Book Review: “Surviving A Disaster”, by Tony Nester

We were sent a review copy of “Surviving A Disaster – Evacuation Strategies And Emergency Kits for Staying Alive”. This slim paperback (just 57 pages) is a basic overview and introduction to Getting Out Of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) It was written by Tony Nester, a wilderness survival teacher in Arizona. Nester has also written the books “Practical Survival” and “Desert Survival”.

The book covers Bug Out Bags (BOBs), basic first aid kits, home evacuation gear, water, food, and so forth. It is mainly written about preparedness for evacuation in the case of a short-term natural or man-made disaster, not TEOTWAWKI. However, it does cover ‘minor’ disasters fairly well.

Positives:

  • It is a basic look at preparedness, that your sheeple brother-in-law and co-workers could understand.
  • Also, the author speaks about preparedness very rationally, not sounding like a paranoid whacko.
  • He includes extensive lists of everything you might need to pack in your BOB.
  • He presents ideas on how to organize your gear. (Particularly, having a layered system. For example, if the road is impassable, you will be ready to leave the car and go on foot.)

Negatives:

  • The book is aimed at new and non-survivalists. It doesn’t go into extreme detail.
  • There isn’t much here that is really new ideas.
  • If you are already well prepared, you probably won’t need it.

If you’ve been prepared for a decade or more, then you probably don’t need this book. However, if you are new to preparedness, or have friends and relatives that are unprepared, this might be a good starter. It does not have that intimidating ‘survivalist’ look, and starts with the basics.

Letter Re: As It Was in the Days of Noah

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I recently read your novel “Patriots“, which was a very positive experience.

For more than a year I have read most anything I can get my hands on concerning survival, as I started feeling led by God in the direction to prepare for something…not knowing what the something may actually be.

I recommend buying the “Forever” postage stamps, as a hedge against inflation. [JWR Adds: This is the last week to buy the “Forever” stamps before the upcoming rate increase.]

Hurricane Katrina gave my family and I just a small taste of what I am afraid we may all face in the near future. And no one is going to be bringing FEMA trailers by the thousands, and sending Red Cross checks etc. We were one of the lucky ones that did not loose our home, minimal damage, and we are located only 1 1/2 blocks from the beach. My only response, God was watching over us. Our home was two feet higher than the tidal surge, dropped 8 huge trees in our yard which all missed our house. We spent 2 weeks without electricity and water, and months in a neighborhood that looked like a scene from a war zone. We learned a lot, luckily we had prepared, didn’t loose our stuff, and had spent a lot of time camping in the past. But people are already forgetting the hard lessons we learned during that time.

Do you recall the scene out of [the movie] Star Wars? The Cantina scene where there was some bloodshed, the music stopped, a hush fell over the room, they dragged the bodies out, all was quiet for a few moments, and then all at once the band started playing, people started talking, and laughing, and right back to how things were. I think that is how the majority of people in the US are today. I am very afraid that they are all just partying it up, like in the days of Noah, and one day it will come down like the rain. Sincerely, – Nancy G. in Mississippi

Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday for Hurricane Preparedness–May 24 & 25

Residents of the US state of Louisiana can purchase needed items free of sales tax as they prepare for the 2008 hurricane season.
The inaugural 2008 Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday takes place on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25. The holiday is an annual, statewide event created by the Louisiana Legislature to assist families with the important job of protecting their lives and property in the event of a serious storm.
During the two-day holiday, tax-free purchases are allowed for the first $1,500 of the sales price on each of the following items:
• Self-powered light sources, such as flashlights and candles;
• Portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, and weather-band radios;
• Tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting;
• Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits;
• Gas or diesel fuel tanks;
• Batteries – AAA, AA, C, D, 6-volt, or 9-volt (automobile batteries and boat batteries are not eligible);
• Cellular phone batteries and chargers;
• Non-electric food storage coolers;
• Portable generators;
• Storm shutter devices – Materials and products manufactured, rated, and marketed specifically for the purposes of preventing window damage from storms (La. R.S. 47:305.58).
The 2008 Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 25.
The sales tax holiday does not extend to hurricane-preparedness items or supplies purchased at any airport, public lodging establishment or hotel, convenience store, or entertainment complex.
For more information, visit the State of Louisiana web site.

Letter Re: Advanced Medical Training and Facilities for Retreat Groups

Jim,
I have been enjoying and appreciating the letters and replies throughout the blog, and I am compelled to respond to “Advanced Medical Training and Facilities for Retreat Groups”. The letter contained very accurate and useful information, but I must comment on medical skills available to survivalists.
First of all, need to say that I am a professional Emergency Medical Technician – and have been for 25 years. I have treated dozens of real-life gunshot wounds, hundreds of knife wounds, and thousands of other cases of trauma that I would prefer to not remember.

As a 911 responder, I appreciate the faith that the general public has in my knowledge and skills. The word of an EMT or Paramedic is trusted – and we don’t take that trust lightly. This is a part of the reason for this letter. In our existing EMS system, EMTs are very good at arriving as quickly as possible and providing life-saving treatment until definitive care can be provided. In a TEOTWAWKI event, the shortcomings of EMT skills will be readily apparent. My crew and I are as good or better than anyone at stopping bleeding, splinting, providing IV support, protecting airways, and rapid transport. However, final treatment of a gunshot (or fracture, or chainsaw laceration, or what have you) is completely out of the realm of experience for any EMT or Paramedic.

A gunshot requires the cessation of bleeding – often requiring surgery. Usually gunshots also involve bone fractures or organ damage – and require surgery. An antibiotic regimen is also required – of which EMTs have little to no experience. All of this is typical for the most simple of gunshots. My fear is that in TEOTWAWKI, people too readily equate a physician’s knowledge and skills with that of an EMT. To put a number on it, Physicians attend medical training for 12 years or so. EMTs typically have two months of medical training.

Now – before I begin to get hate mail from other EMTs – let me say this: For the treatment of traumatic injuries in the pre-hospital setting, no one does our job better. I promise you I can do more effective CPR than most any doctor. I can intubate in the field better than most any respiratory technician. But my training and skills are limited to pre-hospital care. Of course, an EMT will have basic useful skills in a hospital or clinic setting but they pale in comparison to those of a physician. To state otherwise is foolish.

So, as a professional EMT for 25 years, the plan for my retreat is as follows:
1. Have a good relationship with a physician (preferably a surgeon) at the retreat
2. Have a RN, Veterinarian, or Physician’s Assistant at the retreat.
3. Know where other surrounding physicians are located
4. Have a method for transporting severely injured people to the physician,
5. Have adequate, in-depth barter stock to pay for surgery
6. Lastly – and I mean very last – would be to use a scalpel to open up a family member.

Barter stock would be best that is applicable to the physician’s skills: surgical tools, antibiotics, rubbing alcohol, sterile bandages, pain killers, sutures, and so forth. Also beneficial for barter would be other high value items from gold or silver coins, firearms, or even a fifth of whiskey.

The short of it is this: EMT skills are extremely valuable in the niche that they are designed. However, they are not designed for long term care. For my family, I will be providing life-sustaining care to include cessation of bleeding, splinting, IV, treatment of shock, pain management, and antibiotics – and they I will do whatever I can to get them to a surgeon. Anything else is second best. Yes, I have several great books that provide great information, such as “Emergency War Surgery” and “Where There Is No Doctor”. But to plan on performing these techniques without adequately exploring all options to get my wounded to a physician, is foolish. – BES in Washington

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader D.K. mentioned this item that first appeared in the AMA’s Morning Rounds e-newsletter: Hospitals in Cities Most at Risk of Terrorist Attack Do Not Have Capacity To Treat Injured, Report Finds

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Eric mentioned that the US Federal Reserve has now resorted to desperation measures to pump liquidity in the midst of the global credit collapse: We read in The New York Times: Fed Takes Steps to Add Liquidity. The piece begins: “The Federal Reserve announced new steps on Friday to help ease tight global credit markets by increasing the size of its cash auctions to banks and allowing financial institutions to put up credit card debt, student loans and car loans as collateral for Fed loans.” Yikes!

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US diplomat: 100,000 may have died in Myanmar cyclone. The article begins: “Bodies floated in flood waters and survivors tried to reach dry ground on boats using blankets as sails, while the top U.S. diplomat in Myanmar said Wednesday that up to 100,000 people may have died in the devastating cyclone. Hungry crowds stormed the few shops that opened in the country’s stricken Irrawaddy delta, sparking fist fights, according to Paul Risley, a spokesman for the U.N. World Food Program in neighboring Thailand…” We also read in The Globe and Mail: How the ‘rice bowl of Asia’ was emptied. We can expect even more severe shortages of rice, globally.

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Joe S. suggested this piece over at the LATOC site: The U. S. Electric Grid: Will It Be Our Undoing?

Is Survivalism Just “Unbounded Imagination of Anxiety”?

It never fails that when the mainstream media writes about survivalists, they try to lump us together with racists and tin foil hat whackos. Failing that (since the whackos represent such a miniscule fraction of “survivalists”), they will often trot out a psychologist or other “expert”, to try to convince the general public that preparedness is irrational and that it is evidence of some deep-seated paranoid delusion. This was the case in the recent BBC news article titled: “Do you need to stock up the bunker?”. The article focused on Barton Biggs, who is a well-known and relatively mainstream hedge fund manager and economic commentator. Biggs recently became a convert to survivalism, and that got the liberal media all in a tizzy. “Well, we mustn’t have that!” they grumbled. So it was time for the “expert” gambit. The BBC rolled out this nay sayer:

Frank Furedi, the British-based author of The Culture of Fear, says people should calm down.

For all the talk of a global bird flu pandemic, in the past five years there have been 200 human deaths from bird flu. In the same period more than six million people have died from diarrhoeal diseases and more than five million in road accidents – these would seem to be more pressing, practical problems to solve.

“What’s interesting about the ‘new survivalism’ is that its focus is everything,” says Prof Furedi. “Unlike previous alarmist responses to a crisis which focused on one main threat – for example, nuclear war – today’s survivalism is driven by an unbounded imagination of anxiety.”

“The new survivalism can also be seen as a highly ritualised affectation,” says Prof Furedi. “Through self-imposed restraint and expressions of concern for the future of humanity, the individual sends out signals about his own responsible behaviour.”

“The affectation of survivalism is one of the most interesting features of our ‘culture of fear’ today.”

I have a self-diagnosis to report to Professor Furedi: One of the “highly ritualised affectations” that I have is the desire to put food in my stomach at least once per day. This is a deep seated desire. I also have a corresponding deep seated fear of missing too many meals. Clearly, I must be suffering from “anxiety” and have irrational delusions.

I suggest that Professor Furedi make some changes at his Ivory Tower. First, he needs to stock it with some canned goods.

Letter Re: Advanced Medical Training and Facilities for Retreat Groups

Mr. Rawles,
Last month I wrote to SurvivalBlog about what do one would do medically in TEOTWAWKI, when all systems are down. I had received three very good replies, and have ben thinking about what was said. I want to thank those people for their valued replies. Now, I have more questions and concerns.

From what I’ve read concerning medical advice leaves me wondering. All of the advice given has stated to get a good quality Field Surgical Kit, and two books: “Emergency War Surgery”; and, “Where there is no Doctor”. Then these articles went on to [imply that] when a medical emergency arises, grab your surgical kit and the Emergency War Surgery Manual, and handle the situation. This is where I am concerned.

First: The human body is not like the family car. Both are made up of many complex parts that must work together to provide transportation, in the sense of a car, and life, in the sense of the human body. There are numerous maintenance manuals for the car, and the repair of your auto can be learned in a short time. However, This is not the case for the human body. The human body is composed of many systems, that are inter-related. It takes a highly trained individual to repair us, and sometimes, complex medical instruments to help him do his job. The skills are not learned over night or in the quietness of your family room. They must be used and practiced on a continual basis in order to do the job properly. Anyone that says he can operate on a human being with a Field Surgical Kit in one hand and an Emergency War Surgery Manual in the other, in my humble opinion is wrong! This individual is about to break the Cardinal Rule of Medicine: First, “Do Thy Patient No Harm!”

Second: For those either setting up a retreat or are already living with theirs, I ask this question: Are you prepared for medical emergencies? I’m talking about a specific area for treatment (i.e. disease and trauma)? If you do not, then now is the time to prepare for that need. A treatment facility need not be very large–about the size of a two-car garage. Inside this structure would be an operating suite, intensive care unit for two patients, and a small laboratory. You will need specialized training to utilize each area. You can add wind or solar power systems, running water, or whatever you feel is necessary. It takes a lot of work and effort to build something like this. It will also be expensive to supply the right equipment.

Third: If you are a member of a group, you may be in a better position to set up a treatment facility, and to find a General Practitioner Physician/Surgeon. Finding such an individual is like having gold in hand. This individual would be the most important member of your group. He would take care of all the aches, pains, sniffles and sneezes.

Think about these things and give me your feedback. It will be valuable information to all the readers. In advance I want to thank you for your replies. – DS in Wisconsin
Not every retreat group is blessed with finding a doctor to be part of their group. In the absence of a doctor, I recommend that at least one group member get EMT training. This is best accomplished by volunteering with your local Emergency Medical Service. These are usually paid positions, so the pay offsets the training expenses.

JWR Replies: Regardless of whether or not your group has a medical professional, I recommend that all adult group members get as much training as time allows. Start out by taking the Red Cross basic and advanced courses and their CPR course. Then take the field medic course offered by Medical Corps. Several SurvivalBlog readers have taken this course, and they all have all commented to me about how impressed with their training. In fact, one of our readers from Hawaii flew all the way to Ohio to take this course, and he reported that it was worth the expense. Their upcoming class (May, 2008) is full, but get on the waiting list for the next one.

I also recommend the Practical Medical Course taught by the Western Rifle Shooters Association. (This course is subtitled: “Field Expedient Medical Care for Outdoorsmen in Austere Environments.”) Coincidentally, they have one scheduled for May 16-17-18, 2008 in Brookings, Oregon. Check their web site regularly, for announcements of other course dates and locations. This modestly-priced training, led by an Emergency Room doctor with 35 years of experience, will teach you many things that the Red Cross doesn’t teach you! For example, their classes place an emphasis on treating gunshot wounds.

Only the largest and best-financed groups could afford to set up a surgery suite and lab like you described. It is a worthy goal. But keep in mind that even modest medical training, instruments, facilities, and logistics are better than no preparation–which sadly is the state of 98% of American families.

Poll Results: The SurvivalBlog Party Mix

We’ve tallied the 75+ reader responses to our recent poll on your favorite music with a survival or preparedness theme. Based on the responses, I can see that a large number of our readers are rock-‘n-roll fans. The Top 10 tunes mentioned were (in descending order of popularity):

1.) “Silent Running”, by Mike and The Mechanics

2.) “Its The End Of The World As We Know It”, by R.E.M.

3.) “A Country Boy Can Survive” by Hank Williams, Jr.

4.) “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire (Buffalo Springfield ‘s rendition of the same song was also mentioned.)

5.) “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult

6.) “Riding the Storm Out” by REO Speedwagon

7.) “Bad Moon Rising” by Credence Clearwater Revival

8.) “Lawyers, Guns and Money” by Warren Zevon

9.) “The Man Comes Around” by Johnny Cash

10.) “We Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who

Other songs not in the top 10, but still mentioned by more than one reader included: “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty, “Thank God for the Renegades” by Steve Vaus, “Everybody Knows” by Leonard Cohen (a cover by The Duhks was also mentioned), “Going by the Book”, by Johnny Cash, “Political Science” by Randy Newman, “Copperhead Road” by Steve Earl, “March of Cambreadth” by Heather McDonald, and “You Do Your Thing” by Montgomery Gentry.

Just to cheer you up after all this Gloom und Doom, listen to this song that was mentioned by three SurvivalBlog readers: “Are the Good Times Really Over for Good?”, by Merle Haggard.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Hard numbers: The economy is worse than you know

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UBS reports first quarter net loss of $11 billion, cuts 5,500 jobs

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Just as I had warned you, folks: Penny prices pinched by rising cost of metal. The article begins: “Further evidence that times are tough: It now costs more than a penny to make a penny. And the cost of a nickel is more than 71?2 cents. Surging prices for copper, zinc and nickel have some in Congress trying to bring back the steel-made pennies of World War II and maybe using steel for nickels, as well.” (A hat tip to Paul in Kentucky for sending us the link.) A reminder: You still have a brief window of opportunity to salt away some rolls of nickels at face value.

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Rumors of shortage prompt rush on rice in Anchorage area. This confirms my previous writings about the vulnerability of Alaska to shortages, because of its dependence on sea and air freight for necessities.

Note from JWR:

The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $230. This auction is for four items: A FoodSaver GameSaver Turbo Plus heavy duty food vacuum packaging system (a retail value of $297) kindly donated by Ready Made Resources an autographed copy of : “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”, an autographed copy of “SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog”, and a copy of “The Encyclopedia of Country Living”, by the late Carla Emery. The four items have a combined retail value of around $395. The auction ends on May15th. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments.

Where Was Moses When the Lights Went Out? by Chuck Fenwick, Medical Corps

The power grid is down… maybe forever

There are hundreds of scenarios which can cause the loss of electrical grid power. These include everything from a faulty relay to a strategic EMP strike that would precede a full scale nuclear war. There are, however, several inexpensive things which can be done in preparedness that could make the difference between life and death. Before explaining, “exactly what to do”, there are a few simple rules to keep in mind.

1) If you die, it’s your fault.
2) If you don’t have the gear, you will probably need it.
3) Be flexible. No battle plan survives first contact [with the enemy]

My wife and I live on 40 acres in southeastern Ohio near its border with West Virginia . Our nearest neighbor is a mile away, so being prepared for emergencies comes with the territory. Even though we have incoming electricity from rural electric, it is not to be counted on and is notoriously intermittent. From the beginning we installed solar panels, batteries and a generator as a primary energy source with the co-op being the backup. Recently I took the solar panels and inverters off line to upgrade the system. The job took a week and sure enough [soon after I disassembled the alternate power system] the co-op grid went down.

I decided that it was a good time to test out my emergency lighting by firing up a kerosene lamp. I have propane lanterns, but I wanted to use the lamps to see how well they function. I filled the lamp with some spiffy blue fuel and lit the wick. After a few minutes the wick turned to ash. I looked at the label of the spiffy blue odorless lamp oil and found that it was odorless because it was not kerosene. It was paraffin. I tried several different things to make it “wick” properly, but the result was that eventually the wick would burn up. Great, my spiffy blue fuel didn’t work. Doom on you Wal-Mart.

Well, I had flashlights and those propane lanterns, but I wanted to use something cheap, like a candle. That’s right, [I had] no candles. Doom on you, Chuck.

Finally the electricity came back on and I turned off my propane lantern and made a shopping list. I bought real K1 kerosene and 244 count 15 hour votive candles with more matches and a package of butane lighters. I even tested the 15 hour candles and [determined that yes,] they really burn for 15 hours so I now have 3,645 hours of votive candle light available.

Light

Candles.
Buy some. Then buy some more. Store them with matches and/or butane lighters. Any candle will do, however, votive candles are cheap when bought in boxes of 12 or more. 36 count, 15-hour votive candles will provide over 500 hours of light. You can even cook with them and they do provide a little heat.

The good: Candles are cheap, EMP-proof, with a little effort a low tech society can make them, they won’t tip them over and spill fuel, their shelf-life is indefinite and they are the most portable of all lights. They are EMP proof.

The bad: Their light (lumens) is low; they are useless in wind and rain unless they are confined. Use caution. Candles are an open flame and can start a fire. Stored in dampness, they are not waterproof because the wick can absorb moisture. [JWR Adds: Also, in the aftermath of an earthquake or landslide, open flames are a bad idea because gas lines may have been broken. My top choice for household emergency candles are Catholic devotional jar candles. There are cylindrical glass jars, about 11 inches tall and 2.5 inches in diameter. Like other votive candles, their candle wax is formulated for long burning. (A formulation that is high in stearic acid.) Watch for these on sale at discount stores. The paper labels can quickly and easily be removed by immersing them in water for an hour.]

Kerosene lanterns and lamps.
Lamps are the next step up from candles and should be in everyone’s home. Most have a ribbon-like wick and some have two wicks. Others have a shaped burner which will greatly magnify the burn surface, producing more light. They have been used successfully for over a hundred years and some, like the Aladdin are quite decorative and burn brightly.

Kerosene (K1)

A lamp uses fuel. The better fuel is Kerosene. Pure kerosene has a strong odor, but refined kerosene like K1 has less odor and still wicks properly and burns brightly. Another fuel is the odorless paraffin lamp fuel. It does not wick (climb the wick from the reservoir) properly unless the reservoir is at least half full.

The good: Kerosene lamps are an excellent reading light compared to a candle. They are fairly portable depending on the way they are designed, and are reasonably inexpensive to operate. They are EMP proof.

The bad: Most are quite fragile because of the glass used in making the globe or chimney. They can also spill their fuel creating a fire hazard.

Lanterns
Lanterns burn brightly because they have a mantle (something akin to a little silk sock) which when lit produces a bright white light. Used mainly for camping they are either powered by white gas or unleaded gas. Another type uses propane gas that comes in a screw-on cylinder. The Coleman North Star has a much longer mantle which produces more light and uses less fuel. It is a good idea to have at least one of each type of lantern. [JWR Adds: The Aladdin brand mantle lantern burns kerosene. All mantle lamps have very fragile mantles, which are little more than a meshwork of ash after they have been burned for the first time. Don’t use mantle lanterns in any application where they will be subjected to jarring or heavy vibration.]

The good: They are extremely bright, efficient and inexpensive. They are EMP proof.

The bad: The liquid fuel has a limited shelf-life and if spilled is dangerous. The propane fuel is explosive if it leaks. The lanterns are quite noisy making an escaping air sound.

Flashlights
Flashlights come in numerous sizes, shapes and brightness. Some can be recharged from an outlet, some require replacement batteries. There are even wind-up and shake-up powered flashlights. A flashlight is absolutely essential for the home, car or when camping. Two notable hand-held lights are the MagLite and the Surefire. The MagLite most used is the one like a policeman carries. It has a large adjustable beam and the MagLite bulb has a long life span. The Surefire comes in several sizes too, but the Surefire L2 Digital LumaMax LED is surprisingly bright. The L2 uses lithium batteries which have a shelf-life of several years.

The good: Flashlights are a time-tested life saver.

The bad: Good flashlights can be expensive and battery replacement can be costly. The LumaMax is not EMP proof.

PS: There are dozens of different types of flashlights. There are headlamps and lights that attach to the belt. Some are made for mounting on the barrel of a gun and ones that divers use. I only named two different types. There are stores on the Internet that specialize in flashlights. Do some research and choose a couple of different types that would suit you and your lifestyle. – Chuck Fenwick, Medical Corps

Letter Re: Advice on Finding a Retreat Operations and Security Manual

Mr. Rawles,
I have been working on a retreat that I will be moving to later in the year. Naturally, construction is taking up a large amount of my time. My family is on-board for the retreat.

I need help in the area of an Operations and Security Manual. Is there anything that you know of that would be a starting place rather than from the ground up? I know there are a lot of things that I would miss out on if I started [by myself] from the ground up, and not know it until it’s too late. I purchased the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course and I would have missed the boat on food storage if I did not have that as a reference.

Any direction would be appreciated. Thank you, – Craig in Arkansas

JWR Replies: I can’t recommend a stand-alone reference, but I can recommend an abbreviated version of the list of “musts” for your retreat bookshelf::

  • The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery. Sasquatch Books. (Get the Ninth or later edition.) This book is 845 pages of valuable ‘how to’ country survival knowledge.
  • Nuclear War Survival Skills, by Cresson H. Kearney
  • American Red Cross First Aid
  • Where There is No Doctor, by David Werner
  • Where There is No Dentist, by Murray Dickson
  • Emergency War Surgery (NATO handbook) Dr. Martin Fackler, et al.
  • The Ultimate Sniper, by Maj. John L. Plaster

And, at the risk of sounding self-serving, I also recommend my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”. It provide a detailed description of what might be needed to secure and operate a self-sufficient rural retreat in a protracted societal collapse.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Myanmar cyclone death toll 22,000+ dead or missing. Does your family have rated storm shelter?

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Joe S. flagged this: Who Should Doctors Let Die in a Pandemic?

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Reader “Bois d’Arc” sent us a link to an interesting Malthusian web page written by Paul Chefurka, which seems to borrow heavily from other sources: Peak Oil, Carrying Capacity and Overshoot:
Population, the Elephant in the Room. The bottom line is that he expects a population crash from a peak of near seven billion in 2012 to just one billion by 2075.

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D.H.W. sent us a link to yet another mainstream press article on survivalism (this one from New Zealand) that mentions SurvivalBlog: Bags packed for doomsday