Letter Re: Deep Apprehension About Dangers in the Near Future

Mr. Rawles:
I, as well as possibly tens of thousands of my fellow Americans, are extremely fearful that the United States Government is slowly becoming like the former Soviet Union and that the day will come when the citizenry is in serious trouble. I continue to prepare as best I can for my family in the event it all comes crashing down but I cannot see where I will prevail long against American soldiers, police, and gangs that might try to harm me and my family. I am further afraid because I do not know Jesus Christ as my Savior and it seems that I cannot find a way in which to communicate with Him. Just know that there are those of us who look up to you for advice and comfort and please keep up the fine work that you do on our behalf. Respectfully, – John B. in Colorado

JWR Replies: The wonderful thing about Christ’s love is that there is no intermediary required. He knows all of his elect by name. Salvation is yours, if you merely ask for it. Just open you heart in prayer. Ask first for His forgiveness, recognize Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. That is salvation in a nutshell. Once saved, ask for guidance, providence, and protection.

Please don’t look to me as an authority for any advice on truly big survival issues. I just know a few little nuts and bolts on preparedness. The big, substantive issues are all matters for prayer. Trust in God to put you in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. To start, I can offer a couple of pieces of encouragement, found in scripture: In the New Testament, see Philippians 4:13, and in the Old Testament, see: Psalm 91. My recommended initial reading for anyone not familiar with the Bible is the book of John. All things are possible, through Christ, who gives us strength!

Economics and Investing:

Reader HPD recommended this: Why the U.S. Government Should be Cut Off Like a Subprime Borrower

HPD also sent this bit of news, which comes as no great surprise: AIG Breakup Likely.

Al H. said that he liked this Business Week interview: Jim Rogers Doesn’t Mince Words About the Crisis

Items from The Economatrix:

Fear of Global Depression Up as US Reveals True Extent of Decline

Fresh Evidence Points to Paralysis of Global Economy 750,000 jobs were lost in US in February, worse to come

Iran Threatened with Economic Meltdown

Buffett: Economy Will Be in Shambles in 2009

Wall Street Slumps to Six Months of Losses

California’s Jobless Rate Soars to 10.1%

Violence Between Repo Men and Owners Rising

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Bill N. asks: “Did you ever wonder what those markings spray-painted on doors by FEMA in New Orleans meant?” This PDF shows the codes.

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BRB and Jim E. both mentioned a design for a ram (water-powered) water pump, over at the Instructables site.

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Reader FS had this comment on the Obama administration’s call to renew the 1994 gun and magazine ban: “So let’s see if I understand this. Because Mexico can’t keep it together, American’s must disarm. If anything, having a violent and unstable neighbor is reason for our citizens to have more weapons, not less. Did you notice the association being made between grenades, machineguns and our semi-auto rifles? Their propaganda is getting rather transparent.”

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One bit of good news is that the Democrat leadership in both the Senate and House don’t yet sound ready to reinstate the 1994 Federal Ban. My gut tells me that they will just wait until the next time some kid on Ritalin “goes postal.” .God willing, gun and magazine makers a few more months of production to catch up on their order backlogs. Speaking of which: Sturm Ruger reports that they have built a $48 million order backlog. Some other backlog updates, at last report (some of these figures may be OBE): Rock River Arms: 12+ weeks on lower receivers and “much longer” for complete rifles, CMMG: 15+ weeks. Stag Arms: 20-to-25 weeks. Bushmaster: 16 weeks “and growing”. The lists goes on and on. The key question: Can you find what you need to round-out your firearms battery before a new ban is enacted? My advice: Be willing to drive to long distances and dedicate some weekend to attend gun shows in your state. Bring plenty of greenbacks. (Buy “private party”, if possible in your state!) Oh yes, and be sure to get plenty of spare top-quality magazines. If there is a ban, 11+ round magazines will become scarce and very expensive in the US.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." – 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

I recently updated the web page for my novel “Patriots“, with information on the new edition that will be released in April. The old edition from XLibris just went out of print.

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Today we present another entry for Round 21 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: 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.

Did the American Indians Have it Right?, by MMJ

In these trying times when civilizations are at the brink of disaster and many people are already in personal collapse, we should look back through history to find out how to salvage what we have and how to survive what is to come. [Minor rant snipped.] It seems that economic collapse is imminent and that at some point in the near future it is going to be every man for himself. As we watch countries collapse, global economies fail and people across the world starve and die, I ask myself has any culture or civilization in history gotten it right?

The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle led by the American Indians may be the way that many in the future may need to survive. The thought of a survival retreat is nice, but what if a toxic gas cloud is coming your way? Or a band of starving armed men and women discover your location and decide that you have what they want? Are you equipped for a small arms battle? Lets face it, most of us are not. Many of us still need to live in an urban environment to make a living (while we still have the need) and having a stocked retreat is just not feasible. When the sh*t hits the fan you have to ask yourself, will you have enough time or even be able to get to your survival retreat? For most of us the answer is simply no. So how can we prepare for the impending collapse that most certainly awaits all of us? Thinking like an Indian may be the answer to your concerns. Mobility can be the key to survival. Having a plan of escape for several different scenarios and banding together with other like-minded people and loved ones who have also planned ahead to deal with the inevitable collapse of our society. Going where you can survive for short periods of time comfortably and being able to use the natural resources available to you wherever you may end up, can be the answer to survival for you and your loved ones.

The Indians moved with the food, with the climate in small tribes, which was best suited to their survival. They learned to use what was provided by nature to live, wild edibles and medicinal uses of plants, as well as some amount of farming and of course hunting. But they also learned to take only what they needed so that when they were to return they would have what they needed again. This is a lesson that most of us in modern society have long since forgotten. We have for so long here in America lived the life of gluttony (which has probably led to collapse of more societies than we realize) that when the end comes most of us will not know what to do or how to survive, which will not end pleasantly for those of us stuck in the urban areas. Those of us who plan ahead and have the ability to survive on the go while getting out of the way of the sh*t storm that will be left behind in most urban areas after the end comes. We will be the ones that will thrive in the face of adversity. We will be the ones left to create a better way–a way that works.

As I contemplate the future happenings I know with utmost certainty that the plan that I have derived will keep my loved ones and me safe and out of harm’s way. For I have thought and planned like an Indian would, made preparations to survive on the go with a minimal amount of supplies but with the knowledge required to get what I need from what nature has to offer. But you may ask what if nature is damaged beyond repair, then how will you survive? Well my answer is simple, at that point nobody will survive and mankind will cease to exist. A gloomy thought but still one worthy of contemplation.

The reality is there is no right or wrong answer or single philosophy that is the definite end all to be all correct way to do it for any situation. Survival is fluid and every situation has to be dealt with accordingly. Creativity as well as preparation will see you through. Remember that nature taught the Indians how to survive, they didn’t have books, schools, survival manuals or hospitals etc… and they did just fine until the European man came with their gluttony and took from them what was theirs, to exploit it for their gain and greed.

As I end my letter, I leave you with this:
“Prepare yourself with the knowledge that you hope you never have to use, and you and yours will be just fine.” – MMJ

JWR Adds: I will append MMJ’s article with the caveat that based on studies of skeletal remains, the average life expectancy for pre-Columbian Native Americans was only 18.6 years. That was before white men brought with them European diseases. As Hobbes put it so succinctly: “…the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” A pampered sedentary lifestyle may be bad for one’s cholesterol numbers, but a hunter-gatherer nomadic lifestyles is no picnic.

At this juncture, for the sake of balance I’ll also re-post something that I originally posted to SurvivalBlog back in September of 2005:

You should discard any fantasies that you might have had about strapping on a backpack and disappearing into nearby National Forest to “live off the land.” IMHO, that is an invitation to disaster. Too many things can go wrong: You will lack sufficient shelter. You will not be able to carry enough food reserves. Your one rifle and your one pistol, and your one axe, once lost or broken will leave you vulnerable and unable to provide for your sustenance or self defense. Any illness or injury could be life threatening. Even just a dunking in a stream in mid-winter could cost you your life. Also, consider how many thousands of urbanites will probably try to do the same thing. Even if you manage to avoid encounters with them, those legions of people foraging simultaneously will quickly deplete the available wild game in many regions. Furthermore, on your own you won’t be able to maintain sufficient security. (You must sleep, after all!) For countless reasons, playing “Batman in the Boondocks” just won’t work. So forget about the “one pack” solution, other than as a last resort–for example, in the event that your retreat is overrun.

Any of you that do not live at your intended retreat location year round should have a “Get out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) pack ready at all times. Keep it in the trunk of your car in case circumstances force you to hike all or part of the way to your retreat. (A sub-optimal situation, as described in my novel “Patriots”.) Be sure to inspect your G.O.O.D. pack regularly and rotate any first aid supplies, chemical light sticks, jerky, dried fruit, or other perishables.

While MMJ’s planned approach of traveling in a group is preferable to a solo “Batman in the Boondocks”, I still have my doubts about its viability, especially in harsh climates.

Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I have been reading your site for almost a year now and am grateful for your advise. I’ve read both Patriots and Retreats. Currently, I live in suburban Detroit and am looking for a farm out in the country. I’m good on food and many other items, but question my weapons battery. BTW, both my wife and I have attended the excellent training at Front Sight. Currently I have three handguns: an XDM-40 with four mags, Steyr M40 with four mags and a Taurus PT92 9mm with two mags. My long guns include two short-barrel 12 gauge shotguns with one having a dedicated light, one DPMS {AR-15 clone] .223 with dedicated light and Trijicon ACOG 4×32 scope, one DPMS .308 AR-10, and one Ruger 10/22. Crossbows are on my wish list. I have between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds of ammo for each weapon. I want to buy more ammo as well as reloading equipment and supplies.

I want to buy a scope for the 308 and decided on a Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm scope. My concern is night vision. Do I get a dedicated night vision scope for the .308 and forget the Leupold, or a stand alone [hand-held] night vision glass? What good is it to see with night vision, if I can’t see it thru the scope to shoot? I don’t think I’ll need night vision in my subdivision, until I purchase the farm, but think I should get it now well it is still available. Of course my budget and lovely bride will only go for so much. Can you please advise?

Thanks so much, – RP

JWR Replies: Assuming that it is equipped with a flash hider, you should set up your AR-10 with an AN-PVS-4 Starlight scope, as your dedicated night-fighting rifle. With a throw-lever scope mount and a flip-up back-up iron sights (BUIS), you can quickly detach the Starlight scope and use the AR-10 for daylight shooting. (But of course be sure to do some target shooting tests to insure that the scope has correct “return to zero”, when re-mounted. Be patient and plan to buy bolt action .308 (such as a Savage Model 10) for daylight long range shooting. (That is where the Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm scope that you mentioned would be most appropriate.)

And BTW, buy more magazines! With a renewed Federal ban now looming, you should acquire at least six spare mags for each handgun, and at least eight spares for each battle rifle. Buy them now, while they are still affordable. Full capacity magazine prices are likely to triple or quadruple if the Federal AWB is renewed.

Hi James,
I’ve been reading your blog for the last two years. Let me just tell you that you’ve been an inspiration to my family and my friends. We have recently acquired a country property here in Canada and are in the process of building our retreat.

One thing that I have completely ignored, was the need for night vision equipment. In the country, in remote locations, or when the grid goes down, it is almost completely dark at night. I mean you cannot see two feet in front of you.

I’ve been researching what is the best night vision equipment to use for patrolling, security and combat. I think I’m going with Gen2 goggles, but there is this one product called SuperVision by company called Xenonics. But I’m not sure how it works and whether it is suitable for retreat defense.

Looking at different night vision products, my question to you is: What is the best option for avoiding night vision device (NVD) detection [by an opponent that has their own night vision gear]?

The IR beams that some equipment generates or IR gun sights will be visible to someone using passive NVD, right? I’m just thinking that the best night vision equipment will be the one that has no signature, or are all NVDs visible to other NVDs?

Another problem I see is that most firearms leave flash signature. Does the Vortex [flash hider] eliminate the flash completely? I think defending your retreat at night is a completely new ball game, there are many things that most of your readers might not be aware of or experimented with. I think NVDs are a must, just like the firearms. Without a good night vision equipment you cannot defend your retreat at night unless you get a good illumination from the moon. Thanks, – Peter

JWR Replies: Let me begin by stating forthrightly that the claims of the makers of Supervision are more marketing hype than substance. They do not perform well out in the boonies where there is not much ambient light. Instead, go for mil-spec Gen 2 night vision gear, or better yet Gen 3 if you can afford it.

Vortex type flash hiders reduce muzzle flash by about 90%. This video clip shows the dramatic difference of a rifle with and without a flash hider. (Can you see why I’ve had the muzzles threaded on all my bolt action centerfire rifles?)

For versatility, I prefer weapon-mounted scopes that can be detached for use as hand-held monoculars.Make this your first purchase. If you have a big budget, then you can go on to buy goggles, but get your weapon sight first.

You also asked about opponents equipped with vision gear being able to detect you. In brief: If you use active IR devices (illuminators or lasers), they can definitely be seen! But it is important to note that even “passive” night vision gear casts a back-light. (This is the light of the image that you are seeing being cast on your face.) Through another NVD this looks like a bright flashlight! For this reason, I discourage SurvivalBlog readers from buying any night vision scope that does not have a baffled (“flap”) eyecup type eyeguard. (The baffle only opens when you have the scope pressed up against your eye, minimizing back-lighting.) This fault is common with nearly all of the commercial night vision gear on the market. (But some of these scopes can be retrofitted with mil-spec eyeguards.)

My recommended suppliers for Starlight weapon sights and goggles are JRH Enterprises and Ready Made Resources. For full mil-spec units as well as spare intensifier tubes, talk to STANO Components.

Three Letters Re: The Feeding Frenzy Continues–Gun Store Shelves are Depleted

JWR:
I saw the article on how Cabela’s shares surged based on gun sales. Let me tell you, we are in the midst of a feeding frenzy here in Colorado.

First, its not just guns, its all of the accessories as well. I had to return some items from Christmas to Sportsman’s Warehouse and found that the whole gun department was basically empty. They only had some black powder firearms and a couple of shotguns. Nothing else. I had run into this before Christmas when I bought my two oldest boys new elk rifles – and got the last .308 bolt action and the last .30-06 bolt action to be had. But I figured after Christmas things would be better. Well, they are not. So unless you shoot something odd like a .22-250 forget getting ammunition right now let alone a gun. And the cleaning kits were sold out as well. And holsters, ammo belts – you name it and if it was shooting related it was gone.

Now in my wanderings in the store I also found that communications gear is also disappearing off the shelves. I had a brief conversation with the kid that was working there and it turns out that this is another trend they are seeing. Basically all of the walkie-talkie units that can take ear buds or microphones are gone. The only things left are some cheap FRS units. The same thing was at work with the flashlights – all of the better units (like the Surefire models) were gone. I begin to wonder what is at work here – am I being paranoid or is this the next run on “near tactical” equipment?

Now I shoot as much as I can when I am in country so I go through a lot of reloading supplies and bulk ammunition. I have been told by some of the national dealers that I buy from (in bulk lots of 10 cases per caliber per order) that they are almost all sold out as well. One sales person related to me that they had run through over 10,000 cases of .223 that week alone and could not keep any in stock. Common calibers are gone – 9mm, .45 ACP, .38/.357, .223, .308, 7.62×39 – and less common ones such as the .40 are hard to get. So unless you happen to be shooting something that is very uncommon, keep your eyes open. I did however with a week of scrounging manage to come up with one box of 7.62 match grade ammo – the 175 grain M118 loading. Fortunately my long range precision gun likes this ammo so I bought it.

This is one trend that if you were not way out in front and loading up on ammunition, guns, and accessories, you would not be able to catch up now. – Hugh D.

Hi Jim,
FYI, just got done shopping at Midway [for ammunition handloading components] and all of the .308 150 grain soft nosed bullets priced at $25.00/100 and under are gone. All gone! This includes all round nose and flat point for 30-30. Only some of the premium stuff is available. The next best deal is a Lapua 150 grain at $42.00/100. Guess I’ll have to top off with the only decent spitzer, a 125 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter at $22/100 if I can’t find 150 grainers elsewhere. I suppose these can be reliable through a[n M1] Garand and are certainly adequate for deer. I’ve also shopped all over for loaded 9mm Luger JHP and it’s all gone as well. Yes I shoulda got the XD-.45 instead, yet common ammunition that can be shared with the rest of the family and in case the gun fails the ammo would not be wasted. I have plenty, but more would be nice. The same can be said for the cheap 7.62×39 and M2 ball (.30-06). All gone, everywhere. There does appear to be some 7.62 NATO out there.

Cabela’s seems to have a fair selection of all .308 spire point bullets and 9mm/.45ACP JHP, and a very limited amount (500 rounds) of the cheap 7.62×39, and limited quantities of .223 and .308.

The run on ammunition continues and is amazing. A report from the latest gun show in our area described [buyers with] dollies stacked with cases that emptied the place within three hours. What is the most shocking is that reloading components are also disappearing. – E.L.

Jim:

News of the [U.S.]Attorney General asking for renewal of the Assault Weapons ban (on behalf of Obama) went out across the Internet last night [Wednesday, Feb. 25th.] Here was the result I saw: There was a line of about eight guys in front of my local gun shop this morning, waiting for the doors to open. This was at 9 a.m. on a Thursday morning, mind you. I was one of them. Most of the guys looked to be in their 30s and 40s–so we were taking time away from work to be there. (In my case, it was a “dental emergency”. Obama has me grinding my teeth at night!) We got in the door, and I immediately saw there wasn’t much left on the shelves–mostly just pump [shot]guns and bolt-action [rifle]s. There were just two centerfire semi[automatic]s in the rack: some POS no-name AK that looked like it was built from a beater parts kit, and one of those woosie S&W AR[-15] clones with no flash hider on but with the Mossy-Breakup camouflage paint job. Those both sold in the first few minutes. The owner said that he doesn’t expect [to receive] any more black guns for three or four months!

One thing you definitely had nailed: They did not have a single high-cap magazine left in the store, except the one that came in the mag well of the AK I mentioned.

I cleaned out the last of their .45 and .308 ammo–just a few boxes. There was not a round of 9mm, .223, of 7.62 [x39mm] Russian to be found. Those was some slim pickin’s! I wonder: What will they have left by Saturday night? – Ray H. in Virginia

Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this: Silver outshines gold for investors. “Sales of silver American Eagle coins have reached just over four million ounces so far in 2009, almost double the rate of last year, when sales reached 19.6 million ounces for the full year.”

Pat M. forwarded this Reuters news video: Hard Times Push Brits to Bartering

Frequent contributor Bill N. recommended this commentary by Paul Craig Roberts: How the US Economy Was Lost.

Items from The Economatrix:

Watch Now as Pension Funds Get Vaporized

Ron Paul: This is an End of an Era…We Can’t Reinflate the Bubble

Boomers: 30% Underwater

Weak Health Care Stocks Drag Market Lower

Economy Shrinks 6.2%, Worst in Quarter Century

Citigroup Reaches Aid Deal with Government

Moody’s Predicts Defaults Will Exceed Great Depression Peaks

GM Crisis Talks After $31B Loss

60,000 Jobs Face Axe at RBS and Lloyds

Future is “Bleak” Warns German Ex-Vice Chancellor “Modern capitalism is based on a global Ponzi scheme.”

Confidence Falls in Eurozone as Economy Fears Grow

Banks Vacate Towers Pushing NYC Empty Commercial Space

Treasuries Fall for Third Day on Spending Concerns

$1 Trillion in Taxes is H*ll To Pay

Arsonists Torch Porsches, BMWs on Economic Woes

Recession, Bailout, Stimulus: US Security Threats?

FDIC: Number of Troubled Banks Up 47%

Elderly Emerge as New Class of Workers…and Jobless

California’s Newly Poor Push Social Services to the Brink

Odds ‘n Sods:

CIA and Pentagon Wonder: Could Mexico Implode? (A hat tip to Darin B. for the link.)

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MP sent this: Recipes from The Great Depression.

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Cheryl sent this: EMP Attack: Overlooked Catastrophe

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Mrs. G. in Montana found a site that he thought would be of interest to the ladies: The Homemaker’s Mentor. She notes: “I was looking for directions for dehydrating eggs and found a forum for a group of women who are striving for prepare for their families. Oh and speaking of the distaff viewpoint, also check out Betsy’s writings over at Survival Lady.

Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $710. This auction is for a large mixed lot, which includes::

1.) Another “be ready to barter” box of 38 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 4 – Used original East German 30 rd. steel AK-47 magazines in a “raindrop” camouflage pattern belt pouch, 12 – Excellent-to-new condition original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 – Well-used but serviceable condition original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines with cartridge counter holes, 10 – Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, and 6 – Excellent to new condition original (Norwegian contract) Glock Model 17 9mm 17 round pistol magazines (early type, with “U” notch). All of these magazines are of pre-1994 manufacture (and hence legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $700, in today’s market. 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.

2.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com

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

4.) Five cases (200 pairs) of AMMEX Heatworks chemical hand warmers (a $182.50 value), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com

5.) A Brunton Solarport 4 (4.4 Watt) compact photovoltaic power panel and 6/12 VDC power adaptor set, including as USB power port. This is a $120 retail value, courtesy of Ready Made Resources.

6.) A Pelican Model 1400 waterproof case in olive drab, ideal for pistols, Starlight scopes, or communications gear. This is a $95 retail value, courtesy of Scorpion Survival.

7.) A Non-Hybrid Garden Security Collection, Garden Bean Collection, and your choice of a pint of fertile grains (Hull-less Oats, Spelt, or Winter Rye), a $50 + retail value, courtesy of Seed For Security.

Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,600. This auction ends on March 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot.

Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression – Part 2: Developing a Home-Based Business

Yesterday, in Part1, I discussed the “safe” and counter-cyclical occupations for the unfolding economic depression. Today, I’d like to talk about one specific approach: self-employment with a home-based business.

I posted most the following back in late 2005, but there are some important points that are worth repeating:

The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: “…but I’m not self-employed. I can’t afford to live in the country because I can’t find work there, and the nature of my work doesn’t allow telecommuting.” They feel stuck.

Over the years I’ve seen lots of people “pull the plug” and move to the boonies with the hope that they’ll find local work once they get there. That usually doesn’t work. Folks soon find that the most rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often informally reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from the big city certainly don’t have hiring priority!)

My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a home-based business. Once you have that business started, then start another one. There are numerous advantages to this approach, namely:

You can get out of debt

You can generally build the businesses up gradually, so that you don’t need to quit your current occupation immediately

By working at home you will have the time to home school your children and they will learn about how to operate a business.

You can live at your retreat full time. This will contribute to your self-sufficiency, since you will be there to tend to your garden, fruit/nut trees, and livestock.

If one of your home-based businesses fails, then you can fall back on the other.

Ideally, for someone that is preparedness-minded, a home-based business should be something that is virtually recession proof, or possibly even depression proof. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What knowledge or skills do you have that you can utilize. Next, consider which businesses will flourish during bad times. Some good examples might include:

Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctioning of preparedness-related products.

Locksmithing

Gunsmithing

Medical Transcription

Accounting

Repair/refurbishment businesses

Freelance writing

Blogging (with paid advertising) If you have knowledge about a niche industry and there is currently no authoritative blog on the subject, then start your own!

Mail order/Internet sales of entertainment items. (When times get bad, people still set aside a sizable percentage of their income for “escape” from their troubles. For example, video rental shops have done remarkably well during recessions.)

Burglar Alarm Installation

Other home-based businesses that seem to do well only in good economic times include:

Recruiting/Temporary Placement

Fine arts, crafts, and jewelry. Creating and marketing your own designs–not “assembly” for some scammer. (See below.)

Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctions of luxury items, collectibles, or other “discretionary spending” items

Personalized stationary and greeting cards (Freelance artwork)

Calligraphy

Web Design

 

Beware the scammers! The fine folks at www.scambusters.org have compiled a “Top 10” list of common work-at-home and home based business scams to beware of:

10. Craft Assembly
This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is pay a fee up-front for the starter kit… which includes instructions and parts. Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts, you’ll be told by the company that they “don’t meet our specifications.”
In fact, even if you were a robot and did it perfectly, it would be impossible for you to meet their specifications. The scammer company is making money selling the starter kits — not selling the assembled product. So, you’re left with a set of assembled crafts… and no one to sell them to.

9. Medical Billing
In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start your own medical billing service at home. You’re promised state-of-the-art medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your area.
What you’re not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills, or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may not meet their specifications, and often the lists of “potential clients” are outdated or just plain wrong.
As usual, trying to get a refund from the medical billing company is like trying to get blood from a stone.

8. Email Processing
This is a twist on the classic “envelope stuffing scam” (see #1 below). For a low price ($50?) you can become a “highly-paid” email processor working “from the comfort of your own home.”
Now… what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!
Think about it — they offer to pay you $25 per e-mail processed — would any legitimate company pay that?

7. “A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers!”
In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for homeworkers just like you.
The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies that don’t take homeworkers, or companies that may have accepted homeworkers long, long ago. Don’t expect to get your money back with this one.

6. “Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information…”
No need to spend too much time (or money) on this one. 1-900 numbers cost money to call, and that’s how the scammers make their profit. Save your money — don’t call a 1-900 number for more information about a supposed work-at-home job.

5. Typing At Home
If you use the Internet a lot, then odds are that you’re probably a good typist. How better to capitalize on it than making money by typing at home? Here’s how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for “more information,” you receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8, this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!

4. “Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!”
Well, this one’s at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: “Turn your computer into a money-making machine… for spammers!”
This is much the same spam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you’ll be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to “turn their computers into money-making machines.”

3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
If you’ve heard of network marketing (like Amway), then you know that there are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services. One big problem with MLMs, though, is when the pyramid and the ladder-climbing become more important than selling the actual product or service. If the MLM business opportunity is all about finding new recruits rather than selling products or services, beware: The Federal Trade Commission may consider it to be a pyramid scheme… and not only can you lose all your money, but you can be charged with fraud, too!
We saw an interesting MLM scam recently: one MLM company advertised the product they were selling as FREE. The fine print, however, states that it is “free in the sense that you could be earning commissions and bonuses in excess of the cost of your monthly purchase of” the product. Does that sound like free to you?

2. Chain Letters/Emails (“Make Money Fast”)
If you’ve been on the Internet for any length of time, you’ve probably received or at least seen these chain emails. They promise that all you have to do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on the list, then add your name to the bottom… and one day you’ll be a millionaire. Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud. This is a classic pyramid scheme, and most times the names in the chain emails are manipulated to make sure only the people at the top of the list (the true scammers) make any money. This scam should be called “Lose Money Fast” — and it’s illegal.

1. Envelope Stuffing
This is the classic work-at-home scam. It’s been around since the U.S. Depression of the 1920s and 1930s, and it’s moved onto the Internet like a cockroach you just can’t eliminate. There are several variations, but here’s a sample: Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you’re guaranteed “up to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff… with postage and address already affixed!” When you send your money, you get a short manual with flyer templates you’re supposed to put up around town, advertising yet another harebrained work-from-home scheme. And the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelopes? Well, when people see those flyers, all they have to do is send you $2.00 in a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope. Then you stuff that envelope with another flyer and send it to them. Ingenious perhaps… but certainly illegal and unethical.

From all that I’ve heard, most franchises and multi-level marketing schemes are not profitable unless you pick a great product or service, and you already have a strong background in sales. Beware of any franchise where you wouldn’t have a protected territory. My general advice is this: You will probably be better off starting your own business, making, retailing, or consulting about something where you can leverage your existing knowledge and/or experience.

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In closing, I’d like to reemphasize that home security and locksmithing are likely to provide steady and profitable employment for the next few years, since hard economic times are likely to trigger a substantial crime wave. After all, someone has to keep watch on the tens of thousands of foreclosed, vacant houses. (If not watched, then crack cocaine addicts, Chicago syndicate politicians, or other undesirables might move in!)

Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals

Hello Sir!
While visiting your site this morning, I read a letter by someone talking about residential break-ins. While I don’t wish to contradict anything stated in the letter, there are a few points that should be made.

15 years ago, I made the decision to train as a Locksmith. I have my own locksmith business is in it’s 10th year and going strong. I’ve worked in banks, with police and even the DEA. I’ve been at the scene of scores of break-ins, assessing the damage as well as repairing and fortifying the sites.

This brings me to the point; Glass breakage is a very high pitched and distinctive sound. The moment a neighbor hears glass breaking outside their home, the police are called in to check it out. This is not what a would-be thief wants. The second reason that glass is not generally broken is that many of the windows now are double paned. These are not as easy to break as one might think. If broken, which is not always successful, the sound generated by the force needed will alert anyone in the surrounding area. Falling glass from the window can continue to make noise which allows any person investigating the noise to home in on it’s origin. Lastly, the intruder can be severely cut climbing over a shard of glass. None of the above are desirable to a thief. (Though for more desperate times, more desperate measures would be needed.)

This as opposed to the dead thump of a door being kicked in, and closed behind the intruder. Most folks pay no attention to such noises (which is why, when asked by the police if they heard “shots”, most people will deny it, as when muffled either by intention or the enclosed dwelling itself, a shot sounds more like a bump or thump. Or they will say that they heard “something” but not be able to describe what it was). Even the most curious neighbor will see nothing out of ordinary upon investigation of a thump outside their home.

More important is the method to increasing the security of the doors of the home. Though most people worry about their locks being picked…..and it can happen (therefore I recommend Medeco High Security locks), the vast majority of criminals prefer not to remain out in the open for any measurable time. Since picking can vary immensely from lock to lock (including the laughable Internet scare “lock-bumping” method – sorry folks, it only works like that consistently in the movies), the preferred method unlawful entry is to cross into forced entry and put a boot to the section of the door that is weakest. That would be a spot as close to the knob/deadbolt as they can get.

As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Well, in this particular chain, that would be the stud into which the bolt bore and latch bore are made. The reason is, that residential exterior doors open in; toward the inside of the house. A well placed boot only has to split the 3/4″ – 1″ of wood on the far side of the hole bored into the stud into which the deadbolt protrudes in the thrown position.

Though it was mentioned in the letter posted on your site that longer screws are needed for the latch plate, they will provide no measurable added security with regard to a person kicking in the door. Nor will driving a steel conduit into the hole aid in the attempt to “beef it up”, as I’ve seen posted on another blog. Neither of these is going to solve the original problem of the lack of wood behind the holes bored in the jamb to accommodate the latch and bolt when engaged.

An expedient way to shore up this weak spot is to remove the molding on the interior side of the jamb and install a strip of metal 24″ long (approximately), 1.5″ wide and 1/16″ thick. Drill 4-6 holes along the strip alternating from side to side and use 4″ lag bolts (flat head) to secure it in place with the center point directly behind the center point between the latch and the deadbolt, reinforcing the formerly vulnerable stud. The molding is then replaced and nobody but the homeowner knows it’s there. (This method, of course, will do nothing to stop a door “spreader” which police agencies use for entry when investigating…..but that’s another story.)

The next weak point will be the door itself, from the holes for the hardware to the closest edge. This is where a wooden door will split under force. As the door is forced, the bolt and latch are held in place in the jamb. This causes a twisting motion as pressure is put on the shear point (where the door meets the jamb) and like the formerly weak jamb, the door splits off 6″ – 12″ on either side of the nearest hole.

Though brass “wrap around reinforcers” are sold, they offer marginal, at best, additional security. This is a place where thicker is better…..and more surface area is a plus. My recommendation is, of course, a steel door. Not only do they help seal out external temperatures (less prone to warping), they offer more security against forced entry. The next best is steel plates (decorative or at least paint-able) 6″ wide, 1/8″ thick and 24″ long, with 8 screws spaced equidistantly along their edges (both sides) 1/2″ in from the edge. Your standard back-set for a knob or deadbolt is 2 3/8 inches residential, but 2 3/4 (the commercial standard) is gaining popularity. Either way, this puts the knob and deadbolt in the center of the plates. For those few who have the old style 5″ back-set, they’re just going to have to figure out an esthetically pleasing solution.

Next is the hardware. Locks need to be as solid as you can afford. You generally get what you pay for. Go for the heaviest duty. We’re not talking about a purchase from the local hardware giant either. Just because the package says “heavy duty” or “high security” doesn’t mean a thing. Go to a locksmith or locksmith supply company. If you can find excellent quality on the Internet, that’s great. Just don’t worry too much about cost as the difference of price over the life of the lock is minimal.

This is especially important with regard to hinges. The top hinge holds the brunt of the weight. When the door is closed, you can check the sag of the door by how wide the gap is on the hinged side between the door and the jamb. The wider the gap, the more worn your hinge. Eventually, this will cause difficulty in latching/bolting the door, not to mention the more give a hinge has, the more strain on the screws under pressure. On an open door, rub marks near the top of the edge indicate worn hinges. A badly worn set of hinges will cause the door to “bump” the door jamb before closing. A quick fix when there is no alternative is to swap the top and bottom hinges.

Ultimately, extreme heavy duty hinges should be installed. This is a place where longer screws make a difference (which is probably where folks get the idea for longer screws on the latch plate). Since there are no holes bored into the hinged side of the jamb, and there are 3 sets of 4 screws, spread over the length of the jamb, holding the hinge to the jamb, any shear pressure is also spread throughout the entire stud, minimizing the force at any particular point. The force necessary to overcome this is substantial. Other means of entry are definitely preferable; which is the point in the average residential setting, as they are notoriously difficult to fortify with the standard construction, windows

Basic knowledge to be sure, but it’s (surprisingly) not common knowledge. I thought it might be of interest to the readers of your blog. If you think it relevant (not to be presumptuous) to post, I’d rather be anonymous – Sincerely, – Anonymous

Letter Re: eXRS Radios and Texting in the Field

James:|
A current discussion forum thread {at AR15.com] on eXRS two-way radios is worthy of mention. Also see this description.

In searching the SurvivalBlog archives, I only found one post mentioning eXRS Radios. Here is a description of test by a paintball team.

What are your thoughts for secure short range comm? Text messaging could have some uses for silent comm. – Craig W.

JWR Replies: The eXRS radios are fine in the voice mode, but I am very dubious of the tactical practicality of text messaging, at least once the lead starts flying. Who in their right mind is going to want to take their eyes off the immediate situation for that long? The US military uses handheld text and graphics devices only in very limited situations, such as artillery fire control, and relaying information for close air support. Special Forces field tests with sophisticated graphics systems such as the Inter-4 Tacticomp (made, BTW by one of my former employers) showed that they only had genuine utility in setting up tactical situations. Once the first shot was fired, the gadgets were often tossed aside and operators reverted to good old fashioned shouts and hand-arm signals.

In contrast to the complexity of texting, voice communications are proven and fairly reliable. Also, keep in mind that we are living in the era of light amplification night vision equipment. This will turn even a small backlit LCD display into a huge “shoot me” beacon at night. (I should mention here that most currently-produced full mil spec electronics have a very dim “NVG” mode, which these radios lack. It is probably feasible to do a modification that would disable the back-light element(s). Failing that, an improvised cover using a strip of ubiquitous duck tape will suffice.) You can of course also use the expedient of working under a draped poncho. This method has been used for many years for map reading at night, with a red lens flashlight. But again, the tactical utility of texting is doubtful. In essence:, if you are in a situation where you are close enough that you would worry about opponents hearing you use voice communications, then that is also close enough (read: within rifle range) that you wouldn’t want to sacrifice situational awareness to be looking down at text messaging device. Ear buds and small boom microphones seem far more practical for most short range tactical communications.

The bottom line: Buy the best hand-helds that you can, and when outdoors use them exclusively with ear buds. The eXRS radios are a good option, particularly in a signal-dense urban environment. And I am also a big believer in rock solid radio communications and intrusion detection sensors as effective force multipliers. (In a rural retreat situation, with limited manpower, I can foresee that have one radio frequency for both voice comms and intrusion detection will be ideal.)

I’ll close with one big proviso: Don’t make the mistake of becoming overly dependent on gadgets. Time and weather will take their toll. (As The Memsahib is fond of saying; “It’s entropy, Jim, entropy.”) Always have a Plan B and C for communications, and be ready and able to revert from high tech to no tech. Train for both best case and worst case situations, when it comes to your electronics.

Economics and Investing: