol Ammo to Store for Barter

With an economic depression looming just in front of the world and post-Peak Oil price shocks on it’s heals (according to Mat Simmons peak oil is history, it happened in May 2005, check his web site out) it would be good to have something for barter better then that green toilet paper we haul around for the same purpose. I think firearms ammunition would be an ideal selection. It is relatively compact, portable and usable. But what calibers to stock pile. Up until the commodity boom hit I was buying fired brass cases by the pound from a shooting range down in Kentucky, and having them shipped up to me in Michigan. Unfortunately about 2007 scrap brass started paying better and the range then starting selling it to the Chinese, thank you free trade.

The brass was swept up off the floor of there outdoor range and put into boxes and shipped up to me. There was no sorting of anything, it’s called range brass and I got what was fired that day, both pistol and rifle. I performed a statistical analysis on the type and quantity of the different brass I received for the last three shipments in the summer of 2006, the last time I got any brass. It’s nice to know what you’re getting for your money and it’s a lot of fun to do the study, although, when I’ve told people about things like this they look at me like I was from Mars. You need to understand that this type of study is a snapshot in time of what was being shot over three different times in the summer. I have performed these studies for both years I received brass from them.

It would be a waste of resources to have something that there is little or no market for. Therefore, if you’re going to store ammunition for trade what is the most common?

The top 10 brass types were, in descending order, as follow,,
9mm Parabellum (Luger) 38.9%
40 S&W 22.3%
45 ACP (45 Auto) 18.8%
38 Special 4.6%
380 Auto 4.5%
223 Rem. (5.56x45mm) 3.8%
357 SIG 1.8% – This one may be an anomaly, it was <.1% i n the last study.
32 Auto 1.5%
357 Mag. 1.4%
44 Mag. 0.4%

The remainder of the brass total 2% for all types combined. In the study before this one, 40 S&W and 45 ACP were flipped in order, this tells me, that the 40 S&W is gaining in popularity over the 45 ACP, at least with law enforcement.

A total of 36 different cartridge types were in my 2006 summer shipments. As you can see most of the brass was for pistols. Do not be confused about the results, people go to the range too site in there rifles and stop, more or less. Also this range was very popular with law enforcement.

Conclusions:
This study should be considered valid only for the most common pistol cartridges shot. Rifle cartridges are totally another matter. However for barter purposes the top three or four are a good bet. This may seem intuitive but as an engineer I deal in factual information, not conjecture. Well, unless of course, conjecture is all I have to go on that is. If anyone has information on this subject, I would like to see it. Thank you, – The Old Yooper

Letter Re: Finding Abandoned Properties, Post-TEOTWAWKI?

Dear Mr. Rawles,
This letter is in reference to the reader who had the idea of squatting in abandoned homes. I would advise he seriously rethink that idea. If law has broken down enough that he could acquire someone else’s dwelling without raising any eyebrows then there is enough of a breakdown for the owners to show up and use lethal force whether warranted or not. In that type of TEOTWAWKI, we may see a return to the days of: Horse theft = shot or hung, accosting a lady in the street = shot or hung, Claim (Homestead) jumping = shot or hung, etc.

Since he mentioned Western Maryland, he is most likely referring to the vacation homes and cabins such as those surrounding Deep Creek Lake in Garret County. It’s a beautiful area, my wife’s Aunt has a vacation house on the lake and we vacation there as often as possible – who needs a time share or resort hotel when you have the perfect cabin in the woods on the shore of a huge lake (Sadly, there are less and less homes on the lake and more and more condos). The cabin was originally built by my wife’s great-grandfather and grandfather when the lake was first created by the Army Corps [of Engineers] and has stayed in the family ever since. The surrounding homes have much the same story. Friends routinely bought land and built next to friends. This cabin is our third line bug out location and would be 1st except for its distance. If we arrived, we know who is supposed to be there, we know all the neighbors along that street, and if they aren’t there and some stranger is living there, than something reaaalllly bad happened to my wife’s aunt or the neighbors, so he better do some fast talking. We’re a close knit bunch as are most of the “neighborhoods” in that area. We will all defend each other and each other’s property as if it were our own life and property. He would be a stranger who committed a felony (breaking and entering) and there is clearly a lack of law enforcement. I hope his foolishness doesn’t result in a widow raising children on her own. There is a difference between asking for aid and theft. After effectively claim jumping he would have no credibility and would receive no charity. The same could be said if we bugged out and later returned home to help rebuild our home and community.

The notion that a man would “claim” someone else’s property, vacant or not, gets me a little riled. Unless he’s referring to vacant condos (why??) a lot of work, love and memories are tied up in those “vacant properties.” In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, honesty and integrity will be the most valuable assets. I prepare to provide for my family, and provide for those in need. However, people who lack honor will be turned away.

In closing, what he suggests is stealing. The rightful owners, their family and friends would be likely to assume the worst and could end up shooting first and throwing his body in the middle of a very large and very deep lake. If this argument doesn’t dissuade him, then let me just say that I would be one to shoot first and ask questions later. And since I hike those mountains and boat/swim the lake regularly, I know all the nooks and crannies and deep sections of the lake. I’m also originally from Chicagoland, so I know to stuff the body in a body bag and place the cinder blocks inside the body bag. (LOL). Thanks, – D.O.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Signs of the (Los Angeles) Times: Adult children moving back home with parents. (A hat tip to Erik for the link.)

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Jim H. sent us a link to an interesting Business Spectator (of Australia) article about CDS-based CDO paper (so-called “synthetic CDOs”): A tsunami of hope or terror?

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The latest economic news and commentary from Cheryl: Stocks Plunge Anew, Led by Financials; Dow Down 873 in Two Days — Stocks Plunge To 5-Year Lows As Hopes Fade For Auto Bailout — Fears Over US Economy Weaken World Markets — Panicked Investors Send Gold Demand Up 56% — Markets Wary of Irish Debt as Fresh Rescue Looms — Six Japanese Banks Announce Heavy Profit Fall — CitiGroup’s Downward Spiral Continues, Shares Fall 12% — Fed Says Economy to Get Worse — China Plans to Buy GM and Chrysler — Worldwide Rout Hits Asian Markets — World Freight Prices Collapse Amid Financial Crisis — Phase IV of The Global System Crisis: Breakdown of the Global Money System by Summer 2009 — CitiGroup Liquidates Hedge Fund that Fell 53% in One Month — Farmers in US Face Up to Credit Squeeze — When Inflation Comes A-Knockin’ (The Mogambo Guru) — Bush Hands Over Reigns of US Economy to EU

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Frequent contributor (and fellow novelist) Michael Z. Williamson sent us this link that proves that there is a sucker born every minute: MetalMint.com. Mike’s comment: “[People are paying] $11 per pound for $1.63 worth of copper. And the concept of ‘Fine brass’ bullion is just amusing.” JWR Adds: Perhaps the buyers are the same people that buy those absurdly overpriced”commemorative” coins.

Note from JWR:

A special note of thanks to the anonymous pharmacist on the East Coast that has set up a very generous 10 Cent Challenge subscription via an automated weekly payment. These voluntary subscriptions are greatly appreciated, especially now that our hosting and bandwidth expenses exceed $450 per month. (Daily downloads from our site now regularly exceed 20 Gigabytes per day. Last month alone, we burned through a whopping 660GB!)

Letter Re: Is the US Residential Real Estate Market Nearing the Bottom?

Hello Mr. Rawles:
Seeing that houses are pretty much dirt cheap right now, would it be a good decision to buy one? what would happen to our debts (including the mortgage) when/if the Amero comes? would they disappear like they claim the American debt will? I hear radio advertisements about the IRS giving you up to [a] $7,500 [interest-free loan] on your 2008 taxes if you buy a house in 2008. So, again, would it be a good idea? would the Dollar amount be converted into Ameros?

Thanks in advance for your response. As always, congratulations on and thank you for your blog, simply the best. – Luis S.

JWR Replies: The $7,500 incentive offered by the IRS must be paid back over the next 15 years. It is an interest-free loan, not a tax credit. People who claim this “credit” must pay it back at $500 per year for the next 15 years.

In my estimation, suburban houses have another 25% to fall nationwide, and another 40% to fall in the over-bought markets. I recommend that you wait for at least two years, until the market is closer to the bottom. And FWIW, according to The Chartist Gnome, the absolute bottom may not be until around 2016. There will be plenty of pain and angst ahead!

The widely-rumored advent of the Amero is far from a sure thing. I recommend diversifying out of dollar-denominated assets and into practical tangibles. At present, my favorites are alloy, steel, and polymer, and hold lots of cartridges. With well-chosen tangibles, you will shelter yourself from the worst effects of any currency swap or formalized devaluation. Yes, land is a tangible too, but the only real estate that I would consider buying these days is productive farm or ranch land. This should be land that could double as a survival retreat, and that is located in a region that was not part of the Big Bubble.

Letter Re: Comments on Two of the Three Bs: Bullets and Band-Aids

Greetings Jim,
With [the] November 4th [US presidential and congressional election] behind us, many of us are wondering how to proceed with our preps. With regard to the bullets in the “Three B’s” consider this; your firearm will function with one magazine, most with even no magazine, but they all require ammunition. As a prep (as opposed to investment), I put forth that a good supply of ammunition is a higher priority than spare magazines, after purchasing the firearm, of course! In selecting a firearms battery, ammunition availability is a common selection criteria. You should own firearms that ammunition can be purchased readily at any country store in the middle of nowhere. Good choices are .308,.223, .30-06, 12 gauge, 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .22 LR, and possibly 7.62×39. A post-November 4th trip to our local Wal-Mart found them cleaned out of the Federal brand 100 round white boxes of both .223 and 9mm.

Esoteric calibers should play only a limited role in the defensive battery and be supported by more common calibers. A couple of notable exceptions are .50 BMG, and .338 Lapua Magnum. These calibers are in limited use by various military units for very-long range engagement of medium and hard targets. If you own weapons chambered in these cartridges then be sure to obtain a large supply ASAP. These weapons can be very useful for special purposes, and typically represent large financial investments, but are useless without ammunition. If ammunition is hard to find now, it will only be more difficult and expensive later. From that point consider purchasing a quantity of ammunition, in each caliber, that you maintain a commitment to not to use any of it. It’s reasonable to start with calibers that you or your group have the most firearms for, and work down from there. After reserves in each caliber are built up, purchase ammunition for training, target practice, or barter, using the same (most guns to least guns) philosophy. Some people may choose to start with rifle ammunition and work towards pistol ammo. As my favorite Front Sight instructor says, “Your pistol is only to fight your way to a rifle!” A thousand rounds in backstock, of each caliber, is a good place to start (case lots are psychologically harder for me to break open). One needs only to hear of the purported attempt to ban imports of 7.62×39, or the ammunition “registration” bill being pushed in Arizona to realize that there are many magazines, etc. available on the market, but ammunition is a one-time use product. Bans, taxes, or “registration” of loaded ammunition, or components would eventually make gun control a moot point! So stock up now.

With regard to the band-aids in the “Three B’s”, on another blog I happened onto a discussion of first aid kit components. The pre-hospital care giver was advocating obtaining all sorts of advanced tools like IV fluid and sutures. As Josh (hat-tip to my fellow Montanan) pointed in an earlier SurvivalBlog letter ,there are many training, and medical-legal issues with having/using this type of equipment. And as many sources like Ragnar Benson, and Where There is No Doctor point out, these interventions have only a limited role in all but a full of TEOTWAWKI situation. One excellent product that everyone should have in their medical bag that requires no prescription or specific training is a hemostatic agent like Quickclot. Here is a YouTube link to the military report on Quickclot (one specific brand, there are other good ones also) should demonstrate it’s effectiveness. The 6th edition of the NAEMT’s Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) textbook identifies hemostatic agents as most useful in a “delayed transport” scenario, that is, typically greater than one hour to definitive medical care, like what you would find in a wilderness or”grid down” type emergency.

Having the equipment without the proficient skill in its use is exactly like having a firearm in the nightstand and thinking you are good to go. Here are some ideas on medical training in addition to the WRSA, and Medical Corps suggestions that you’ve made. Start out with an American Heart Association (AHA) CPR Healthcare Provider class (Healthcare Provider is the prerequisite for most other training, and much more detailed than the AHA‘s Friends and Family CPR class.) The AHA offers other basic medical training as well. Many community colleges offer excellent Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes, they last about one semester, and may equal up to four college credits). If you are currently enrolled in college this is a great class that offers immediate job opportunities with varied schedules, and may expose you to a career track that you hadn’t considered. Many volunteer fire and ambulance services provide this same training for free with a time commitment to the service after course completion.

Wilderness Medical Associates, and NOLS offer a variety of non-urban setting EMS classes. One of the best educational opportunities that is often overlooked is the National Ski Patrol’s Outdoor Emergency Care Technician program. It closely mirrors the EMT curriculum but emphasizes care in the outdoor setting, and improvisation. Think about this; take the class, learn important skills, and then ski for free! Lastly, as Ragnar Benson points out in some of his books, even doctors use reference materials. In addition to the well known titles like Emergency War Surgery, and Where There is No Doctor, some people may consider purchasing EMT, Paramedic, or the OEC textbook. Gray’s Anatomy or other texts on anatomy/physiology, and pathophysiology are also important references . The key is not just to have the texts, but to learn them as well. Some people may try a self-study program of these resources. This last route is the least desirable, because so many skills like assessment, splinting, etc. require significant practice and experience. As a side note, the first aid kit in your latest auction from Cajun Safety and Survival certainly seems to be well equipped to deal with a variety of emergencies.

Thanks for all you do. Keep up the great work. – J. in Montana (A 10 Cent Challenge subscriber)

Letter Re: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a Retreat Locale

Jim,
I’ve been following the letters about living in Michigan;’s Upper Peninsula (UP) with interest. For those that aren’t familiar with Michigan geography, there are two peninsulas. For the most part, most consider Michigan the ‘mitten’ [landmass], and that’s all. The rest forget that there is still more to the state, and that’s okay with me! The UP is 1/3 the land mass of the state, with only 1% of the total population. There are more people in Detroit, than there are in all of the UP. another very nice statistic!

Personally, I was born and raised in Detroit (please don’t hold that against me), moved to the outer ‘burbs for several years, and moved to the UP 14 years ago. I will never go back. Never. Here, the water is clean (I get my drinking water from a free-flowing artesian well, with no filtering whatsoever), the air is clean and the crime is minimal. There is so little air pollution that on a moonless night (preferably in August) you can sit on any number of beaches along Lake Superior, and see the curvature of the distinct edge of the Milky Way galaxy. The stars are uncountable. Many find upon moving here that their respiratory allergies disappear–discovering that they were allergic to the smog of the cities.

Sounds like heaven? it is. Are there drawbacks? of course, but there are downsides to every location. I feel the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. I might have to drive 30 miles to get to a sizeable town to shop, but along the way, I might see deer, coyote, and an occasional other vehicle 🙂 When I do go to town, I will shop extensively for my preps, and then not drive that direction again, sometimes for weeks.

Five years ago I purchased my current retreat. Ten acres that backs up to hundreds of acres of logging land, large parcels on either side of me. I have a small house, barn, two wells and a creek. I paid $45,000 for it. Cash. My taxes every year are just $750, in total. I’m off the main road (those prices are higher), but my road still gets plowed if there’s over 6″ of snowfall. It’s incredibly private, the neighbors know each other, but don’t interfere with anything. I even set up my own shooting range, no one cares. Some of the best fishing is within a ten minute drive, and the hunting is great.

One other letter mentioned the bugs. Yep, they sure are annoying. Ticks, blackflies, mosquitoes, beach flies, they all bite. Fox, raccoon, pine marten, fishers, even coyotes will get into the chickens. So I take precautions, what’s the big deal? Some of these nuisances are what keeps the riffraff away! They don’t want to deal with them. they’re soft, pampered, and want everything either handed to them or ready for them to take. The UP is not for the soft or pampered–at least not the woods of the UP, where I live.

It’s said that there really are four seasons here:” June, July, August and Winter.” Spring is typically two weeks of meltdown followed by two weeks of mud, then it’s summer. And those summers can be glorious! With the exception of this past year, we have consistently hit over 100 degrees in late July. Great for the gardens, because, yes, the growing season is short, so I adjust what I grow to fit that. Fall is breathtaking!

The worst winter I’ve experienced, was in 2002, where in the woods, I got thirty feet of snow. It was the only time that I had 6 feet of snow on the ground at one time. It was a tough winter, but, I never had to worry about those ‘roving hordes’ trying to take my supplies! They couldn’t get there! and I think that’s one of the biggest draws of the UP: It’s lack of accessibility, it’s anonymity, and it’s isolation. – Deborah in the UP

Letter Re: Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Hi.
The Chinese say that if proficiency is desired a skill must be repeated “10,000 times.” Well, if you don your concealment rig and practice weapon presentation and dry firing 30 times, every day, you will have done it over 10,000 times in just one year. Repetition builds muscle memory and with muscle memory comes speed. Speed is not a matter of quick reflexes. It comes from eliminating extraneous motion. It doesn’t matter how “fast” you practice. If done right, every time, even in slow motion, when needed in reality you will be amazed at the effortless speed that results. My twenty bucks (two cents —adjusted for inflation) worth. – Doug R.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Michael G. sent this great link: The The King of Scrounge and His Castle

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Erik mentioned that US military personnel with proper identification can shop at Sam’s Club without a membership for two days in December. The company will also waive its 10 percent non-member service fee. The military open houses will be held Monday, Dec. 1 and Monday, Dec. 15 at 598 Sam’s Club locations in the U.S., during regular club hours. This is a good opportunity to stock up! BTW, if you need to know exactly what food products, hygiene items and sundries to buy at a “Big Box” store and details on their shelf lives, then study my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course.

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Eric also this: 30 reasons for Great Depression II by 2011

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Doc Gary sent us a tip that Alamo Tactical still has a few MagPul brand “MagLevel” (cartridge counter window) polymer magazines (“PMAGs”) for AR-15s still in stock (in just one remaining color–“Foliage Green”) for under $18 each. Well, that is until today, when the readers of SurvivalBlog will undoubtedly clean them out.

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The latest news and commentary from The Economatrix: Dow Falls 430 on Economic Bad News — Senate Cancels Vote on Doomed Auto Bailout — Dow Slips Below 8,000 on Growing Fear of Deflation — Asian Shares Fall as Recession Sets In — Heading for Recession and the Crime Wave that Goes Along with It —A Sea of Unwanted Auto Imports