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

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

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

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

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

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

Letter Re: Gun Ownership in Chile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Odds ‘n Sods:

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

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

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

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

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

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

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

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

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

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

Sir:
For the survivalist planner determining actual prescription drug shelf lives is a critical subject. Yet little discussion or research has been submitted survival web sites.

The following are some concise and factual sources with information on this critical survival planning subject.

Congressional investigation: Extending The Shelf Life of Prescription Drugs

Military Stockpiles ‘Expired’ Drugs

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Drugs may outlast label date

Many Medicines Are Potent Years Past Expiration Dates (a Wall Street Journal article, re-posted by The End Times Report)

From Associated Content: Drug Expiration Dates: How They Benefit the Pharmaceutical Companies

Additional sources are welcomed. Regards, – Sam A.

JWR Replies: This topic was covered fairly well in SurvivalBlog in 2006, but it bears re-visiting. Expiry dates marked on both prescription and non-prescription medicines are very conservative, for two reasons: 1.) Legal Liability, and 2.) Profit. By having early expiries, the pharmaceutical companies sell more drugs (replacing “expired” stocks), which means more profit.

Tetracycline is one drug that has often been cited as being unsafe when out-of-date, but that reputation has largely been overcome by events. As it was explained to me by by a SurvivalBlog reader that is a doctor in New Zealand, in the 1980s tetracycline had an unstable composition. It broke down 6-to-12 months post-expiry date and became potentially toxic from the degradation products of the binder. But since late-1980s, the new binders have been much more stable.

This letter to SurvivalBlog from 2006 is worthy of re-posting:

Sir:
Regarding your blog entry on the subject of prescription medications, I wish to provide you with information regarding expiration dates: I work for a pharmaceutical company. While profit is a reason why expiration dates can be conservative, it is not due to “planned obsolescence.”

Here is the way things work in the U.S.: drug companies are required to put an expiration date on all drugs. Companies are required to prove to the FDA that the drugs will remain safe and effective through the expiration date on the drug (when stored as described on the label). Generating that proof is expensive, and it gets more expensive the farther the expiration date is from the date of manufacture. So the drug companies don’t want to spend money on expiration date studies (known in the industry as “stability studies”) any further in the future than is necessary, but must spend money on stability studies (at a minimum) that will avoid an expiration date that is too close to the date of manufacture (defined as expiration dates that could be reached prior to the drug being sold, or would cause customers to avoid the purchase of drugs that will soon expire).

What does that mean for consumers who want to store drugs beyond the expiration dates? There is not one answer for all drugs. Some drugs are truly ineffective or unsafe very soon after their expiration dates. Others can be almost “as good as new” for decades after the expiration dates have passed. Thanks for the great novel, and a great blog. – Mr. Pharmacopoeia

 

Letter Re: The Ozarks as a Retreat Locale

I’m giving really serious consideration to a move to the north-central Ozark area of Arkansas. My reasoning is that the weather is fairly benign – average temps are 40-to-80 F, good [length of] growing season; land is still pretty reasonable. Acreage at $1,000 per acre – sometimes less – is not unusual. The area has springs/lakes/creeks/caves; many smaller towns; living costs are very reasonable; a strong family orientated population; fairly well-developed medical services even in the smaller towns.

I realize that this area is more suited for people who do not work or who are not looking for work, but I’m only seven months from retirement and so far have managed to keep most of my retirement funds from tanking. I hope to have in the area of around $4,000 per month coming in to fund my retirement; and this without resorting to IRA withdrawals. I should hopefully be able to off-load my house in Florida for around $150,000 – mostly because of the location. After paying the minimal balanced owed, I hope to pretty much be able to put up ~$100,000 as purchase money. Looking through the current realtor’s ads from the area, that money could buy me anything from 50-to-80 undeveloped acres at one end, to a three bedroom house on 20-40 acres on the other end.

The biggest negative in the area appears to be that the in-place governmental infrastructure occasionally is not up to the job, a state income tax, and jobs are not very plentiful. But again for me these are really almost pluses. I plan to use trusts to handle most of my transactions there and by limiting my visible income I hope to keep pretty much off both the state and Federal radar screen. All taken together the pluses – at least from my perspective – seem to far outweigh the negatives.

I would like to build a semi-underground house on a southeast exposure to minimize heating and cooling costs as well as reducing security issues – both personal and disaster related.

A big downer there is that it is in the Mississippi earthquake zone, but sometimes you have to flip the coin, and I worry more about the caldera of Yellowstone than I do a [local]earthquake. Regards, – Doug D.

Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Mr. Rawles,
Although being an avid reader, this is the first time I have written your site. The letters posted on your site today respecting Alaska as a retreat locale raised a few possible issues in my mind. First of all, let me say that Alaska is my favorite place in the world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. However, as a retreat locale, one may want to think twice unless the situation forces their location there. Also, it is important to remember that the conditions and terrain in Alaska are very wide ranging, depending where you are. The climate can range from arctic in the north to relatively mild in the south. I have heard the climate in the south compared to that of the mid-Atlantic states on the East coast.

Most parts of the state are totally without agriculture, but there is some in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. The growing season is usually around 100 days long, and can produce huge vegetables because of the length of the days. Some vegetables do well there, such as potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

Therefore, if one intends to do any kind of farming in Alaska, the “Mat-Su” Valley is where it is possible. However, there is a major drawback to this fact, from the perspective of retreat logistics. The Mat-Su valley is one of the most densely populated areas of the state. It has, as of late, been converting to suburban communities for workers who commute to Anchorage. As we all know, the suburbs are a bad, bad place to be WTSHTF. And even if one were to build a retreat in a section of the valley not yet suburban, there is no way to know that it would remain so for the next five years or more.

Prepping before the SHTF is made more difficult by the state’s isolation. Building materials, fuel, food, guns, ammo, medical supplies and any other product must be shipped in from the [continental] US or elsewhere. This makes these products not only more expensive, but generally less available, especially outside of the urban centers. Ordering off the web makes them easier to get, but the shipping is still expensive. Fuel of any kind is the most expensive in the nation, and ammo is pretty over-priced, too.

Fuel, as one letter pointed out, is a major problem. Getting by without fossil fuels is a main goal of most preppers, and it may prove more difficult in Alaska. Solar is out, at least during the winter. Not only is there very little light, but it is less intense than elsewhere, due to the oblique angle at which it hits the state (as it is so far north). I don’t know a lot about wind, so that may be a possibility. If it was, any parts would be difficult to get. As K.L.’s letter says, firewood is a possibility, but this raises three issues.

As he says, with no gas or diesel = no power tools to cut [and haul firewood]. Any broken hand tools would be irreplaceable, and even having extras is likely not enough when you plan to cut by hand and burn firewood for a very extended period of time. Hand cutting firewood is also time consuming.

Since it would need to be done in the summer, it would take up time for farming and other chores. This might not be a problem if you are part of a large retreat group, however. Also, felling trees, in any way, especially by hand, is extremely dangerous. I would strongly recommend a logger certification class for anyone planning to possibly use firewood as a retreat fuel. Although the course will focus on mechanical forestry, the safety principles are the same universally.

Third, unless one has a retreat on a very spacious lot, it is possible to run out of firewood to cut. Trees grow much slower in Alaska People who do not heat their homes in this manner would be surprised at the amount of fuel a wood stove can use in a winter. For instance, to heat the house on my family farm, it takes roughly 10 to 15 cords to get through the winter, with a little to spare for safety’s sake. And that is back in New York, not Alaska. Imagine cutting that much firewood on a 25 acre lot for five years or more. One may be able to cut off of their property, but that is a bad way to meet the neighbors, especially after TSHTF.

This letter ran much longer than I planned, and I would like to go on further, but time prevents me from doing so. In short, think twice about a retreat in Alaska. It is absolutely possible, but would present much greater difficulties than other feasible places. In the lower 48, one can find the same type of isolated area, but with:

Better farming conditions
Lower prices in general
A climate not requiring huge amounts of fuel for the winter
Ability to travel through the US without crossing international borders (If they still exist after TSHTF)
And so forth…

If you think you can do it, then go for it. My wife thinks I’m trying to keep it all for myself. – J. Galt

JWR Replies: Thanks for that input. I have my doubts about the viability of the Mat-Su Valley in worst-case collapse. Its proximity to the hungry, teeming masses of Anchorage is troubling. Alaska cannot feed its population, even in today’s economy, and one can only wonder what it would be like grid-down, with no fuel available.

I encourage anyone serious about living in Alaska to look at the Delta Junction area, in Alaska’s interior. I haven’t been there since the summer of 1980 (when I attended the U.S. Army Northern Warfare School), but it struck me as a very productive agricultural region.)

Odds ‘n Sods:

Dateline: Nanny State, Hawaii: Now they want to ban pocket knives! What is next, pencils? (“You might put your eye out!”) And speaking of over-reaching paternalism, Chad from Colorado spotted this: Schoolteacher Suspended for Facebook Gun Photo. My, how times change! My maternal grandfather, an Army Reserve Major, was a Junior ROTC instructor that taught marksmanship at a California public high school, before his untimely death in 1943. It was not uncommon for students to bring their own rimfire rifles from home to shoot at the high school’s indoor shooting range. And nobody blinked an eye…

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Reader D.S. mentioned a useful resource for diesel vehicle owners.D.S. says: “They have a great frame-by-frame how to tutorials on how to work on your Mercedes and other diesels and have produced a set of DVDs on the many facets of restoring, repairing, maintaining your diesel.”

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Sam A. sent us this link: President wants U.S. nuke arsenal slashed 80%.

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In economic news: The silver rally continues. There’s that “D” word again: GE chief warns on US depression threat. (Thanks to several readers, led by John S., for that link.) Ben H. sent us this: Worker Anger Sees Brown Facing Winter of Discontent. Here is a quote: “They’ve sold us down the river,” said Charles Hilton, 61, an electrician from Hull in northern England who was out on strike yesterday with local oil-refinery workers. “We’re going to see civil unrest in this country. It’s already started. It will grow unless things are sorted.” Cheryl found all these for us: Wall Street Shrugs Off Unemployment Data; Dow Up 200 Points — States Can’t Go Bankrupt — Bush Overpaid Banks in Bailout, Watchdog Says — Banks Sitting on Inventory Timebomb — US Unemployment Expected to Rocket — UBS Predicts Gold to Hit $1,000 — UK Company Collapses are Up 124% in Three Months — UK: Personal Bankruptcies Hit New Record — Jobless Claims Surge to 626,000 — Grim January for Most US Retailers — Bill Gates Sees 3-5 Tough Years — Biggest Job Loss Ever for Retail Sector — News Corps $6.4 Billion Loss; Cuts Looming — Jobs Problems You Don’t Know About — Six Companies Born During Downturns

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Why had they been so anxious to believe that any government could solve problems for them which had been pridefully solved, many times over, by their fathers? Had their characters become so weak and debased, so craven and so emasculated, that offers of government dole had become more important than their liberty and their humanity? Had they not known that power delegated to government becomes the club of tyrants? They must have known. They had their own history to remember, and that history of five thousand years. Yet, they had willingly and knowingly, with all this knowledge, declared themselves unfit to manage their own affairs and had placed their lives, which belonged to God only, in the hands of sinister men who had long plotted to enslave them, by wars, by “directives,” by “emergencies.” In the name of the American people, the American people had been made captive.” – Taylor Caldwell, from her novel The Devil’s Advocate, 1964

Notes from JWR:

I’m pleased to announce few new milestones for SurvivalBlog:

  • 6,000 archived posts
  • 315,000 distinct visitor ISP dotted-quad domains logged in the United States
  • Visits from readers in 158 countries
  • 126,800+ unique visits per week!

Please keep spreading the word! Putting a link to SurvivalBlog.com in your e-mail footer will mean that there’ll be thousands of new SurvivalBlog readers, and more importantly thousands of people that will be prepared in the coming hard times.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 21 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 21 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Bloom Where You’re Planted, by Gertrude

I write this to encourage everyone to begin preparing right now, whatever your financial situation and physical location in life. We are one of the many families that don’t live in a sparsely populated western state and don’t have a retreat that is fully stocked, off-grid and off-the beaten path. But we are very aware of the precarious situation that our country is in and we are trying as best we can to be prepared. Doing a little bit consistently every day will add up very quickly and you will be better prepared every day as you go along. Doing this will also do wonders for your mental outlook.

To give a little background: our household consists of my mother and myself, along with four cats, three dogs and a flock of chickens. My mother is 79 years old and I’m a retired 57-year old woman. My sister and brother-in-law live about a half-mile away and our niece and her husband live next door. Both of my parents grew up on farms and we always had a big garden and plenty of fruit trees when I was a child. We live in a semi-rural area about three miles from a small town. There are no interstate highways nearby.

The people here in our community are pretty self-reliant. People still hunt, fish, and grow and preserve their own vegetables and fruits (although not as much as in the past). We have about five acres of land with a small fruit orchard and garden area. We don’t have any mortgages or car payments to worry about, but we also don’t have the financial resources to retreat to another location. Are we fully prepared? Of course not. I don’t think anyone is ever fully prepared, but we are much better prepared than we were last year and we were better prepared last year than we were the year before that. This is because of consistently doing something every day to prepare.

As I sit here typing this, our supper is cooking on the wood stove while my mother is in the living room quilting and our alarm systems–our three dogs–are outside keeping an eye on things. The coffee pot is ready to go on the stove for supper later. The chickens are happily occupied in their area. Our pantry is stocked with wheat, rice, beans, store-canned goods as well as home-canned vegetables, fruits, and meats and various other food and non-food items. We have another separate storage area for paper products, medical supplies, batteries, cleaning supplies, etc.

We didn’t have the wood stove, chickens or bigger-than-average pantry storage a few years ago. Back then I would have said we were above-average in “preparation mentality” but my eyes were opened when I began doing research on the subject of preparedness. It began when I wanted to be prepared to survive a possible flu pandemic. I quickly learned of other things, such as the possibility of EMP strikes, electric grid going down in general, Peak Oil problems, you name it. My first reaction was one of panic, but that subsided as my mother and I began “putting feet on our prayers.” We started small, buying more food each week when grocery shopping. Then we decided to go “whole hog.”

The first thing we did was buy a wood stove. We now have three heating systems: [a heating] oil furnace, gas logs operated on propane and the wood stove. We use the wood stove most of the time in the winter now. Although it’s not a [broad-top] cook stove, we do very well cooking meals on it. We perk the coffee for supper most nights even if we don’t cook the main meal on it. We have lots of wood on our land, but aren’t physically able to cut the wood ourselves so we buy it locally, and my brother-in-law has supplied us with wood (my sister and he have a wood stove too). We have three able-bodied men in the family (brother-in-law, nephew-in-law and nephew) who can and will cut wood if need be.

The next thing we did was install a manual well pump. We’re on well water but we needed a way to get the water if the grid goes down. I began researching manual well pumps and my brother-in-law installed one for us. Last summer, we worked on what has probably been the biggest project of them all: building a chicken house and fenced-in chicken yard. Our chickens are what I suppose you’d call semi-free range. They have a 24×24 foot yard to roam in. My mother was the chief architect. She designed the chicken house herself. We first had to clear the land, then we prepared the foundation for the house. After that came the actual building of the chicken house.

Although we have a pick-up truck, my nephew was using it at the time, so I would go to the local Big Box building center and buy as much wood as I could fit into the car and bring it back. We’re proof that you can pretty much do what you set your mind to do if you’re determined enough. We worked steadily every day except Sundays at building the chicken house and got it done. Then we had to clear the land for the chicken yard, and after doing that we began digging the holes for the fence posts. The only thing we had any outside help with was installing the poultry wire for the fence. We needed my niece and her husband to help us get that pulled tight enough. We finished the entire operation by putting netting over the entire chicken yard to keep out hawks. We now have a great flock of chickens. As I write this, we have about eight dozen eggs in the refrigerator. We share [the eggs] with my sister and husband, my niece and her husband and my nephew and his wife. The dogs also get a scrambled egg dinner about once a week. We haven’t bartered any eggs yet, but we know that’s a possibility down the road if economic conditions warrant it.

Somewhere in the midst of all this preparation, we bought a Country Living grain mill (the manual kind). Mother has done most of the grinding so far. She’s baked whole-wheat rolls and loaves of bread with the wheat we bought and ground ourselves – yummy!

Our garden suffered last summer, because we were so busy getting the chicken flock project set up. Our goal for this summer is to have as big a garden as we can manage. We do have a stock of garden seed laid back. We’ve already stocked up on lots of canning jar lids. We already had a good supply of canning jars and rings but I plan on stocking up on those, as well.

One of the big things we need to do next is prepare in the area of self-defense. We have a rifle and recently bought a S&W 9mm handgun. We also have my late father’s 38 Special revolver. We have magazines and ammo and plan on stocking more ammo. My brother-in-law (a former Marine) is going to train me on the handguns and rifle. If there is one thing I regret in life it is that I didn’t take advantage of the fact that my late father, who was a police officer, wanted to train me in the use of firearms, but I was a wimp. I’ve always believed in the right to bear arms, but was actually a little afraid of using guns, mainly because I’m so nearsighted. But I’ve gotten over that now. After one very short session with my brother-in-law going over firearm basics with me, I’m excited about getting proficient in their use because I can actually understand how the darn things work now!

I believe we’re doing pretty good at blooming where we’re planted. We can garden, sew, quilt, cook (don’t laugh – a lot of people don’t know how to do that!), crochet, can and preserve food, and we’ve don pretty well at carpentry. In addition to my retirement pension, I also have a second stream of income doing manuscript typing at home.

To summarize, I encourage anyone who feels paralyzed by current events to get up and get going. Start small: buy a few extra groceries each time you shop; stock up on non-perishables; prepare a first aid kit; and take a first aid course. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. And, most importantly of all, never stop learning. Before you know it, you’ll be a lot more prepared than you ever knew you could be. – Gertrude

Two Letters Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Jim:

As an Alaskan survivalist I concur with everything Brad in Texas had to say. Alaska has many distinct advantages as a retreat location. However, it also has some major disadvantages. First and foremost is the amount of work involved. You must have a way to get fuel for heating. If you can’t use vehicles and chain saws, most of your summer will likely be taken up getting ready for winter. The same applies to food. You would have to grow enough vegetables during the short summer to last seven or eight months. Thankfully, game is available all year, so you probably won’t starve. Alaska is great for people who are able and willing to work really hard.

As for the spirit of Alaska, what Brad says is true outside the major cities. I would estimate that only 5% of Juneau and Anchorage residents and 20% of Fairbanks residents have any concept of survival in hard times. Most people in the cities essentially live in a bubble, with no real contact with nature at its harshest. Even in Alaska! Juneau is jokingly referred to as “Seattle North” and Anchorage as “Los Anchorage.” If you consider Alaska as a retreat location, it would be wise to avoid the major cities. In a SHTF scenario, the helpless refugees would overwhelm the surrounding countryside just as in the lower 48.
K.L. – Alaska

 

JWR:

We lived in Alaska for almost three years, we miss it. Here is our Wish List for our next trip:

Snow machines [called snowmobiles in some parts of the US], purchased in the Lower 48
More gear
More guns
More knowledge of the laws going in and out of the borders
Have a gun shop picked out up there ASAP for weapons you will not be able to carry into Canada or back into the US (handguns and [so-called] assault rifles)
All records for animals
Go on the ferry to avoid Canada

Some of the larger problems facing newcomers in Alaska is the lack of light in the winter, the lack of fresh fruits and veggies, activities in the winter, the isolation, the cold….
The suicides are on the average 20% higher in Alaska than anywhere else in the US. The alcohol abuse is so rampant that in some of the more desolate towns there is rationing of alcohol or there is none period.
Most go up there totally unprepared for the struggles of everyday life. We lived in Anchorage and it wasn’t that bad. There are a few books that can give you a rundown on the worst (Death Stalks the Land is a good reference). The people who went there unprepared and paid for it with their lives. Even those who lived there 20 years are not immune to getting caught unaware.
Everything thing you need to get has to be shipped overseas including grain for livestock and hay, milk, tools, some building supplies and clothing. The natives do produce some things. However, most do it for the tourists that show up.
There are many tales of those that made it up there but for each one of those there is one or more that lost limb or life trying.
There is a book on the last homesteader to go to Alaska and it is a real eye opener.

The plusses: The constant daylight in some areas [in summer] makes for incredible food and if you can fruits and veggies, you’ll be better for it.
The Icelandic Horses can and will eat dry or fresh fish and there is plenty of that.
You can’t beat the hunting and fishing.
It is incredibly beautiful, summer or winter.

I will leave you with this – It’s a very long way to go for help or to help anyone while there, if you go you will truly be on your own. – TD

Four Letters Re: Preparedness Through Tapping in to the Craig’s List Culture

Sir;

By way of profession, I am a CPA (M.S. in Taxation), economic survivalist by persuasion. One thing you may want to caution readers about is the Internal Revenue Services’ position on bartering income. Always, always, always talk to a competent tax advisor regarding your particular situation. Under the current administration, self-sufficiency activities such as bartering with others for services or goods may be considered a reportable and taxable activity on the part of both parties.

Just a “heads up” to all, we all want to stay within the letter of the law. Thanks for the listen – C.

 

Sir,

Craigslist can be frustrating, for example, you see a super deal, you call early, have the cash and can buy now, but the seller says, “well, some guy called at 6 a.m. and is coming to buy it this Sunday. Sorry.” Out of politeness, you didn’t want to call at 6 am, but because you didn’t, you lost the ability to buy the item because the seller is a “first call-first serve” seller, and not a “first cash-first serve” seller.

On the other hand, it is irritating when you set an appointment, spend $20 on diesel to drive to the seller’s home, and arrive to find someone else loading the item in his truck. Maybe sellers ought to put a Terms-of-Service in their ads! (I personally am a First-Cash seller, but cancel later appointments immediately upon sale). – Willow, in Texas

 

Jim:

[Because of their posting rules], one must be very circumspect in listing or putting a “Want to Buy” (WTB) ad on Craigslist.com if it concerns guns, ammunition, or reloading.
They will delete your posting in a “New York Minute”. – D.O.

JWR Replies: I’ve seen the same thing happen, many times. Do not mention firearms in the title line of any Craigslist post, even if you live in an ultra-conservative state like Wyoming. Some hoplophobic do-gooder will indeed zap your post almost immediately. I’ve heard that it is best to “bury ” mention of your willingness to swap “sporting goods” in posts on other topics. For those that specifically want to trade a firearm or ammunition, I recommend advertising on a regional gun board, such as the Northwest Firearms Board. , or in one of the many local newspapers or advertising giveaway papers (such as the “Nickel” and “Penny Saver” type papers) that offer free or low-cost classified ads.

 

Mr. Rawles:

Even though Craigslist does not allows firearms and ammunition advertisements, it is still beneficial sure to check the Sporting Goods section. In my my local Craigslist there are “47 speed bicycles, AK brand”, and similar items regularly for sale. – J.M.

Odds ‘n Sods:

David V. recommended the latest essay from commentator Charles Hugh Smith’s Of Two Minds blog: Pandemic, Drug Resistance and Natural Selection

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As the red ink continues to spread across the globe, here is today’s economic news: Some Deep Schumer talk in the UK: Gordon Brown suggests world heading for a ‘depression’. SF in Hawaii suggested this: Afshin Rattansi talks to Max Keiser about the Dollar. Max Keiser says: “Free market capitalism in America is dead”, and: “The technical strength of the Dollar will be short-lived.” Reader H.P.D. sent us a link to Mish Shedlock’s latest commentary: The Game is Up. Reader G.G. suggested this essay by David Roche: Blight of capital protectionism will give rise to dollar crisis. And from The Economatrix comes all these items: Circuit City Ripples to Be Felt for Years — 500,000 More US Jobs Lost in January — Major UK Retail Investor Collapses — Now Russia Gets Caught Up in Credit Crunch — How to Play the Coming Gold Price Jump — Rising Unemployment Hits 98% of Metro Areas — Bad News Means Bad News (The Mogambo Guru) — Riots Around The World Because of Skyrocketing Unemployment

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Thanks to G.G. for two encouraging news items, first from The Financial Times: Demand for seeds, canning supplies boom, and from The St. Louis Business Journal: Olin Q4 profit triples on ammunition sales. And linked from that article was this: Dealers: Assault rifle sales up; long waiting list for handguns

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Several readers have written to mention HCR 6, which will hopefully soon be considered by the New Hampshire legislature. I first mentioned it in SurvivalBlog on Monday. The resolution is a step in the right direction, but keep in mind that for now it is only a proposed piece of legislation. Until it is passed and signed by the Governor, it is not much more than the source of conjecture. I hope that the sovereignty reservation movement catches on in other states. I’ll continue to publish updates.