Five Letters Re: Preparedness Advice for the Parents of a Newborn Infant

Dear Memsahib:
I’d like to suggest exploring the Wear Your Baby site There are free directions for making your own baby wearing wraps and free videos demonstrating different wrapping/carrying styles. The free printable items have good clear photographs to help in choosing the right fabric for the job. Now that slings have become poplar and trendy the prices have become rather expensive. There is nothing like spending $30+ dollars to find that baby doesn’t like that carrying style or is wrong for momma’s back. I’d rather buy fabric and try different styles (more comfy). If it is a total washout at least the fabric can be used for other projects. Another benefit is the cost is low enough a spare can be handy for those oops that come with babies. HTH, – Stephanie in Arkansas

Jim:
These folks may want to find a way to store and dose antibiotics. Kids develop infections of all kinds from strep to severe ear infections. In a post-collapse environment this may be very hazardous health wise. Buying clothes that are several sizes bigger for the child to grow into is another thought. – Scott S.

 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rawles,
I love your site. I have been reading for a few months now and hope to get my act http://www.alertpay.com/together here. I am slowly but surely getting prepared (my Dear Husband thinks I am crazy, but I tell him he will thank me one day.) I am starting a homemaker’s preparedness section on my site. You know, what if you have no washer, have to make your own laundry detergent, cleaning supplies. That kind of thing. So this was right up my alley 🙂
I have two Babies and I can offer this advice.
1. Lots of pure water for Mom who is nursing. I have a water filter pitcher that I got on sale and am saving for an emergency.
2. The Nojo Sling is great for Mom who has to nurse/keep baby quiet/put baby to sleep on the go or in emergency situation. [JWR Adds: The Nojo brand slings are quite expensive if bought new. But if you shop around, they can be found in “gently used” condition on eBay or even Craig’s List.] They can double as blankets and changing pads.
3. Lansinoh Lanolin cream is food rated and is not only good for Mom, but cures diaper rash and chapped skin.
4. Acidophilus will stop some diarrheas. Garlic for a natural antibiotic (honey to make it go down for Mom but of course no honey for Baby. Baby will get garlic in breast milk), ascorbic acid (buffered Vitamin C) to cure just about everything.
5. Coconut oil. Not only can you cook with it, you can use it to moisturize sensitive baby skin, it is a natural sun screen, has anti bacterial and anti viral properties, works on diaper rash and can help keep away bugs.
6. Bulb syringes. I just got two at Walgreen’s [pharmacy store] for about $2 each. They suction noses and [can be used very cautiously to] clean ears. Invaluable for when baby is stuffy and can’t nurse.
7. Saline nose drops for same thing. I am “thinking” correct me if I am wrong, that these could double to clean out wounds.
8. Cloth diapers. I don’t use them, but have some to use as light weight blankets, wipe up clothes and for putting in the crook of your arm when you nurses so baby’s face doesn’t stick to your arm.
9. Boppy [style sling baby carriers]. Great for nursing anywhere. (The “Breast Friend” works well for on the go because you can strap it on and walk if you have to, otherwise use sling) and can support baby upward if baby is sick and can help baby sleep.
10. Oatmeal. Great nutrition, easily transported and stored, good for both Mom and Baby to eat and increases breast milk production
11. Dr. Bronner’s soaps are great, multipurpose soaps the whole family can use. I use the Peppermint to clean (it deters pests) and brush teeth, wash baby with Baby soap. Can also use to clean dishes, as a shampoo and to wash clothes. [JWR Adds: I have used a 4 ounce squeeze bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap for many years, mostly on backpacking trips. A little bit goes a long way!]
12. Rubbing alcohol to cheaply and effectively disinfect everything.

Hope any of this helps. I tried to think in terms of compact and multipurpose. We are in a crowded town, in a small apartment and I am doing what I can and asking God to help me (and trusting him) with the rest. Keep up the good work! Many Blessings – Ace

Jim and Memsahib:
As a mother of 13 children, I am very familiar with prepping for newborns, toddlers, children and teens :-).
Our children range in age from 19 years old to 10 months old, (and one on the way)

Here is what I have stocked up on for the little ones:

==Acetaminophen suppositories (I buy the baby, junior and adult doses).
They are wonderful for when a fussy baby or child will not swallow medicine. A real life saver that has helped me keep my sanity.

==Children’s Motrin and Tylenol liquid. When my babies reached 20 pounds, my doctor said that they could receive a 3/4 dose of liquid Children’s Motrin if the fever was not coming down. I recently had to do this and thank goodness it worked! Keep plenty of both liquids on hand..it goes fast.

==Pacifiers. If your child likes a pacifier, you don’t want to be without one in the middle of the night or during an emergency. I once had a child scream for seven hours until I gave in and went to the store. I have gotten smarter with age and now I have stocked up (I have several dozen in my storage).

==Bottle Liners, extra Nipples, extra holders. If you use a bottle for breast milk or formula, you’ll need these. You can never have to many. Any baby items are good for barter.

==Humidifiers. I always have at least 6 new humidifiers in storage. A baby can be miserable with a cold.

==Baby Food. I try to give the baby what we are eating..but if we are on the road or are eating something the baby probably can’t handle (chili, etc), I whip out the baby food. I keep a years worth on hand.

==Suppositories (Glycerin). Babies do get constipated on occasion. I also keep “Baby Lax” on hand (a liquid).

==Pedialyte [oral rehydration solution]. A must! Keep plenty of it on hand. It could be a life saving item!

==Extra blankets, crib sheets, etc.

==Baby shampoo. I prefer not to use adult shampoo on the younger children as it will eventually get in their eyes and they’ll pitch a fit that’ll raise the hair on a bald man.

==Toothbrushes and special Toothpaste (non-fluoride as they will swallow it!) I have them for the babies as soon as they get their first tooth. I get extra for all age groups.

==Next size up in clothing. They grow fast! Thank goodness we have hand me downs as all my children (except one) are boys!

==Books. Babies love books. Get them now as you’ll be surprised at how young an age they will enjoy listening to you read!

==Toys. Age appropriate toys. The more simple, the better (blocks are a favorite around here).

I’m sure I have more items I could add to this list as we follow the “Alpha Strategy“…but it’s time to make lunch.

God bless all of you! You are an inspiration! In God’s Love, – Walt and Wendy, and our 12 (soon to be 13) blessings from God

 

Folks,
First, for those who have children, blessings.

Second, in addition to diapers, do not forget more blankets, bedding, a good crib and a safely portable car set/trailer system / transport system depending on your transportation options.

Stock up on supplies for milk, baby food and Pedialyte. (Gatorade is not for small children). Contact your medical provider about infant medical supplies, study and train up for infant CPR. What ever supplies you have on hand, add to them and remember rotate, rotate rotate. Formula is not cheap, and does not have a long shelf life. As to diapers, well that is up to you to choose, but A supply of disposables and cotton washables would be a good idea. The disposables are not cheap.

Adult health products are not for children, including pain relievers and the like, so please consult your pediatrician and your pharmacist. Also review your home for hazards, like exposed electrical sockets and the like. – TFB

JWR Adds: As mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, there are recipes available for make-it-yourself Oral Rehydration Solution. (ORS). Be sure to print out a hard copy for your file. It could be a lifesaver!

Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric sent a link to a London Telegraph article: Financial crisis: Default by the US government is no longer unthinkable.

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Wayne S. suggested this article: Great Myths of the Great Depression. Wayne’s comment: “I found it to be a great educational primer on the Great Depression. It is interesting to draw parallels with today’s tumultuous times and MOAB with the government policies of the 1929-to-1941 Depression years.”

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Eric also found this important tidbit in The Des Moines Register: Brasher: Corn, soybean supply on brink of shortages. Stock up!

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Laura C. flagged this: What Would Ayn Rand Have Done?

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I’ve been getting first hand and press reports from the southeastern US of gas stations running out of gas. In some locales the little gas that is available selling for $5+ per gallon. It is a good thing that most SurvivalBlog readers have a reserve on hand. Use it wisely.

Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $770. The auction for a large mixed lot that includes: A Special Mixed Vegetable Case-Six #10 Dehydrated Food Cans (Retail Price $105.95) This special Mixed Vegetable Case contains six #10 (96-ounce) cans–one can of each of the following: Mixed Vegetable Blend, Green Beans, Sweet Garden Peas, Mixed Peppers, Potato Dices, and Sweet Potatoes and a EZ-Towels 10 Pack Combo (10 bags of 50 towels. Retail value: $99.95). These items were donated by Jan at Healthy Harvest Foods. An assortment of world class loose leaf teas, and a box of Bellagio hot chocolate (25 individual packs), with a combined value of approximately $100. These items were courtesy of Charlie at CMEBrew.com. A NukAlert radiation detector (a $160 value), donated by at KI4U.com. And, a Katadyn VARIO water filter, donated by Ready Made Resources. (An $89 retail value.) The auction ends on Monday October 15, 2008. Please e-mail us your bid.

Even Chuck Schumer Thinks that We Might Be in Deep Schumer

A front page headline in The New York Times on Friday shouted: Congressional Leaders Stunned by Warnings. The article began: “It was a room full of people who rarely hold their tongues. But as the Fed chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, laid out the potentially devastating ramifications of the financial crisis before congressional leaders on Thursday night, there was a stunned silence at first.” Later in the piece, it mentions: “…the congressional leaders were told “that we’re literally maybe days away from a complete meltdown of our financial system, with all the implications here at home and globally.'”

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (Democrat, of New York) gave his impression of the meeting with Bernanke: “When you listened to him describe it, you gulped.” In a another interview with NPR, Schumer said of the unfolding credit crisis: “If we wait too long, the floor could come out and everything could crash down. ” It was Schumer, BTW, that first proposed creating a new agency that would be analogous to the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), during the Savings and Loan Crisis of the late 1980s. Parenthetically, you will also remember Schumer as the inspiration for a couple of my pet expressions (“Deep Schumer”, and “When The Schumer Hits The Fan”), that I coined back in the early 1990s, to avoid making crude scatological references. Given Senator Schumer’s horribly leftist and gun-grabbing voting record, I make no apologies for enshrining “Schumer” and “WTSHTF” in the SurvivalBlog Glossary.

Clearly, we are living in perilous times. I predict that the markets will be in rollercoaster mode for the foreseeable future, with news stories and government pronouncements precipitating some huge swings. At this juncture I think that I should repeat some thoughts that I posted back in March of this year, since our newest readers probably missed it. This was posted back when I first started warning in earnest about the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB). As you’ll see, most of my predictions were correct:

Last week, the mainstream media described the latest expansion of the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB), but they politely refrained from calling this what it is: socialism, plain and simple. The grand plan, as it stands now, is to bail out not just consumer banks, but also investment banks, with taxpayer dollars. They are effectively making our life savings and our future earnings surety for a bunch of idiotic contrapreneurs‘ loans on everything from flat top duplexes to McMansions. These were houses that the contrapreneurs bought, that they could never really afford unless the market continued to rise at an artificial rate. They bought these houses with the intention of “flipping” them, but then the market topped out, and the “easy money” party ended.

At least those hated fascist dictators like Mussolini had the common sense to nationalize viable, productive companies. But now Ben Bernanke is busy nationalizing a slew of corporations with negative net worth. This is absolute lunacy!

[Some deleted, for brevity.]

All of these calls for regulation, new government agencies, and greater scrutiny might outwardly sound well-reasoned, but they ignore some inescapable underlying problems: We have a fiat currency that is based on debt, we have a banking system with fictional fractional reserves, we have a derivatives market that is a $500 trillion casino, and we have a national treasury that is backed by wishful thinking–certainly not by anything tangible.

The other key point that seems to have escaped the mainstream media is that this new regulatory power is being handed to the Federal Reserve, which is a private banking cartel, not a government agency. They are no more “Federal” than the Federal Express parcel courier company. So this isn’t just socialism. This is nothing short of corporate-controlled socialism–where a handful of banking corporations are given access to the Federal tax coffers to bail out other institutions and then, even further, they are given sweeping regulatory powers. This power grab is deemed “necessary” by circumstances that the Federal Reserve itself created! Somewhere, somehow, somebody stands to make a lot of money in this process. Cui bono? I’ll wager that it won’t be the American taxpayers that benefit. As economist Mish Shedlock observes, this is like putting the Fox in Charge of the Henhouse. Mish summed up the current mess succinctly: “The biggest, most reckless credit experiment in history has started to implode. It’s far too late to stop a complete systemic collapse now. Granting new powers to the agency most responsible for the mess simply does not make any sense.”

Secrecy is another concern. In a recent e-mail, SurvivalBlog reader KAF commented: “We should be greatly concerned about the fact that the Federal Reserve has provided public release anonymity to the institutions who are taking ’30 day’ never ending loans. We’ll now never know if the institutions we deal with are truly solvent and credible, This new”confidentiality” allows the Fed. to manipulate reserves on a routine basis. We’ll never know if this country’s Federal Reserve is or is not heading for bankruptcy unless we use the tests of consumer spending and commodity pricing as indicators.” She hit the nail on the head. At the same time that the press is howling for “greater transparency” in banking, and writing exposes of “predatory lending practices”, the Powers That Be are drawing the veil of secrecy over lending institutions. They’d rather treat us like mushrooms–keeping us in the dark and feeding us barn waste–than risk a panic by letting the public know the real depth of the liquidity crisis and its collateral effects.

Instead of government platitudes, do you want some figures to chew on? Look at this Federal Reserve web page. The negative numbers at the bottom of the “Non-loaned Reserves” column speak volumes. Without the newly-created Federal Reserve “emergency lending mechanisms”, many banks would be absolutely bankrupt. As you can see, the bankers are swimming in red ink. There is now a huge risk of bank runs, but this threat is being ignored by the mainstream media. Mark my words: There are bank runs coming.

The fact is that the global lending system is essentially broken. Artificially lowering interest rates won’t fix it, when bankers are afraid to lend. As I’ve previously noted, the bankers are afraid to lend because so much re-packaging and reshuffling of debt has gone on in the past seven years that nobody knows who owes what to whom, and precisely what assets are underlying these exotic debt “packages.” Meanwhile, the bankers have learned that the big insurance firms like Fitch, Moody’s and S&P were in on the swindle. We now know that they colluded with their mortgage firm buddies to inflate assets and deflate risks in a masterpiece of legerdemain that would make Enron’s accountants proud.

The bottom line is the the entire world economy is is in deep, deep trouble. Without financing, the Big Machine is grinding to a halt. The next few years will probably see the economy plunge into a deep recession, if not a full blown depression. The current headlines are just a foreshadowing of the real crisis to come. The MOAB will grow and grow, eventually bailing out far more than just banks. There will be brokerage houses, insurance firms, S&Ls, credit unions, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and possibly even muni bonds and pension funds are all lined up, ready to reach into our wallets. Once the government starts down the slippery slope of bailout-socialism schemes, they will perforce spread to more and more institutions. And, as I’ve previously noted, the public coffers will be insufficient to cover the inestimable costs of the MOAB. So this mean that Uncle Sam will monetize the difference. They’ll just create the needed “dollars” out of thin air. This will be outrageously inflationary, at all levels.

[More deleted, for brevity.]

All of these macro-level implications might seem fairly abstract, so let me put them in real world terms and take the risk of extrapolating on some trends that I’ve observed: There will be a recession, and it will be deep, and long-lasting. A recession will mean that there will be some big corporate layoffs. Be ready. There will be bank runs and banking “holidays”. Be ready. There will be huge flows of “bailout” funds that will effectively nationalize many industries. Be ready. There will probably be a stock market collapse. Be ready. There will be a further collapse in residential real estate that will make the recent declines seem small, by comparison. Be ready. Credit delinquencies and foreclosures (on car loans, home loans, credit card bills, etc.) will dramatically increase. Be ready. There will be a collapse of the commercial real estate market. Be ready. Even though the credit available for IPOs and private mergers and acquisitions has dried up, there will be news of some large and seemingly inexplicable acquisitions in the near future, all sanctioned by and in some cases, underwritten by, and even funded by, the Federal government. Be ready. There will be shortages of key commodities including fuel and food. Be ready. Strapped for cash, America’s highway, rail, water, sewer, telecommunications, and power infrastructures will degenerate. Be ready. There will be mass inflation of the US Dollar that will devalue any dollar denominated investments. Be ready.

And now, to further extrapolate, (with a lower level of confidence): All of the aforementioned economic dislocation and surging inflation might trigger mass protests, riots, looting, and arson in the cities. Be ready. There may then be massive out-migration from the cities. Be ready. Wars have been known to follow close on the heels of depressions and financial crises, so there may be a war, possibly big enough to require another draft. Be ready.

As I’ve written many times before, the real lynchpin to worry about is the power grid. If the grid goes down, then all bets are off. Be vigilant, be well-stocked with a deep larder, and be self-sufficient. Store extra for charity. If you can afford to, establish a survival retreat in a lightly-populated region, and if possible, live there year-round.

I still stand by those recommendations. The time to get ready was yesterday.

Letter Re: An Expedient Toilet Flushing Method for Grid-Down Situations

Salutations,
[In a recent letter to SurvivalBlog,] Jeff in Ohio mentioned filling the toilet tank with water in order to flush it, however, this is not necessary. You can flush by pouring about a gallon directly into the bowl. (Don’t dribble it in, but also don’t get carried away and slosh it in at once . . . unless you really want to use more water to mop the floor.) I learned this from my military service in Okinawa in the late 70s where we had water rationing with running water only every other day. On water days we filled 55-gallon drums with water and then used one-gallon coffee cans to flush the rest of the time. (If you live in an area that tends to lose power, you do fill your bathtubs with water prior to storm onsets, right?)

Give it a try today, for the sake of familiarity. There’s nothing like indoor plumbing, until you lose it. – Home’s Cool Mom

Letter Re: Finding a Mineshaft or a Gemeinschaft

JWR
I think that your “Mineshaft or a Gemeinschaft” article was especially true and timely. However, there are some problems [with living in a community]. Even given how imminent I personally fear financial Armageddon is, there is still time that it might be a nuclear event or a disease pandemic, etc., all of which demand slightly different responses. There is no possible way one or even five individuals can be totally self-sufficient. Even the hermits come out once a year or so to trade for things like salt or ammo, or whatever. Personally, I think a small community of up to 300 varied skills, pooling their resources and pulling together towards a common goal, is ideal. Still small enough that everyone knows everyone else, and has their own estimate of the reliability of every other person, so a community can be totally and realistically democratic.

However, I do think that the more remote the better, and the less known publicly about it the better. In my studies of the downfall of empires, it is clear that officialdom is the greatest thief of all. Anything they can find, either through records or investigation is subject to their attention. In my own case, no one, even me, knows where I will land. (Although I do have a variety of potential areas in mind.) In terms of being found, all are very remote. Your comment about a road or trail being a roadmap to your retreat is very accurate. I am having a problem directing attention away from my trail in for moving in equipment and supplies. Given my bush experience, if I get a few weeks before someone comes looking, I think I can cover that base using game trails. Satellite [image]s are definitely a problem. But hopefully, a little smudge that is difficult to get to will either not be noticed, or deemed not worth the effort. Hopefully, during the first year, there won’t be even much of a footprint.

My greater fear is that if someone knows I am preparing, and where, then the story is sure to be embellished, and suddenly I become a worthwhile target. If I have the very basics underway, surely people (who have survived) will see the benefits and be anxious to join. My theory is that most people will stick to the roads in the early stages at least. I intend to be remote and difficult to get to, and I hope to look like something else, not worth bothering about.

The few [that find us] that are experienced woodsmen will likely be great community member. Otherwise, I can hand pick my community members before they even know they are being considered, or any other details or hints. By that time, if my assessment of the civil distress to come is somewhere near target, I am sure that the survivors will have the most crucial element of being good community members, [namely that] they are survivors, not theorists. They will likely have some other warts that are difficult to deal with, but a common interest will hopefully smooth that path somewhat.

I do have many problems with my scenario and plans, but depending on the start date, I think the first 18 months will be the worst. If I/we survive that length of time, we will probably survive much longer. – Allen C.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Nanny State Britannia run amok: YouTube bans knife and gun videos in England. I suppose that this ban will also include instructional and safety videos, but worry not: They tell us that it is all for the public good! (Tut, tut! We mustn’t “glamorise!”) OBTW, I think that using a third party web browsing portal such as Anonymizer will probably remove any do-gooder impediments. (And, BTW, it is wise for everyone to use  Anonymizer, just on general principle, to prevent leaving an audit trail of your web browsing. Think OPSEC!)

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From Cheryl, our Economic Editor: Bush, Congress Working on $700 Billion Bailout — 12th Bank Failure of the Year (AmeriBank Inc.) — Paulson Commits Trillions of Dollars to the MOAB (“The global mass exodus from the U.S. dollar and Treasury debt is about to begin: Do not get caught in the stampede.”) — US Gov’t Disaster Fix-it Plan Send Stock Markets Soaring — US Economy Stares Into The Abyss — Money Market Accounts Shaken (“This week, shareholders pulled more than 60 percent of the assets from Reserve Primary Fund, which on Wednesday became the first money-market fund in 14 years to expose investors to losses.”) — GM Tapping Remainder $3.5 Billion Credit Line (“Everyone is running to cash, hoarding it, and we’re not out of the woods yet,” Mikelic said. “There’s a little less pressure with the government stepping in. But the government needs to keep printing money, printing securities, even if there is negative yield.”)

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I spotted this linked at Drudge: Almost Armageddon: Markets Were 500 Trades From A Meltdown. The $1.00 Net Asset Value (NAV) barrier for money market funds is practically sacrosanct. The Fed has promised to continue to step in whenever a $1.00 NAV is in danger. But given the sheer scale of money market investing, I wonder how long that this can go on. I therefore urge SurvivalBlog readers to divest from any uninsured money market accounts, ASAP. Reinvest those funds in tangibles and perhaps some Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS). Most other US Treasury paper is risky, since US Dollar inflation is very likely to accelerate radically in the next few years, threatening the real value of any investment that is denominated in dollars.

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Several readers mentioned this Politico piece by Mike Allen: Foreign banks may get help. I must ask: How big can the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) get if it also includes foreign entities?

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“I didn’t know how long we’d have together… Who does?” – Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, in Blade Runner (1982). Screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick

Finding a Mineshaft or a Gemeinschaft

I’ve observed that survivalists tend to fall into two schools of thought: those that are loners and those that are community-minded. The loners would prefer to disappear into the wilds and essentially find a mineshaft to crawl into–somewhere they can lay low, whilst things sort themselves out, back in civilization. That is both a naive and selfish starting point for preparedness. Short of moving to the roadless interior of Alaska, it is not realistic to expect that you can find a remote rural property where you’d have no contact with outsiders for an extended period of time. We live in the era of Google Earth, where there few truly secret hideaways. I recently read that Mel Gibson couldn’t buy total privacy. Even if you live off-grid, if there is a road leading to your house, eventually someone will find you.

I have only seen a handful properties in the lower 48 States that I consider truly isolated. One of them was a ranch in the Basin and Range country, about 50 miles out Lovelock, Nevada. (It was actually 15 miles east of the tiny hamlet of Unionville, Nevada, (which is a 37 mile drive out of Lovelock) but I doubt that many people have heard of it). This was a 200 acre parcel that I evaluated as a potential retreat purchase for one of my consulting clients. (Note: I can describe it here, because the client eventually selected a different ranch in another county.) The road leading into the property traversed a dry lake bed, then went through a full section BLM land on a very dusty lame excuse for a road. Then, as the road started up into the hills it would appear to a casual observer to just become a rocky trail. But in fact it was in fact drivable in a 4WD vehicle, and the condition of the road actually improved, farther up the canyon. The upper end of the property had a surprising number of trees (including some pretty cottonwoods) and a large creek. But that property was a genuine rarity. There, if they were careful about noise and light discipline, someone could conceivably build a retreat and have it go entirely un-noticed indefinitely for anyone approaching by road. (And, BTW, it would have been a terribly long way to drive into town, especially in these days of high gas prices.) But even with a retreat that is out of line of sight from any road, it would still still be visible from the air, and from Google Earth. There is no such thing as total privacy.

I can safely say that 99% of SurvivalBlog readers will never own a truly remote retreat. For the rest of us, we will be on a recognizable road, and we will have neighbors. And we will have the occasional Jehovah’s Witnesses come wandering by to hand us copies of The Watchtower and extol their bad doctrine. Resign yourself to that fact. Having neighbors generally necessitates being neighborly. More about that, follows.

The German word for community is Gemeinschaft. This word describes both a community of people and their collective will. From the perspective of disaster preparedness, one of the positive aspects of community-mindedness is what the Germans call Kampfgeist (fighting spirit), or what the Boers call laager spirit. I’ve alluded to this before in SurvivalBlog, as a component of the “We/They Paradigm.” The downside of this is the risk of developing xenophobia and racial bigotry–which I, along with most SurvivalBlog readers, abhor. But the desirable side of Kampfgeist is that unifies a community in defending itself against outside foes. Kampfgeist is most often seen in small communities, but on rare occasions it can even be seen on the scale of a metropolis, where every able-bodied citizen pitched in. This was best illustrated in the defense of Stalingrad, in World War II. The city was defended by a large portion of the local Russian citizenry. (There, there were some phenomenal manifestations of Kampfgeist. The one there that comes immediately to mind is the perhaps apocryphal creation of propagandists: As the German army advanced on the city, the employees of the local tank factory personally manned and went into battle with the very last T-34 tanks that came off the assembly line.

I have long been an advocate of setting up small covenant communities, inhabited by like-minded people. Consider my vote for Gemeinschaft, not a mineshaft. The “mineshaft” is essentially a myth. I’ll have more comments on covenant communities in an upcoming article.

Letter Re: Comments on the 2008 Financial Collapse and the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB)

Hi Jim,
This [current economic news] is nauseating. Now, not only are we in the insurance business, but we the taxpayer are going to be forced to purchase all of the bad and recklessly created debt generated over the last eight years. We know it’s bad, it’s even been called “toxic debt”. We’re not going to be given a choice on whether or not we want to purchase it. It’s being purchased in our name and we have no say about it. I can think of no better definition of socialism.

If this is not the end of the world as we know it, it certainly is the end of our once great country as we knew it.

Seeing all of the pundits saying that this is a wonderful idea, I am reminded of a quote from Star Wars III, Revenge of the Sith, when Padmé Amidala says, “So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.” Regards, – Rod

Letter Re: Preparedness Advice for the Parents of a Newborn Infant

Mr. & Mrs. Rawles,
I hope you and the family are doing well. I have been reading your blog for over a year now and it has been quite helpful. We are making our way slowly in our preps but now I have a new issue. My wife has blessed our home with a child. We had been trying for 12 years with no luck, I guess God decided it was time! My daughter is now two weeks old and with all the excitement I hadn’t put any thought into preps for a new born. Maybe the Memsahib could give me some direction. Thanks so much for what you do! Also I’m a 10 cent challenge subscriber and it’s time for me to renew. I’ll be getting that done soon! – Jason in Missouri

The Memsahib Replies: Congratulations! The most important thing is that your wife breast feeds your baby! I hope that she is doing so. The first week or so is the hardest. If she is having difficulties do let her know it will get better. The La Leche League is the best resource for help with breast feeding difficulties.

If you hope God will bless you with more babies, you ought to be prepared! You can order home birth childbirth kits from a number of vendors in the US, and in the UK.

Your biggest concern will be diapers. Depending on circumstances (availability of spring or well water and grid, generator, or photovoltaic power to run a washing machine) you will have to decide between cloth diapers or disposable diapers. When I nursed my newborns, I often changed diapers more than 10 times per day, to prevent diaper rash! (My family has fair, sensitive skin.) Untreated, diaper rash can lead to serious infections. Proper hygiene is crucial.) Choose you diapering method and then stock up, in quantity!

The very most useful items in my experience are:

For childbirth:

Sterilized cord clamp

Betadine solution

A bulb syringe

Bed liners (like those made for the disabled, available at medical supply houses)

For your newborn:

Plan on breast feeding, but as a back up consider stocking up on canned infant formula

Lanolin cream for your nursing wife

Petroleum jelly ad zinc ointment as diaper rash preventatives

Diapers and diaper covers,

Multiple”onesees”, sleepers, or saque gowns would be a real blessing. They can be found at yard sales for maybe 25 cents per outfit.or less if you don’t care about stains. As you have already discovered babies spit up a lot and diapers leak. In a post-TEOTWAWKI world, when washing and drying baby clothes won’t be so easy, then having multiple changes in every size would make daily life easier.

I also would never be without a front pack infant carrier.

I’d appreciate other SurvivalBlog readers chiming in (via e-mail) with childbirth and infant care suggestions, including recommend brand names of useful products.

I should also mention that I highly recommend the childbirth book “Heart and Hands“. And, although not from a Christian perspective (It has Hippie/Flower Child perspective!), the book “Spiritual Midwifery” presents childbirth as a natural process–not just as a medical condition.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From the folks over at The Oil Drum: How Much Will Gustav and Ike Affect Gas Supplies? An Update

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More on the MOAB, from The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Bailout Plan Calms Markets, But Struggle Looms Over Details

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Another slug of cheer from SurvivalBlog’s Economic Editor: Stocks Soar As Investors Look To Gov’t Rescue Plan — Current List of Failed Banks (another bank failure was announced on Friday) — Wall Street Dumps Mortgage Corruption on Taxpayers — New Wall Street Crisis Will Create a New Financial World Order — Forecast: US Dollar Could Plunge 90%.

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Kevin A,. recommended this piece of commentary from Charles Hugh Smith: Restoring the Con in Confidence

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Mr. President, we must not allow a mineshaft gap!” – George C. Scott as Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson , in Dr. Strangelove, 1964. (Screenplay by by Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern and Peter George.)

Letter Re: Anticipating Another Federal Ban on Semi-Auto Rifles and Full Capacity Magazines

Hello Mr. Rawles,
I am assuming that no matter who wins the presidency, we are probably looking at the next assault weapons ban in about a year (if TEOTWAWKI doesn’t happen first). I don’t recall exactly what the effect of the last ban was on pre-ban guns, but I assume the prices of pre-ban AR-15s rose dramatically? If that is the case, would it be wise to purchase several AR-15 lower receivers now, with the possibility of selling them at a profit after the ban is in place (since they will then be pre-ban)? The relatively low price of a stripped AR-15 lower [receiver] [around $120, or less, in quantity] seems to offer an interesting opportunity, since I could buy 10 lowers for only $1,000, and I’m assuming this is the part that would really increase in value.

I already have a number of ARs and other guns for personal use, so I’m considering this mainly as a potential investment.

Also, as a side note, what is your opinion in investing in foreign currency? In particular, I see Everbank has a CD which lets you purchase Australian, New Zealand, South African, and Canadian dollars (currencies dependant on commodities). Obviously such an investment would be useless after a complete collapse… but if we just had severe inflation?

I’ve been prepping for survival situations for a while now, just recently started thinking about these other scenarios as well (extreme inflation, etc). Thanks, – Dylan

JWR Replies: When the US Congress passed the so-called “assault weapon” ban (circa 1994-to-2004), the BATF came out with an edict that stripped receivers that had been made before the ban, but that were assembled into completed rifles after the ban would not be legal build in a pre-ban configuration. So that nixes your low-cost “hedging on potential legislation” investment idea. If you are worried about a Democrat in the White House and the advent of a new ban, then I think that investing in full capacity magazines is a far better investment. You will probably triple or quadruple your money. See this piece in the SurvivalBlog archives for my detailed recommendations: The Falling Dollar–Sheltering Your Assets in Steel and Alloy Tangibles.

As for foreign currencies, since virtually all national currencies are now issued by fiat (un-backed by metallic specie), they are all doomed to inflation. The only question is, which currencies will suffer the least from inflation? With that in mind, I can only reiterate my long-standing recommendation: tangibles, tangibles, tangibles. Buy your practical tangibles first (such as productive farm land, common caliber ammunition, and full capacity magazines), and then, as your budget permits, follow that up with some barterable precious metals (such as pre-1965 US “junk” silver coinage). And if you are wealthy, then move on to buying gold bullion, such as Krugerrands, Canadian Maple Leafs, or American Eagles.