Letter Re: Some Good May Come From High Gas Prices

Dear Jim,
Believe it or not, I find current oil prices encouraging as well as annoying, but with an undertone of warning. At our current domestic US price, it becomes cost effective to exploit the Canadian tar sands. Canada is next door, civilized, and easy to deal with. Their reserves in that form are probably larger than the entire world’s crude supply. Venezuela has an equal amount, and Chavez can’t live forever. The Canadians have gotten production cost down to $15/barrel, but are not yet producing at full speed. It is obvious, however, that growing technology will improve this, and some sites are able to extract up to 85% of the available hydrocarbons using three overlapping techniques. (By contrast, Saudi production is currently about $5/barrel. Even adding in transport and refining, how’s that for a profit margin?)
Add in growing electric technology for cars and increased development of our 1,000 year supply of natural gas, plus TDP (thermodepolymerization–turning trash to hydrocarbons) recycling and the Middle East looks less appealing as a trade partner all the time.
Looking at the Middle East, Bahrain, Kuwait, the Emirates and Qatar, which are all city-states founded by trading families in centuries past, are already diversifying away from oil. However, that leaves Saudi Arabia and some others with no real long term plans once their oil becomes as cost ineffective as it is politically ineffective.
My concern is that it was Western money that developed their region, brought them untold trillions of dollars and Western morals and “decadence” that the hardliner Muslims find so objectionable. I don’t expect they’ll thank us for taking the money elsewhere at this point. In fact, I expect an increase in hatred and terror tactics with us completely independent of them economically. We could very well buy energy independence at the cost of a small but relevant insurgency within our borders, and certainly threats to our overseas assets.
Keep your eyes peeled and your powder dry. – Michael Z. Williamson

Letter Re: Northern Idaho Versus Northwestern Montana as Retreat Locales

James:
As a family we all live in Montana. Now our whole family is considering relocating to a larger parcel in different part of NW Montana, or to Priest River area or Bonners Ferry area of Idaho. We have found several suitable parcels. Politically why is Idaho better than Montana? Are the people in Idaho more stable than those in Montana? Strategically why is North Idaho better than northwestern Montana?
It seems to me the people in both states are very freedom minded. It also seems to me that the area around the capital of Idaho is becoming very liberal. What are your thoughts on this?
As I recall Clinton signed a paper while in office making the Border Patrol the ultimate law enforcement agency within 26 miles of our northern and southern borders. That is one
of the reasons you will see them participating on many sheriff’s calls here. What do you think about living within the 26 mile Federal Clinton Border Zone in Idaho or Montana? What do you know about the US Dragon Troops being deployed along the Canadian Border?
I’m looking forward to your comments regarding these issues in SurvivalBlog. – Martin in Montana

JWR Replies: To begin, from the criterion of scale of government gun laws, home schooling regulation, and taxes, I consider Idaho and Montana roughly comparable. Unlike Idaho, Montana has no sales tax, but has fairly expensive car registration. Both states have moderately low property taxes. Most counties in Montana do not require residential building permits. Both Idaho and Montana are open range states. Both states have excellent hunting and fishing, with relatively inexpensive licenses and tags.(Their “sportsman’s package”combination licenses are very similar in features and prices.) As you can see from my state level rankings, I rate Idaho #1 and Montana #2. They would probably be tied for first place if it weren’t for the colder climate east of the Great Divide (which limits crop diversity), and Montana’s nuclear targets. (None of which are in the northwestern part of the state, which would be safely upwind.) Parts of the USFS land in both states are currently targeted for expansion of designated wilderness areas under the pending Northern Rockies Ecosystem Act, which could be an issue when selecting retreat properties. (This law would curtail vehicular access, firewood cutting, and hunting rights for adjoining landowners.)

The reference to the 3rd Chemical Brigade “Dragon Soldiers” that you read was a piece of typical hyperbole from Sorcha Faal. She is notorious for mixing truth, half-truths, and absolute lies into her unique brand of “alternative journalism.” I consider her a gray propaganda asset of the Russian Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti (FSB) the successor to the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (KGB.) Anything that appears under her byline should be read with strong suspicion. (For each of her stories, ask yourself: Cui bono?)

I generally recommend avoiding buying property that is within 30 miles of the national border. The Border Patrol is indeed authorized to enter private property along the border without permission or prior notice. I have heard a few horror stories about Border Patrol agents zipping around on private property in SUVs or on quad ATVs, just to flex their jurisdictional muscles.But thusfar nearly all of these incidents have occurred within 10 miles of the border and only in a few enforcement “sectors.” Parenthetically, I recently spent an afternoon with Todd Savage and a consulting client, touring two prospective retreat properties up in north Idaho. One of these parcels was several hundred acres, and it was literally right on the border. (The north property line was the national border.) I gave the client a thumbs-up on the retreat’s water resources, agricultural potential, and defendabilty, but I also issued a strong proviso that they needed to interview the seller and the neighbors about how often they see Border Patrol officers and what enforcement access rights they have exercised.

Letter Re: Jericho Fans are Going Nuts Over the TV Series Cancellation

Jim:
The decision by CBS to simply cancel Jericho was compounded by how much of a cliffhanger the final episode ended on. Reminiscent of Star Trek and Firefly fans, there has been a steady and growing outcry of loyalist fans. In a show which has been loaded with them, the final episode had the homage to the WWII Battling Bastards of Bastogne, where General Anthony McAuliffe, surrounded and outnumbered, responded to the Germans’ order to surrender with the famous one-word reply: “Nuts.” The grass roots nuts online campaign, which I have contributed to myself, is a clever and tasteful protest to CBS’s decision. The other things you can do, for free, is sign the Save Jericho petition, which is just about to over 100,000 now I see, and to e-mail CBS executives directly.
It was frustrating to see Jericho as such a “surprise hit” wane largely as a result of having to split the season (off air for several months, as was Lost which did survive but also lost viewers), and then be completely dropped cold after a season finale leaving fans on the edge of their seats with so many unanswered questions.
Statements by CBS has hinted there may be mini-movie or mini-series to wrap up to provide “closure” to Jericho. This is not an acceptable appeasement to most fans, who want an entire second season of 22 episodes like the first. The latest rumors though are that CBS is now close to signing an eight episode half season deal.
See also: this article at TV Guide, and this one at Yahoo.

As a final note, the fan appreciation web postings from main characters Skeet Ulrich (Jake), Ashley Scott (Emily) and Lennie James (Hawkins), have been some of the most humble, and truly, sincerely, appreciative to fans that I have ever seen from Hollywood actors. They are taken back at the surge of support in a show they admit through anecdotes they simply loved making. This is a great cast that obviously loved working together. The really seem to feel the pain of fans who were left hanging. I for one am glad I spent the $5 to deliver the message of Nuts to CBS.

More on Jericho:
http://www.jericholives.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_(TV_series)
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jericho/

In closing, I should also mention that Jericho season one, on DVD, will be out in September, on the 11th, a grossly inappropriate date for that IMHO. Nuts again to CBS.
– Rourke (Moderator of Yahoo’s Jericho Discussion Group)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The more I am acquainted with agricultural affairs, the better I am pleased with them; insomuch, that I can no where find so great satisfaction as in those innocent and useful pursuits. In indulging these feelings, I am led to reflect how much more delightful to an undebauched mind, is the task of making improvements on the earth, than all the vainglory which can be acquired from ravaging it, by the most uninterrupted career of conquests." – George Washington, Letter to Arthur Young, December 4, 1788

Two Letters Re: Constructing a High Efficiency (Low Current Draw) Refrigerator

James:
Greetings from the rural Northeast, destination of choice for fleeing urban hordes!
I enjoyed the article from Australia a while back on converting a small chest freezer into a low-power refrigerator. I had planned to undertake a project like that this summer. I admired the elegance of the circuit design and the use of a latching relay to lower the power consumption as low as possible.
When I read the letter about using a brewer’s thermostat instead, though, I had the same epiphany you did. Your BFO award is certainly appropriate, and I commend Kurt for bringing the idea forward. The reasons may not readily apparent to the majority of your readership however. I see the benefits of
the most recent solution as several:
* The switch is activated by capillary action from the temperature probe; it requires no electricity whatsoever and is totally EMP-proof.
* It is an off-the-shelf solution at reasonable cost.
* It has a nice dead band (difference between on and off). This should be consistent enough for food and medications, but not tight enough to cause overly frequent cycling of the compressor.
* It is completely set-and-forget.
The only cons I would warn your readership about are:
* Because the switch is mechanically activated it will eventually fail.
Based on having used a couple these switches for monitoring outdoor temperature in HVAC systems I would plan on a 10-15 year life span. Put a spare on the shelf. I would probably dial the spare up to 80 degrees and store it someplace cool and consistent like a root cellar to minimize the action on the diaphragm and lengthen its life. Remember that these are
working whether they are plugged in or not. Someone more informed on these may have a better opinion on how to store them long-term.
* If you crimp, crush, or break the tubing the unit will be completely and irreparably dead. Run the tubing carefully through something like surface-mount wire mold to protect it from falling objects, etc. Don’t make any sharp-radius bends. Paint it with lacquer or nail polish in corrosive
environments.
* It will require a separate temperature monitor for you to see what the fridge is doing. I would recommend a digital thermometer with a remote probe for day to day use and a mechanical (alcohol) backup inside the fridge for TEOTWAWKI and double-checking. Both held in place with industrial Velcro for easy swap-out. An example: this solar-powered fridge thermometer. (I have no first-hand experience with this product.)
Overall, a simple and elegant elegant solution. I think I will pick two up for my project this summer instead of going electronic; one for use and one for the shelf. I am also thinking of gluing rigid foam insulation to the sides and top of the fridge and wonder if other readers have an opinion on
the pros and cons of that.
Speaking of fridge thermometers, keep an eye out for health care expos, etc. in your area. My brother was able to get nearly a dozen 2xAA-powered dual-display LCD thermometers for free at one. They were geared toward refrigerators in doctors’ offices. These are promotional items branded by a vaccine company but work just fine nonetheless.

On a completely unrelated note, a friend of mine with a remote camp here in Maine is considering a hand pump as a backup for the well pump on his well. He found a company, Bison Pumps, that has solutions for drawing water from up to 300 feet down using hand power. I have no firsthand experience yet with the company or its products. They appear to be using a stainless steel rod to actuate a moving foot valve inside a 1 1/4″ schedule 80 PVC tube that parallels the discharge tubing from your regular well pump. I thought this was a practical solution.
I am relying on a generator to power my well pump in an emergency now but I agree that noise discipline will be critical in a SHTF situation, and hand power certainly trumps gasoline power for long-term peace of mind. Their pump looks very well made, but at about $2,200 to get water up from my 180 foot well, it ain’t cheap. Having a couple hundred gallons of water already stored and a list of other preps to finish leaves something like this somewhat lower on my list, but it is on the list. Thanks for a great preparation resource and keep up the good work. – Mike in Maine

JWR Replies: A hand-powered sucker rod pump will indeed work, but will be very labor intensive. Typically, these pumps only lift the water two or three inches with each stroke of the pump handle. So the first time that you raise the water that 180 feet, you may have to actuate the pump handle as many as 1,000 times. And if the foot valve ever starts to leak, the water in the service line will drain overnight. (Read: Possibly 1,000 extra strokes per day!) A more practical solution for deep wells is to either use a jack (“cricket”) type pump or a windmill to actuate the sucker rod. Traditionally, sucker rods were made from hardwoods such as white ash. More recently they’ve been made with metal or fiberglass. Even with ash wood, their service life is measured in decades. The pump cylinders are made of brass and will last many decades. However, the pump leathers will eventually wear out, so you should consider buying a couple of spare sets and storing them someplace safe from mice and moisture/mold. Unfortunately changing all of the leathers on a down-hole sucker-rod actuated pump means yanking the entire sucker rod and then the weight of all 180 feet of your service line. That is a lot of weight, requiring a heavy duty hoist and of course all the usual “mind your head, fingers and toes” safety precautions and protective gear. Lifting a 1-1/2″ or 2″ diameter 180 foot long pipe is no problem for a pump company, but it would be a challenge for a typical rural family working with an improvised hoist. I recommend that you watch your pump company man carefully as he installs the pump in your well for the first time. You will notice that the crucial piece required is the flange that catches the pipe unions on each 20+ foot long section of service line pipe as they are raised or lowered in the well casing. I’ve previously owned a jack type pump, and in my experience I found them problematic. I would much rather use a submersible pump. Shallow wells can use DC submersible pumps, but because of the rapid voltage drop in DC cabling, deep wells are limited to AC well pumps. (Either run by an AC generator, or from AC power supplied by an inverter in an alternative energy installation.)

 

Jim,
Regarding the refrigerator construction article, The Kill-A-Watt device measures power usage and (among other things) RMS [root mean square] current draw. It does not appear to measure peak current draw, which is a critical input when sizing a stand-alone PV system. The compressor cycling on the freezer mentioned (which may be exacerbated by the external controller) will make demands on the supply of current that far exceed those implied by a 1 KW average power consumption. I didn’t know if this would be obvious to your readers.
Keep up the good work. – Michael W.

Letter Re: Batteries for Long Term Storage

Jim:
A vehicle with standard transmission, points ignition, generator and wire wound voltage regulator will roll-start or push-start without a starter or battery. Disconnect positive cable clamp at the battery, and secure it where it cannot ground. Taping it to a heater hose is okay. Then push start. Any competent old mechanic can rig a truck as described. Many young mechanics were not trained to work on vehicles built before the Federal government mandated unshielded electronic [ignition]s on all civilian vehicles. One nuclear detonation in space 300 miles high and 99% civilian vehicles exposed to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) will not run. It is what? A conspiracy to put 250,000,000 armed American patriots afoot? Of course not. it is progress. – Vlad

JWR Replies: You should not disconnect the battery when push-, pull-, or roll-starting an engine. Operating an engine with no battery connected can create voltage spikes when the alternator goes into full field mode. These spike might fry the various processors, such as the Body Control Module (BCM), Powertrain Control Module (PCM), Electronic Control Module (ECM)–or Electronic Distributorless Ignition System (EDIS) in Ford terminology.

I believe that the EMP threat to automobile electronic ignition systems is real, but that it has been considerably over-stated by some pundits. With that said, it is prudent to own at least one vehicle that is either a diesel (a model with electronic fuel controls and a traditional glow plug switch) or a gasoline engine with a traditional points/rotor/condenser ignition system. If you don’t have the budget to buy a second vehicle that is “EMP Proof” then you should store two or three spare electronic ignition processor modules in a steel ammo can. Consult your local auto mechanic for the details on exactly what would be needed for your particular make/model/year vehicle. If new processors are too expensive, you can probably obtain some used ones from a “pick and pull” auto wrecking yard.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Kurt mentioned a video with a very good practical demonstration of a Faraday cage suit.

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Reader M.P. found a web site for a company that makes a potable water storage bladder insert that fits in most bathtubs.

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Rob at Green Mountain Gear reports that deliveries are continuing on the SurvivalBlog Group Buy for M16 30 round magazines. Because of delays by the manufacturer, they still haven’t received all of the thousands of magazines that were ordered. But rest assured that they are being shipped as soon Green Mountain Gear receives each batch, in the same order that payments were received. The final batch is expected to be shipped by the manufacturer on June 6th. Yes, such long delays with group buys are not unusual, but the good news is that you are getting the merchandise at the lowest possible price. Rob thanks you for your patience!

SurvivalBlog Reader Poll: What is Your Profession?

I’m amazed at the wide variety of people that read SurvivalBlog. I”m starting a new poll: in seven words or less, tell us you profession, (via e-mail) and I will post an anonymous list. For any of you that are doctors, lawyers, or engineers, and so forth please state your specialty. If you have two (or more) vocations, please state the both with a slash in between. (Such as “neurosurgeon / musician.”)

As standard policy, unless specifically given permission I remove people’s names, titles, e-mail addresses, company names, and other identifiers from letters before I post them. Without mentioning any names, let me briefly summarize some the more notable readers that I already know about: NASA scientists, Lawrence National Laboratories physicists, pharmacists, doctors in various specialties, Hollywood actors, foundry workers, novelists, a rock-‘n- roll musician, dojo masters, current and former military intelligence officers, NSA intelligence analysts, stock analysts, derivatives traders, aircraft mechanics, an astronaut, beekeepers, military and civilian pilots (lots!), submariners, an underwater welder, veterinarians–including one that is also an attorney, a prototype automobile modeler in Detroit, real estate agents, truckers, organic farmers, a mushroom farmer, two fish farmers, research chemists, an underwater photographer, U.S. Army Special Forces officers and NCOs, Navy SEALs, petroleum engineers, umpteen electrical and computer engineers, and dozens of police officers, paramedics, and firemen. I’ll be interested to see what a more complete list looks like!

Letter Re: Masonry Stoves / Brick Ovens

Jim
I have been reading the SurvivalBlog for some time now and thought I would share some information about a retreat technology that I have not seen mentioned. I am referring to a brick oven for baking bread, pizza and a large variety of other foods. Brick ovens have been around for thousands of years, they were very common in Roman times. They are having a revival in the artisan baking community and can also be found in many authentic pizza restaurants. They do take a little work to construct, however it is very simple to operate (decidedly low tech) and just needs firewood. These ovens generate a good deal more heat that most modern electric or gas ovens. Generally around 700 degrees Fahrenheit, they can bake a large number of loaves in a relatively short time. They have a large thermal mass and stay hot for quite some time. For instance, you can bake several loaves one day and still have enough heat to bake bread the next morning for breakfast, all from one firing. This would be a valuable asset in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. Also having fresh bread would be valuable for barter or charity for your neighbors. Besides being a useful skill for home use, it could also be a valuable asset for after the SHTF as people may have stored wheat but those fancy dual fuel ovens will not work without electric power.

JWR Replies: We mentioned masonry stoves several times in the first year of SurvivalBlog posts. These stoves usually have a bake oven compartment, although some are purpose-built, just for bread baking. I highly recommend masonry stoves. The higher initial investment is more than offset by their great efficiency and versatility. There are a few masonry craftsmen scattered across the US and Canada that specialize in building masonry stoves.

Letter Re: Surplus Interceptor Body Armor

James,
Military surplus Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) is starting to show up on eBay from Iraq war veterans who had to purchase the military spec armor themselves before the military was able to issue the armor to every soldier. This week, I purchased a full set of the Interceptor body armor with the front and back small arms protective insert small arms protective insert (SAPI) rifle plates from an Army officer via eBay. This equipment is heavy (around 17 pounds) tactical armor that is bulky. It offers good protection and intimidation factors for post-TEOTWAWKI uses and is perfect for guard duty or working security related jobs. The Dragonskin armor is better but is too expensive (~$5,000) unless if you need it for a day job (e.g. contractor in Iraq or Afghanistan). I would still recommend separately buying a concealable, lighter Level IIIA bullet proof vest for use in day-to-day, non-tactical applications, particularly for trading and leaving your home or retreat during an economic collapse or severe economic depression. Finally, your mileage can vary purchasing on eBay. The condition of the equipment varies greatly, not all auctions include the SAPI rifle plates, and some are for the older (defective) versions that used the Zylan material. I would recommend that SurvivalBlog readers create an e-mail alert on eBay to have eBay send them an email when the key word “interceptor armor” appears in new auctions. There are some bargains and more sets of Interceptor Body Armor are starting to show up in eBay auctions. – Dr. Richard

Letter Re: Wood Gasification

Mr. Rawles,
In response to a recent readers posting (Re: Raising Goats for Self-Sufficiency by Wife of NH Jumbo) A reference was made to wanting to learn more about the wood gasification used by Europeans to run vehicles without oil imports during and after World War II.
I have found a ton of information from Knowledge Publications. The books and videos while expensive can be priceless in the not too distant future. There is information and supplies for hydrogen, producer gas( wood or biomass gasification) methane digesters even refrigeration without electricity. They sell a small camp stove that produces and burns bio based gas they have for sale right no a small generator with the hydrogen conversion built in. Also see this YouTube video clip.
We like so many others here home school the kids, and the information in these books have provided several hair-raising, and eyebrow scorching science projects. But best of all it has let the kids, especially my “I am not going to sit still for this learning stuff” son, learn things that they can use in the future, regardless of when The Schumer Hits the Fan.
If nothing else, sign up for the e-mails videos and specials come in regularly that make you really want to roll up your sleeves and do it. – Tip in Lost Wages

Odds ‘n Sods:

Ex-Airport Worker Plots Massive Attack On New York’s JFK Airport

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A SurvivalBlog reader mentioned to me that he is selling his five acre off-grid retreat in a remote area of northwestern Colorado. The home there is a two story, 24′ x 32′, post and beam cape style. There is a spring on the property that puts out 300 gallons a day into a 110 gal cistern which is then pumped by a Honda high pressure water pump to a 300 gallon holding tank in the house. The water is pressurized through the home with an RV water pump.They installed a tilt solar panel array to charge a 24 volt battery bank. A Trace/Xantrex 4024 inverter-charger powers the home. They later added an Air-X 24 VDC wind generator as well to take advantage of the 20 to 40 mph winds that frequent the area. Using a Honda EM7000 generator it takes just an hour of generator run time (about 3/4 gal of gasoline) the batteries are charged to run the refrigerator, TV, and household lights for 7-8 hours. The property is 45 miles from the town of Craig, Colorado–an hour and a half from Steamboat Springs. Because the county does not plow the roads in winter, they snowmobile their supplies in from the first week of December to the middle of April. The home is fully functional although the interior walls are lined with reflectix insulation. Anyone that is seriously considering relocating to northwestern Colorado and that enjoys isolation can e-mail me, and I will be happy to forward your e-mail to the seller.

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Cowabunga! I just noticed that spot silver just opened at more than $13.60 per ounce this morning in Japanese trading. I told you so…