Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Almighty God…I yield thee humble and hearty thanks that thou has preserved me from the danger of the night past, and brought me to the light of the day, and the comforts thereof, a day which is consecrated to thine own service and for thine own honor. Let my heart, therefore, Gracious God, be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works, but wait on thee, and discharge those weighty duties thou requirest of me. Give me grace to hear thee calling on me in thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of the soul in the day of the Lord Jesus. Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me, Gracious God, the good work for which thou has sent it. Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God and guide this day and for ever for His sake, who lay down in the Grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen." – From the Prayer Journal of George Washington

Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 ends on July 31st. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Older Chevy 4X4s: The Ideal EMP-Proof Survival Vehicles, by Vlad

The ideal survival vehicle is a 4×4, 3/4 ton made by GMC or Chevrolet. They are easy to work on, old enough to be cheap, new enough to get parts for and, tough enough to last.
My 1976 GMC 4×4 3/4 ton pickup has 300,000+ plus miles. Maintenance = reliability. It has V8 350, 4 speed standard shift, 4.10 axles, dual-range transfer case, manual hubs. In Low range first gear I have crept up and down icy mountain roads with perfect confidence — and V-bar chains on all four wheels.
Between the steel line from the gas tank, and the mechanical fuel pump, I installed a piece of new neoprene gas hose with two in-line fuel filters in tandem. This serves to capture grit that would abrade, and shorten the service life of, the fuel pump diaphragm; and otherwise clog the moving parts inside the fuel pump. Between the output side of the mechanical fuel pump and the intake of the carburetor I installed a long piece of neoprene gas line, with one inline fuel filter, secured where it will not touch the exhaust manifold.
At the front of the block, near the mechanical fuel pump, there is a hole threaded 3/8×16. Screw a 3/8×16 bolt in that hole to secure the fuel pump push rod. Remove the old fuel pump. Now is the best time to install neoprene lines and in-line fuel filters as described above. Install new fuel pump. Remove 3.8×16 bolt before you start the engine.
I swapped the high energy ignition (HEI) with a [microprocessor] electronic module) for a [traditional and EMP-proof ] points-type distributor. The HEI distributor is $200 and points-type distributor is $50. I replaced Quadra-Jet 4 barrel carburetor with an Edelbrock 1405 4 bbl carb, and bought a calibration kit. I can change jets and rods for anything from max power in axle-deep mud to economy cruise at high altitude. Just now I have it calibrated for 6,000 foot elevation. In East Texas 400 foot elevation at 65 mph I average 12.5 mpg.
My carb flooded. The engine would not start. I disassembled the carb on my tailgate and found a defective float. I replaced both floats (from my tool box), reassembled the carb and drove home.
In my truck toolbox I carry at all times a starter, alternator, fuel pump, complete distributor; extra points, condenser and rotor; and hand tools …as well as food, a rifle or two, two axes, and a daypack with a few goodies. If you ain’t got it with you it could be a long walk to get it.
I use the alternator but have a generator; and installed a wire-wound voltage regulator. The generator stays in my toolbox. It takes only minutes to bolt the generator in place.
Chevrolet part number 3814970, right exhaust manifold, has a place to mount the generator. It fits all Chevy/GMC small block V8 ’73 thru ’86. You can order a new one from your dealer.
A generator-equipped vehicle with standard transmission will roll-start without a starter or a battery. If the battery is missing, secure the positive battery cable clamp where it cannot possibly ground. Tape it to a heater hose. Roll start and go!
An alternator must be electrically energized to produce electric current. If your truck has an alternator you must have a battery.
Avoid automatic transmissions. Since around 1960 [US built] automatic transmission vehicles will not push start.
We can thank Big Brother for the many changes in automotive design. Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a nuclear detonation 400 miles above earth will destroy all unshielded electronic parts in line-of-sight. …… the electronic components in Electronic-Fuel Injection, alternators, telephones, radios, televisions, computers, watches, GPS……..etc
In 1945 we nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At that time all vehicles had carburetors, generators with wire-wound voltage regulators, and points-type ignition. Vehicle exposed to EMP were still operable. In the early 1950s US conducted nuclear tests in Nevada, and studied effects of nuclear weapons ([including] EMP). Shortly thereafter the generator was replaced with an alternator that has unshielded electronic “chips” ..
If your racy 2007 model Technodazzle stops, call the AAA. Have it towed to the dealer. A highly educated Automotive Diagnostic Technician will attach it to a $100,000 computer to learn which parts to change. Repairs may cost as little as four months pay.
1973 through 1986 Chevy/GMC 4×4 pickup, Blazer and Suburban (seats nine if you wish) have 95% parts interchange. The same carb, fuel pump, alternator, starter fits them all. Every junkyard from Fairbanks to Florida has lots of old Chevy 4x4s.

Procedure for Changing HEI to Traditional Points Ignition on a 1976 GMC/Chevy V8 350:
A picture is worth a 1000 words. At the public library find a Chilton manual for 1974 Chevy/GMC V8 350 and study the engine ignition wiring; and photocopy those pages to use as a guide.
If possible, find someone who drives a 74 or older GMC V8 350 and eyeball his wiring.
buy these parts
– rebuilt points distributor for 1974 GMC V8 350, with cap and rotor
– also buy replacement points, rotor and condenser (for later tune up. each time you use tune up parts, immediately buy replacements for your toolbox for next time.)
– buy the Allen wrench with long handle with which to adjust the points
– set of points-type spark plug wires
– 8 each AC-Delco # 44 spark plugs (Gap them to 0.035″)
– two ballast resistors ( one goes in toolbox for later)
– one coil and coil bracket (you may want to buy an extra coil at this time)
STEP ONE is to read all instructions three times before you do anything else. If possible have an experienced friend oversee your installation.
Begin:
-remove negative battery cable clamp from the alternator bracket.
-tape the negative battery cable to a heater hose (so it cannot ground).
-mount ballast resistor on the firewall.
-mount the coil and bracket on the fire wall below the ballast resistor.
-the (only ) RED wire that presently runs from ignition switch through firewall to your HEI distributor will be connected to the driver side of the ballast resistor. (cut the red wire at a point 3″ from HEI distributor. cut a 15″ inch piece of number 12 insulated wire to extend the RED wire to connect to driver side of ballast resistor.
use a butt connector to connect 15″ wire to red wire. use a spade connector to connect it to ballast resistor.)
-with an 8″ piece of number 12 insulated wire, spade connector on each end, connect passenger side of the ballast resistor to the “plus” ( + ) side of the coil.
-the only black wire hanging out the bottom of the points distributor connects to the
minus ( – ) side of the coil. (it goes from points to minus side of the coil)
For future reference, with a white paint stick, mark a large – and + on the coil. when you are cold, tired and the wind is blowing up your jacket (and your wife is asking if you got it fixed yet) it will help to see those marks and not have to rely on memory.
points distributor cap terminals —
#2 is the first terminal CW of the “door” in the distributor cap where you adjust the points.
firing order is 1 – 8 – 4 -3 – 6- 5- 7 – 2
with masking tape label points distributor cap terminals, HEI distributor terminals, and each HEI spark plug wire near the spark plug.
driver side front to back 1, 3, 5, 7 ….. and passenger side front to back 2, 4, 6, 8;
pull the plug wires off each spark plug but leave them connected to distributor cap.
remove HEI distributor cap with spark plug wires still attached. lay that aside for now.
Note the position of HEI distributor rotor. If it points to 6 o’clock, write on a 3×5 card “rotor to 6 o’clock” and tape that card on inner fender.
-loosen hold-down bolt ( 9/16″ wrench) and remove HEI distributor
-install points distributor with rotor pointing to 6 o’clock (if that is what you wrote on the 3×5 card taped to the inner fender). the points distributor rotor must point exactly as did the HEI distributor rotor.
-hand tighten the hold-down bolt. later you will need to turn the distributor by hand when setting the timing.
you bought new AC 44 plugs and gapped them 0.035″.
-now install the new spark plugs.
-install the points distributor cap.
-install the new plug wires one at a time. using the HEI distributor cap and wires as a guide.
-connect dwell tachometer black clip to ground, red clip to “minus” side of coil
-open the window in the distributor cap, and stick the allen wrench (with long handle) in the points adjust knob.
-connect battery ground cable to alternator bracket.
-remove vacuum hose from distributor, and plug that end of the hose
-with starter turning engine, turn allen wrench to adjust points so dwell reads 30.(book specs 29 to 31)
to set timing:
– with engine idling.
– the vacuum advance hose is still plugged.
– turn distributor CCW to attain maximum idle RPM, then CW to 200 RPM less than maximum
unplug vacuum advance hose. connect unplugged hose to vacuum advance on distributor.
with 9/16″ wrench tighten distributor hold-down bolt.
if engine pings or rattles on acceleration:
— disconnect and plug vacuum advance hose
— connect dwell tachometer, black to ground , red to minus side of coil
— loosen hold-down bolt and turn distributor CCW to max idle RPM, then CW to 300 RPM less than max idle RPM.
–tighten hold-down bolt to secure distributor
— unplug and reconnect vacuum advance hose to distributor

Now let me tell you how we changed points in the shop:
-Since the engine will start if the points gap (which governs dwell angle, the number degrees of distributor rotation that the points remain closed) is close to .024″, we’d install the point set and eyeball the gap to that.
-You can use a matchbook cover if yer eye is out of calibration.
-Then we’d crank it up and slowly turn the adjustment to the point where the engine began to stumble, then back the other way til it began to ping. The correct dwell would be — within limits — at the midpoint between the two.
-Timing can be done the same way mentioned previously but listening for the “ping and stumble” and setting midpoint between.
-When doing timing or dwell by this method, make the adjustment as smoothly as possible to make changes in engine sound more easily detectable. Keeping the distributor clamp screw just finger snug will make this easier when doing the timing.
-I toss this on the pile because there will be times when ya just do no have a dwell [meter/]tachometer in your pocket and have to change out ignition components that require adjustment. Get in tune with the pitch and sound of a properly tuned engine running at idle.
When I was doing this stuff regularly in my shop (I once was an automotive masochistic), I could by ear tell engine speed within 50 RPM — no BS on this. If you are serious about this stuff, get intimate with your vehicle.

Packing ’73-’86 GMC/Chevy 3/4 ton 4×4 front wheel bearings:
As always read instructions three times before you do anything else. You will need a metal pie plate and large magnet
– place magnet in center of pie plate.
– place small parts on magnet. (they will be there when you look for them)
special 3/8″ drive socket for castellated nut inside hub
3/8″ allen wrench
3/8″ drive breaker bar
3/8 x 16 x 3″ bolt
-wheel bearing grease
-spindle grease seal
-hub grease seals
— chock rear wheel front and back
— loosen front wheel lug nuts
— raise front of truck on jack
— place stands under axle housing
— remove front wheel
— with 3/8 allen wrench remove bolts that secure brake caliper
( place bolts on magnet in pie plate)
— remove brake caliper and secure it without stretching or kinking brake hose
— remove hub
— with snap ring pliers remove snap ring
— with special socket remove outer castellated nut
— remove the washer (++ note that it has a pin that fits into a hole in the inner castellated nut)
— remove inner castellated nut
— remove rotor
— remove the six nuts that secure the spindle
— remove the spindle. it may be necessary to tap spindle with a brass hammer to remove it . do not use a steel hammer as that will mar the spindle-remove oil seal on inner side of rotor
-remove inner wheel bearing. wash it in solvent. dry it. apply new grease. put a golf ball size lump of grease in the palm of your left hand. place new bearing on the lump of grease. place right hand over left. squeeze hands together to force grease into the new bearing.
-place greased new bearing in the inner side of rotor. place new oil seal. with a brass hammer, or wooden handle very gently tap around the seal seating it.
-remove oil seal from spindle. remove old spindle bearing. grease and install new spindle bearing, install new spindle seal. A note on reassembly: Screw the 3/8x16x3″ bolt into the threaded hole in the end of the axle. pull outward on the axle so you can get the snap ring on.
PS: Buy new wheel bearings and spindle bearings and seals to keep in reserve. Open each package. Grease the new bearings. Wrap them and put them back in the package. This will serve to keep them from rusting; and allow you to install greased bearings in the field. Keep the new bearings and seals in the toolbox on your truck.

Odds ‘n Sods:

InyoKern flagged this piece about Mexico from The Oil Drum. InyoKern’s notes: “The graphs in the comments section are nails in the coffin, too. Have a look and read the comments. Its rather nauseating because its [coming] so soon. We thought we’d have a year or two before things got weird there, yet conditions for collapse in Mexico are getting pre-emptive. “

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Charles G. sent us this: Manhattan [New York City] parking spot going for $225,000. Charles comments: “Note the 3rd to last paragraph: ‘Some people are buying parking spots even if they don’t own cars, but instead buy the spaces as investments, renting them out to cover their costs.’ I remember Robin Williams once saying that “A cocaine habit is God’s way of telling you that you have too much money.” What should we make of this, I wonder? We have the most distorted economy in recorded human history, don’t we?”

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Some stark ranching economics: Central Utah cattlemen worry about how to feed livestock now that fire has ravaged the range

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I note that spot silver has bounced back above $13 per ounce, just as I predicted. I hope that some of you are buying on the dips, as I’ve suggested . Those of you that bought silver when I pointed out that it was a bargain when it touched $4.25 per ounce have made a pile of money. Even those of you that bought silver when I mentioned silver was $7, $8, and $9 per ounce have made handsome profits. But here is a news flash for you. We are still witnessing the opening phase of a bull market that will propel silver past $50 per ounce. Now that silver is $13 per ounce, don’t feel that you’ve “missed the boat.” Just buy on the next dip, and stay for the long haul. Someday, you’ll be glad that you did.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We are steadily asked about the age at which to teach young people to shoot. The answer to this obviously depends upon the particular individual; not only his physical maturity but his desire. Apart from these considerations, however, I think it important to understand that it is the duty of the father to teach the son to shoot. Before the young man leaves home, there are certain things he should know and certain skills he should acquire, apart from any state-sponsored activity. Certainly the youngster should be taught to swim, strongly and safely, at distance. And young people of either sex should be taught to drive a motor vehicle, and if at all possible, how to fly a light airplane. I believe a youngster should be taught the rudiments of hand-to-hand combat, unarmed, together with basic survival skills. The list is long, but it is a parent’s duty to make sure that the child does not go forth into the world helpless in the face of its perils. Shooting, of course, is our business, and shooting should not be left up to the state. – The Late Col. Jeff Cooper

Two Letters Re: Advice on a Budget Rifle Battery for Retreat Security

Jim,
I agree with you but I’d like to mention a few rifles. 1st one is the stevens 200,essentially it’s a savage with the accutrigger as seen on the new savages. they are running locally around $250. Also why not scope an Ishapore arsenal Enfield, that 12rd mag would be nice in my mind and being an enfield is going to be pretty fast to fire. lastly what about the
the the mosin snipers going for $350? while not a .308, the 7.62x54mm will get the job done and the ammo is cheap enough that a couple thousand rounds could be put away and funds are better a .308 could be acquired.
The other thing about the Mosin is, as you know, is that pre-1899 examples can still be found, making it that much more of a good idea. Signed, – Dan

 

James,
Concerning MWR’s question about rifles I agree 100% on getting all SKS rifles first as opposed to some lever guns. But one Rifle to also look at as a mark between the SKS and an M1A or an FAL is the Saiga 308. It is based on the AK-47 action and carries with it the rock solid reliability and function. They retail price is around $399 (YMMV), But the only negative aspect is their magazine capacity: The tock factory magazine is 8 rounds and they are a composite plastic, which makes them weak. There is a company out there that has been developing a 20 round magazine for this rifle but they are still under development and not sure when they will be available. Second, hey are also composite plastic so they will be weak and prone to break. Third they are really expensive, suggested retail is $47 each.
Since I saw one first hand and was quite impressed with the fit and function of the rifle and after firing it I found that even though it was an AK design it was shooting a 1 to 1.5 MOA group. So I bought one and I have tinkered and found a way to modify a standard [HK] G3 steel magazine to work flawlessly in these rifles. They hold 17 rds and I have fired close to 1500 rds through them without a failure. If anyone would be interested I would be more then happy to explain the magazine modification process or if you don’t have access to a welder and a well-tooled garage I can make them for $20 each. Just an option for someone to have an 308battle rifle at a relative bargain price. – Brian in Wyoming

Letter Re: Some Observations on Self-Sufficiency and Retreat Security

James,
I greatly appreciate SurvivalBlog and the solid, thoughtful info it contains, and have printed out numerous posts for future reference. It seems for many the ideal is having a bug-out location, so perhaps readers could glean some useful information from my experience owning and operating a fair-sized ranch, one of the goals of which is to be as independent as possible.
Specific observation on particular issues:
WATER
Top of the list, everything else is secondary. If you don’t have indoor water for cooking, bathing, toilets, etc., the quality of life quickly plummets. Try hauling all of the water you need from the creek for a few days and you’ll agree. Make a reliable water supply your top priority.
Absent a pure gravity-flow situation from a spring or lake, without outside electricity you can lift water with a wind-powered mill, solar pump, or conventional submersible pump powered by a generator. Because of our location in central Texas with abundant sunshine, we chose to employ solar-powered pumps. They cost about the same as a windmill but pump more water and are far more reliable. We currently have three solar pumps made by Grundfos, each powered by two 170 watt solar panels. Two of the pumps are in wells about 100′ deep, the other is in a spring-fed lake. These types of pumps have the huge advantage of using both 12 volt or 220 volt standard power, so they can be powered from the grid, by generator, from the solar panels, or even by jumper cables from a vehicle, which gives lots of options to keep the water flowing. You just have to be certain to unplug the solar panels from the system before using 220 volt power. The pumps supply 3,000 gallon storage tanks with float valves; when the tanks are full the float cuts off the flow of water and a pressure switch at the well turn off the pump when pressure reaches 60 lb. The storage tanks then supply water gravity flow to the house and orchard/garden. We also have 10,000 gallons of storage which catches water from the roof, and can be routed into the house by simply opening a valve.
No matter how carefully a plumbing project is planned and materials lists are drawn, such as adding more irrigation to the garden, for example, it is rare to complete work without another trip or three for additional materials. I would advise having plenty of spare fittings and pipe, as well as items like pressure switches, breakers, and on/off switches. It is also an obvious advantage to have a standard pipe size, say 1 inch, so spare parts are interchangeable.
Give a great deal of thought to your water system. Good planning at the start will allow different aspects to be tied together for redundancy, as well as prevent haphazard add-ons later, not to mention needless expense. Once the system is in place and operational, it is relatively maintenance-free, with only the rare switch failure or even rarer leak.
POWER/FUEL/OIL
For household use such as cook tops, ovens, hot water, and even lighting, propane is hard to beat. With a large tank (I recommend a minimum of a thousand gallons), the supply can be stretched to last for years. And propane has zero storage problems, being practically immortal.
Diesel and gas storage have been discussed at great length, so I won’t add to that here.
It’s hard to have too much two-cycle oil to mix with gas for chainsaws, as well as motor oil and filters (start saving used motor oil for chainsaw lube), hydraulic oil, grease, and differential lube. Also, we have more problems with tires (due to cactus and mesquite thorns, primarily) than any other mechanical problem, so gallon jugs of a tire sealer product and a reliable way to air up tires, even if only a hand pump, is essential.
Cooking oil, lamp oil, and light lubrication oil can be pressed from sunflowers, walnuts, pecans, flaxseed, peanuts, and many more. A simple hand-cranked press (www.piteba.com) looks to be adequate for household use, though I can give a further report once my sunflowers ripen next fall and I’ve given it a thorough test-drive. Olive oil can be used for the same purposes, though olives will only fruit in the far southern reaches of the US and the equipment to extract the oil is fairly expensive. Even so, we’ve planted a dozen olive trees and we’ll see how they do.
Solar power with an inverter is an option I’m exploring for running power tools and refrigeration, but as yet have no direct experience with it. But it seems a viable alternative, with limits.
GARDEN/ORCHARD
It takes a vast amount of experience and experimentation to reliably grow, process, store, and save the seeds from vegetables (Grandpappy’s thoughts on seed saving were excellent, BTW). If the extent of your preparations in this area is a supply of heirloom seeds and three books on gardening, I’ve got some bad news: you’re gonna starve. But don’t despair, a great deal can be learned on a small scale: grow just a couple of tomato, squash, beans, peas, etc., and keep experimenting and saving seeds until you find what works best in your location. Once you know how to grow particular vegetables, it’s relatively easy to ramp up the area to grow a significant food supply. But if starting from zero, it will take several years to become proficient.
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are the way to go for most vegetables, at least in our locale, as they not only save water but reduce weed competition. Corn is the only plant I still put in rows and irrigate in the conventional way.
Our orchard is only now coming of age and starting to produce, as the trees are four years old. The forty fruit trees are also drip irrigated when necessary. One of the biggest problems related to fruit trees, aside from pests and diseases, is varmints; coons, possums, and ringtailed cats. Our solution when the fruit is ripening is leaving a dog in the fenced-in orchard at night.
We obtain more food from our 1.5 acre orchard and garden than we do from the rest of the ranch combined, and we only plant a small portion of it each year, so production could be greatly expanded in a pinch.
SECURITY
The whole key to security, in my view, lies in not being surprised. If the first inkling I have of trouble is when six vehicles with twenty-five armed men slide to a stop in my yard then I’m in exceptionally deep Schumer. So a layered approach, as James has outlined, makes excellent sense. Observation Posts (OPs) and MURS-type detection equipment [such as a Dakota Alert] are essential to having early warning to problems, and for most of us, if we’re alerted, we’ll be a very tough nut to crack.
A couple of good, well-trained dogs much more than pay their own way, acting as an alert and deterrent for intruders, as well as trailing game, barking at poisonous snakes, and, as mentioned earlier, keeping varmints out of the orchard and garden and away from the house. At the risk of blaspheming, if I had to pick only one rifle , it would be a .223. Now I’m well aware that a .308 has a lot more energy, range, and penetration, and I have several battle rifles in .308 that I love, but for one weapon to carry everywhere, every day, .223 is my choice.
First of all, I can’t begin to count the number of deer and large feral hogs I’ve killed with one shot from a .223, so I have plenty of confidence in the round. But from a more practical standpoint, I’ve been amazed when carefully reading history with the number of settlers killed by Comanche indians in the old days right in this area because they were caught unarmed. And I realized they were usually caught unarmed because it’s hard to weed the garden, cut wood, catch a cow, plow a field, wash clothes in the creek, butcher a hog, gather pecans, and a thousand other practical tasks when constantly toting a heavy rifle.
And the same may well hold true for us someday. A six and half pound .223 in AR platform or Mini-14 will be a lot more likely to be at hand when needed in the midst of constant work than a twelve pound H&K. Your mileage may vary, of course. – Bois d’Arc

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Hawaiian K.” mentioned this article on a sub-prime mortgage woes in Britain. K’s comment: “We have a tendency to think of the sub-prime meltdown as being an American phenomenon when it’s happening in Great Britain too.”

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It’s not even vaguely related to survival or preparedness, but I found this news story weird, wacky, and wonderful: Oregon man takes lawn chair up to 13,000 feet, travels 193 miles

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Sounds like something out of one of those survivalist novels: Desperate times in Zimbabwe – A country at the end of its tether. You will note that I’ve been highlighting Zimbabwe ever since the first month that SurvivalBlog was launched. (Mostly links to Cathy Buckle’s free newsletter. Her July, 2007 newsletter was particularly powerful.) I’ve done so because that once prosperous nation typifies of what can happen in a “slow slide” collapse. We can learn from their sad experience.

Note from JWR:

A gent recently e-mailed me to ask “How can I help support SurvivalBlog?” Here are eight things that you can do that will help us stay afloat:

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Letter Re: Advice for Preparedness Newbie

Hey Guys.
I came upon your site, and all I really had to say, was “Wow”.
I suppose I’m not the best candidate to be a survivalist. I’m 21, I rent my apartment, have a mountain of student loans, and work as a waitress. My friends are mostly of the classic female-materialistic variety, and have no immediate concerns beyond a swimsuit sale at PacSun.
Anyway, I’m an avid reader. I began to develop an interest in the term “Peak Oil”. I read several articles, and conducted a few small studies of my own. The fact that many of the articles said that we’d begin to see problems (power outages, ridiculous gas prices) in 2008 due to having past peak oil. Well, it got me worried.

From there, I began to notice other things. My grocery bill went up
significantly, and I realized I’d have to budget my grocery money to foods that were cheaper and had a longer shelf life. I did some research, and found the statistics that proved that I wasn’t simply over-shopping. I haven’t had a raise in over a year, but I’m spending on average about $20 per-month more, on my basic grocery list. Needless to say, this really disturbed me.

From there, I began an extensive research of web articles, publications,
editorials, and came upon several survivalist sites and resources. It drove me to the realization that our society is, indeed, on the verge of collapse. With the gross incompetence of our current government, the threat of an event of WMD in the US, Avian Flu, Peak Oil, Global Conditions… well, I’d have to say, to use the term: It won’t be long before TSHTF.
Needless to say, my friends think I’ve gone nuts.
I can veritably assure myself, however, that this isn’t just in my imagination. I consider myself a smart person – I was going for my medical degree at JHU/UNH, before a series of mishaps bumped me from that path, and I ended up being a waitress.
Anyway, I started a bit of basic preparation. With every grocery trip, I picked up a few items to add to my “stash” of canned food, medical supplies, and basic utility items. I’ve been doing this for about six months, and I was pretty proud of my efforts, given that I’m operating on a very limited budget. Then, I came upon your site, and realized that I was still incredibly unprepared.
I’ve got to say, reading through all of your articles and resources, I was completely overwhelmed. Even with my efforts, I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’d need to do to be even basically prepared, for, well, anything.
Given my financial situation, I don’t know if I can make even a basic preparation effort in the next year or so. I’ve been attempting to save up to purchase a small firearm, to give myself the assurance of some sort of protection.
Anyway, I guess I’m simply writing to you to see if you can offer me any advice. I suppose I’m experiencing the classic level of fear, right now, that accompanies someone who has just realized that they are incredibly unprepared, should TSHTF. The “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course seems to be an incredibly valuable resource for someone in my situation, yet I don’t think I can afford it at this time.
As you guys seem to really, really know your stuff, I was just wondering if you can offer me any advice or guidance. I suppose I just need to reach the level of assurance to know, that no matter what happens, my family and I will be alright (and what I need to do to reach that level). Thank you so much. Sincerely, – Carolyn G.

JWR Replies: Many thanks for your e-mail. I get similar ones every week. Do not feel overwhelmed. Just work at preparedness systematically, and gradually. Even with modest preparations you are already miles ahead of your head-in-the-sand friends and neighbors.

In your circumstances, the best thing that you can do is team up with like-minded people in your area. The Survivalist Group Matching Page (courtesy of the fine folks at SurvivalistBooks.com) reportedly works well. But of course use caution, just like you would with any other on-line person-to-person matching service. Proceed with prayer. Have some lengthy phone conversations long before you ever reveal your address or decide meet face to face. Avoid both the lunatics and the Tommy Tactical wanna-bes.

I assume by your reference to UNH that you live in (or near) New Hampshire. If so, you are fortunate to live in one of the most conservative states in the northeast. It is also home to one of the two Libertarian Free States Projects. (The other one is in Wyoming.). Many of the “Free Staters” are also strongly preparedness-minded. You might find some contacts in your area through their organization.

You also mentioned that originally had an interest in attending medical school. That may or may not still be a realistic option for you. But you could at least get involved with your local EMT organization, part-time. That will provide you with some free or very low cost paramedic training that will be invaluable in the event of TEOTWAWKI. In preparedness circles, honest-to-goodness skills are more highly valued than money. There are lots idiots out there that have money. Their wads of cash don’t automatically make them useful or even trustworthy to be in retreat groups. I’d much rather be associated with plain folks that know how to fell a tree, pull a calf, rebuild an engine, raise a garden, or set up a perimeter of security. Gather and hone some valuable skills and you will make yourself indispensable to any retreat group.

Letter Re: Dick Proenneke–A Modern Day Pioneer in Alaska’s Bush Country

Mr Rawles,
I saw the link to the anchorage daily news about alaska and I thought that you or your readers might be interested in a man named Dick Proenneke who basically left his life behind in the {Lower 48] states and lived alone in the Alaskan bush for about 30 years. Yes, he did have some outside support, and a few visitors a year but the man was amazingly resourceful. There is a documentary he filmed himself that actually shows how he made his own cabin by hand with no power tools, he makes not only the table and the chairs but also the bowls and spoons used for cooking and eating. You may be able to get a hold of one of the movies through your local library or you can order from the link below. Watching the guy build the cabin is practically a step by step how to guide that would likely be worth the price of the movie alone. Thanks for the blog. – “Sno” from Alaska

Odds ‘n Sods:

More than 50,000 turkeys on a farm west of Mount Jackson, Virginia tested positive for Avian Flu antibodies. It is a less virulent strain than H5N1, but still cause for concern.

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By way of SHTF Daily: US mortgage problem fears spark sell-off. Mark my words: A credit collapse could trigger a major recession or perhaps a depression. This is your last chance to sell off any rental or “spec” properties. Get out now, before it is too late. Ditto for stocks. The chain reaction has most likely begun. The real estate collapse is the precursor of a general credit collapse. As the credit market implodes, it will bring down banks, hedge funds, and pension funds. Starved for credit, corporations will start lay-offs. A contraction in consumer credit will trigger a recession. Imported cars will pile up on the docksides. Tax revenues will contract as well, so state governments will have trouble balancing their budgets. Things could get very nasty. Be ready to hunker down, folks!

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From TimesOnline (by way of SHTF Daily): S&P fears credit crunch as mortgage crisis hits house prices

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We might think of dollars as being ‘certificates of performance.’ The better I serve my fellow man, and the higher the value he places on that service, the more certificates of performance he gives me. The more certificates I earn, the greater my claim on the goods my fellow man produces. That’s the morality of the market. In order for one to have a claim on what his fellow man produces, he must first serve him.” – Dr. Walter E. Williams