Using Rechargeable Batteries, by Northwest Huey

There have been a number of comments on SurvivalBlog about rechargeable batteries. The majority of these expressed the feeling that rechargeable batteries were expensive and ineffective for a long term storage plan. Before anyone gives up on rechargeable batteries I would like to share a plan that has proven effective for my family.
One day I sat down and assessed my family’s state of preparedness. Like many others, we needed more beans, bullets and band-aids. Turns out, we also needed more batteries. Before I started buying batteries, I tried to think of creative ways to minimize the number of batteries I would need. The first thing I decided to do was to go to low drain and no drain devices when possible. For example, I picked up an LED conversion for my Mini Maglite that more than triples the run time of my flashlight. [JWR Adds: Such as one of these.] So now, I get the runtime from two batteries that used to require six batteries. An example of a no drain device is the Swiss windup alarm clock that I purchased to replace my battery powered clock. Obviously these steps only lessened my dependence but I still needed a lot of batteries. The next idea I had was to standardize my equipment so that I only needed one type of battery. This way I would not have the expense of stocking up on a bunch of different types of batteries. This also helped because I would only have to worry about rotating one type of battery in my storage. I ended up choosing to standardize with the AA battery. Not only are they cheap and readily available, I found that almost every type electrical device that I wanted came in a model that used AA batteries. For instance when it came down to an Aimpoint or a HOLOsight, I choose the HOLOsight model that was powered by AA’s. Even after standardizing I still had some devices that I purchased earlier that use other types of batteries. Instead of immediately replacing them, but in keeping with my plan, I purchased some battery adapters (from greenbatteries.com). These sleeve type adapters slide over AA batteries and allow them to be used in place of C and D cell batteries. This completely solved my standardization problem and added flexibility to my plan. Runtimes are obviously much shorter when using the adapters but at least the devices will be useable should I need them.
Standardizing and going with low drain devices was only part of the solution. I was still faced the daunting task of buying a sizable number of batteries. It was at this time that I started looking at the cost of various AA batteries. I went down to the local retail store and came up with the following: 8 alkaline batteries cost $5.18 or $0.65 each, 8 lithium batteries cost $16.84 or $2.11 each and 8 NiMH rechargeable batteries cost $17.87 or $2.24 each. Based on initial cost alone it would seem that alkaline would be the way to go. However if you look at cost per 500 uses, NiMH is $2.24, Alkaline it is $325 and Lithium is $1055. If you can get 1000 charges out of your NiMH battery, it will still only cost you $2.24 while the costs of the alternatives double. Although the initial cost is higher, I would only need to recharge each NiMH battery four times to break even with the cost of alkaline batteries. On paper rechargeable batteries looked good. However, I was still skeptical because my experience with rechargeable batteries has not been all good. I decided to do a little more research to see if they could be a viable long-term option.
My research revealed that rechargeable batteries have several deficiencies. To make a plan that would work I would have to overcome the following problem areas: overcharging, overheating, poor conditioning and deep discharges. The plan I came up with will require more effort to maintain than simply buying lithium batteries. However, if you are up to the challenge of making sure your batteries are properly conditioned and rotated then the monetary savings are worth it. Now let me tell you how I made the plan work for me.
The first step was buying a quality smart charger. The right charger makes all the difference in the world and helps minimize my effort by preventing overcharging, overheating and poor conditioning. The bad press about rechargeable batteries is largely to blame on older chargers sometimes called ‘dumb’ chargers. These dumb chargers are set to charge batteries for a certain time period. This time period is based on the batteries being almost totally discharged. If the batteries are not totally discharged then they can be overcharged and overheated. Smart chargers monitor the batteries charge and stop charging when full capacity has been reached. Overheating is largely prevented by not overcharging but you can also do things to prevent overheating like placing the charger on a platform that allows air to circulate. I like to use old plastic strawberry containers turned upside down. Also if the charger has a cover leave it open while it is charging or remove it completely. Overheating is not a problem limited to the charging cycle, so when the batteries are actually being used keep the device out of the sun when possible.
Poor condition occurs when the battery is used for a short time and then recharged again without being fully discharged. When this repeatedly happens a battery can lose the unused capacity. This is often referred to as memory effect. Look for a charger that comes with a conditioning cycle. The really good chargers will sense when a battery is poorly conditioned and will automatically run it through a few charge/discharge cycles to regain lost capacity. One last thing to consider in a charger is one that can be powered by both 110 volt AC and 12 volt DC. I couldn’t find the right charger locally so I got on the Internet and found a Maha MH-C204F (from Thomas Distributing). This model meets all my needs and is the backbone of my plan.
The last problem I had to solve was deep discharges. If voltage drops too low you can lose performance or even kill a battery due to polarity reversal or anode oxidation. This generally isn’t a problem when using digital devices like GPS, FRS radios and digital cameras as these devices shutdown on their own when power gets too low. You have to watch out for devices that keep pulling a charge when performance drops off. The best example of this is a flashlight that starts to get dim but is still sucking power. The solution is to immediately switch batteries in any device that starts to lose performance. Also, it is a good idea to buy a battery tester so you can check batteries in devices like this so you can be sure they are not being too deeply discharged. Deep discharges can also occur in batteries that are just sitting on the shelf. Rechargeable batteries have a higher self-discharge rate than normal batteries. Normally they lose 1% to 2% of charge each day when stored at room temperature. This means they are only good for use 3-5 weeks from their last charge. If you really procrastinate using or recharging the batteries they can eventually reach a state of deep discharge. To combat this I started storing batteries in my freezer. This slows the discharge and retains about 90% of the charge for a full month. Even if I can’t complete a full cycle of using all the batteries before they lose their charge I can slow their discharge down to the point that I can minimize the number of times the batteries have to be charged. And the fewer times they have to be charged needlessly the more times they can be charged and put to use for a necessary reason. Keep in mind that the batteries work best when they are first returned to room temperature after coming out of the freezer.
How many batteries did I buy? I made an inventory of all the electronic devices that I would conceivably use in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. Let’s say I would use 12 AA batteries on my worst day. I then applied the survival rule of three and multiplied the 12 batteries by 3 and came up with 36 batteries. That allows me to have 12 batteries in use, 12 batteries that have been charged, and 12 batteries that are being charged or waiting to be charged. 36 batteries my not seem like a lot but keep in mind that I will be getting between 500 and 1000 uses out of each battery. I decided against buying additional batteries because this would make the rotation between batteries so long that some would not be used before they had to be recharged again. IMHO it would be better to buy an extra smart charger or two and keep them in a sealed ammo can in the basement. This is due to the fact that smart charges are controlled by computer chips and therefore would be vulnerable to EMP. You will also want additional smart chargers if the charger you choose cannot charge the required number of batteries in one work day. In the previous example the charger I picked can charge 12 batteries in less than 9 hours so the one charger has sufficient capacity for the example.
I didn’t run out and buy the batteries right away. First I looked at individual brands of batteries to see if one was better than another. I found an article on the internet titled “The Great Battery Shootout”. It shows the results of a test done with digital cameras and various brands of rechargeable batteries. You can look up the results yourself but let me summarize by saying that Energizer got top marks and since my local retail store carries that brand that is what I buy. To make the plan affordable and to ensure that all my batteries don’t go bad at the same time I bought them over time. I started off with 8 batteries and kept track of how often I charged them. After 4 charges each I broke even with the cost of alkaline batteries and went out and bought 8 more batteries. Again after 4 charges each I went out and bought 8 more batteries and continued the process until I reached the required number of batteries. Once I reached the required number of batteries I actually started saving money as compared to using alkaline batteries. This money is now free to be used for other pressing needs. Eventually I will need to reinvest in some new rechargeable batteries but at my current rate of use that day is years away.
Any rechargeable battery plan is based on having a grid down power source. Ideally this power source would be your existing backup power source. If you don’t have a backup power source then you should consider investing in some portable solar panels. Otherwise, this plan will only work until the lights go out.

Summary of Plan:
-Replace battery operated devices with low drain or no drain models.
-Standardize to AA batteries (Buy battery adapters if an essential device is not AA compatible).
-Buy quality smart [AC/DC] charger(s) with enough capacity to charge your battery needs for one day.
-Buy quality rechargeable batteries (3 times the number you expect to use on your worst day).
-Rotate batteries: Charge, store in freezer, then use them on a rotating basis.
-Replace batteries when they drop below 50% capacity (roughly 500-1000 cycles for NiMH).
Note: Rechargeable batteries may not work for all situations. If you keep some supplies away from home or in your car that can’t be regularly rotated then you should probably buy some lithium batteries.

Letter Re: Growing Dwarf Fruit Trees Indoors?

Dear Jim:
I was wondering if any green thumbs out there have actually grown dwarf fruit trees indoors?
Regards, – Rourke

The Memsahib Replies: Yes, fruit trees can be grown indoors but each flower must be hand pollinated unless you have a house full of bees, butterflies, and/or flies. That means for each piece of fruit that you hope to produce, you must transfer pollen from one flower to another. Fruit will not develop unless the male pollen enters the female ovum. This can be done with the tip of a feather. If you have only room for one tree, be sure it is “self pollinating”. Self pollinating means that your tree will bear both male and female flowers. In nature trees are not self pollinating and you need two trees of each. Two cherries, two apples, two lemons and so forth. The crop yield-versus-labor ratio is fairly small for most dwarf varieties. My grandparents have grown dwarf fruit trees, as well as regular fruit trees, for the last thirty years under optimal California weather. And I have to say it seems like grandma and grandpa are always babying and fussing over the dwarf trees. They seem much more susceptible to insect and fungal infestations. Also, dwarf varieties are grafted onto rootstock, not propagated from seeds, so you cannot grow new dwarf trees from the seeds. Since the Rawles Ranch is in a severe winter climate zone, I have considered growing some dwarf citrus in a greenhouse. I would grow each of mine in a big pot (such as a half wine barrel, or possibly a bit larger), set on a low four-wheeled furniture dolly and wheel the trees outside after the danger of frost has long since past. And then bring them back into the greenhouse in early fall. Lemons would be a treat in long term TEOTWAWKI when they would no longer be available at the grocery. My great grandma said that lemonade was a much anticipated once a year 4th of July treat when she homesteaded in North Dakota. And an orange for Christmas was considered a special splurge. Who knows? Perhaps someday oranges and lemons will be a fantastic barter item!

From The Memsahib: Lessons Learned from The Black Death

The following are some interesting quotes that I found when doing some of genealogy research. (One of my ancestors was a Norseman who died of the plague in Avignon in 1349.)

In Parma, Italy, the poet Petrarch wrote to his brother:
When has any such thing been even heard or seen; in what annals has it ever been read that houses were left vacant, cities deserted, the country neglected, the fields too small for the dead and a fearful and universal solitude over the whole earth?… Oh happy people of the future, who have not known these miseries and perchance will class our testimony with the fables.

An account by Marchionne, written from Florence:

Such was the terror this caused that seeing it take hold in a household, as soon as it started, nobody remained: everybody abandoned the dwelling in fear, and fled to another; some fled into the city and others into the countryside. No doctors were to be found, because they were dying like everybody else… Sons abandoned fathers, husbands wives, wives husbands, one brother the other, one sister the other.

… The foodstuffs suitable for the sick, cakes and sugar, reached outrageous prices. A pound of sugar was sold at between three and eight florins, and the same went for other confectionery. Chickens and other poultry were unbelievably expensive, and eggs were between 12 and 24 denari each: you were lucky to find three in a day, even searching through the whole city. Wax was unbelievable: a pound of wax rose to more than a florin, … The shroud-cloth apparel which used to cost… three florins, rose in price to thirty florins… No industry was busy in Florence; all the workshops were locked up, all the inns were closed, only chemists and churches were open. .. Those who especially profited from the plague were the chemists, the doctors, the poulterers, the undertakers… And those who made the most were these herb sellers. Woollen merchants and retailers when they came across cloth could sell it for whatever price they asked. Once the plague had finished, anybody who could get hold of whatsoever kind of cloth, or found the raw materials to make it, became rich. (Adapted from: George Deaux, The Black Death 1347. New York: Weybright and Talley, 1969.)

The plague had large scale social and economic effects… People abandoned their friends and family, fled cities, and shut themselves off from the world. Funeral rites became perfunctory or stopped altogether, and work ceased being done. …The economy underwent abrupt and extreme inflation. Since it was so difficult (and dangerous) to procure goods through trade and to produce them, the prices of both goods produced locally and those imported from afar skyrocketed. Because of illness and death workers became exceedingly scarce, so even peasants felt the effects of the new rise in wages. (Courie, Leonard W. The Black Death and Peasant’s Revolt. New York: Wayland Publishers, 1972; Strayer, Joseph R., ed. Dictionary of the Middle Ages. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Vol. 2. pp. 257-267.)

If this isn’t an argument for food storage in the event of a flu pandemic, I don’t know what is! Because trade had shut down, the price of food and necessities sold for exorbitant prices if they could be found at all. Of course we saw some of this during hurricane Katrina, but this was just a localized event. Imagine truckers refusing to drive to pandemic stricken cities. Imagine store managers refusing to open their stores.

Letter Re: Request for Advice on Dog Breeds

Hi, Jim.
I wanted to reply to the thread about Advice on Dog Breeds. Here is my main point:  Dogs are are like guns, in that there is no one true “all purpose” dog breed.
 
The very qualities that make a dog a good herding dog will make for a poor protection dog.  Sometimes even, the qualities that make for a good watch dog will make for a poor guard dog.  (A watch dog’s purpose is to alert you to a potential intruder.  A guard dog’s purpose is to hold, bite and stop and intruder.)
 
As the former owner of both South Bay K-9 Academy for seven years, which was the #1 dog training company in Los Angeles, and the current editor of Dogproblems.com, I have a lot of experience in this field and have noted that– even within the professional sector– macho attitude often rules over pragmatic trial by fire.  I can go into more detail on how to select a good dog, depending on the job you’re looking for him to do, but for now let me just point out that the more realistic and specific you can be about the job you seek your dog to do, the better your chances of success in finding a good dog. 
 
For example, the Belgian Malinois– a subset of the Belgian Shepherd breed– is now widely considered to be the best working police and military dog available, both in America and Europe.  However, these dogs are simply too “high drive” and too “high energy” to be an easy pet for a beginning dog owner.  They usually require several hours a day of strenuous exercise and activity. 
 
A similar argument can be made for a hunting labrador from good bloodlines.  These are “working” animals and as such do not make good house pets.  Now, there’s always the exception to the rule.  Just like you may be able to occasionally find an Italian handgun that doesn’t jam.  Or a British sports car that runs reliably.  But when adopting a new dog, I like to go with the odds.
 
Here is a run-down of my most favorite dog breeds, divided by work type for your average (beginner to intermediate) dog owner:
 
– Large guard dog breed: Rottweiler.  Very easy to teach to bite.  Tends to have a lower energy level compared to other guard dog breeds.  Runner up:  German Shepherd.  Buy from proven, titled working bloodlines only. 
 
– Small guard dog breed: Australian Cattle Dog.  Tough.  Tenacious.  Can be very intimidating if you’re working with a trained professional.  Downside:  Very high energy.  Can be headstrong.  The very idea of a small guard dog breed is a compromise– much like carrying a .380.  But can be good for apartment living or other scenarios.  Runner up:  American Pit Bull Terrier.  Beware of individuals that are dog aggressive.  (Dog aggression and aggression toward humans are completely different).  .
 
– Watch dog breed:  The Miniature Pinscher.  Small,  Requires very little food.  Suspicious by nature.
Runner up: The Chihuahua.
 
– Herding breed: The Border Collie (although this depends on what type of herding you will be using a dog for). 
Runner up:  Australian Shepherd.
 
– Hunting breed: Labrador Retriever (again, depends on what type of hunting you will be using the dog for).  But from proven bloodlines only.  (You know if the dogs are from proven bloodlines if they have multi-generational competition winners in the pedigree.)  Always verify the nature of the competition, as breeders are like used car salesmen.  Every breeder will tell you that their bloodline has “champions.” 
Runner up: Golden Retriever.  Very easy to train.
 
– Rodent control: Rat Terrier. 
Runner up: Tie: Jack Russell Terrier and Irish Terrier.
 
Stay away from the newer exotic breeds.  With the exception of the American Bulldog, none have consistently proven themselves to be performers. Yes, there will always be the exception.  But remember:  Adopting a dog will be an expensive adventure.  Stack the odds in your favor by going with the probability of getting a dog that will fit into your lifestyle.
All the best, – Adam of Dogproblems.com

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Men can live without air a few minutes, without water for about two weeks, without food for about two months – and without a new thought for years on end.” – Kent Ruth

Getting Out of Dodge Convoy Operations, by Seand406

Introduction
One of the greatest areas of risk for many of the regular readers of SurvivalBlog will come about while taking our exfiltration routes from current locations to safe areas/hidey holes following a TEOTWAWKI situation. While this topic has come about to some extent in previous postings, (and covered to great extent in the novel, “Patriots”.) I feel that a greater discussion is called for in regard to the seriousness of this event for group travel preparations. The following information is based upon a year-long stint in Afghanistan throughout which my three-man team conducted daily un-armored convoy patrol/recon operations while attached to 3rd and 20th Groups, Special Forces. (And an additional year spent in Kosovo traveling in hostile areas in a single un-armored vehicle on a daily basis also helped point out poor planning/procedure.)

Before the Merde Hits the Ventilator

Convoy, by definition, is a group of two or more vehicles traveling to a particular location with some form of communication, plan and agenda. An ideal goal would be to have like-minded people going to the same area prior to your bug-out in order to practice these vehicle operations before your life depends on the outcome. Of course, along with the previous goal would be the necessary requirement for a successful convoy like having full fuel tanks, spare fuel to reach your destination, communication with all vehicles, load-out plans for the equipment and personnel in each vehicle, and an early enough start out of your particular danger zone so as to avoid the large mass of confused humanity sure to follow.

Possible Dangers/Speed Bumps on the Way Home

One cannot plan for every single incident or situation capable of arising in this type of endeavor, but a few generalized scenarios will be considered as the basis for this discussion. The type of catastrophe from which we will be fleeing will obviously have the greatest impact on the scenarios encountered. Pandemics will have both the federal government attempting to quarantine regions and the local populations’ attempts at clearing the infection zone hindering our movement. Natural disasters will see FEMA trucks (and others) en route into the affected area thereby helping to impede the outgoing traffic (read traffic jams of epic proportions). Federal government assertions of power and/or invitations to United Nations involvement will simplify some things with the majority of the local populace unwilling/unable to flee, but roadblocks and armed encounters will be almost a certainty. Lastly, any type of EMP event might declare the majority of this article null and void. (I’ve seen very few bicycle convoys.)

Load-out Procedures

Assembling all of the vehicles and group members in a particular area prior to moving out will help ensure evenly loaded vehicles, i.e. qualified drivers, shooters and inter-vehicle communications personnel. The best set-up we found in the ‘stan was four people per vehicle with a fast-moving convoy containing a minimum of three but not much more than six vehicles. All members should be armed although a youth can operate the radio and a non-combatant can drive (although they must have a cool head and fast reflexes.) Riflemen (or women) in the front passenger seat and the rear driver-side seat will provide the best vehicle coverage, with the optimum being another rifleman in the truck bed/hatchback if possible. Military Humvees work pretty good for these operations but an even more efficient system involved our renting out a Toyota Hi-Lux four-door pickup (basically the same as a crew cab Tacoma), pulling off all four doors for the best fields of fire and easy egress for reacting to fire, loading sand bags in the bed along with a rifleman for rear security, and packing our necessary/additional gear around the surplus room (thereby retaining our shooters’ personal space for better combat movement).

Vehicle Placement

The lead vehicle should be both capable of providing sufficient fire to the direct front of the convoy or of small enough size and capable speed as to leave any particular trouble area at a moments notice. A pickup truck with one or more riflemen in the bed shooting over the roof is one possibility although a jeep set up to resemble the one in “Patriots” is another viable option. I would probably opt for a single motorcycle with good communications (CB 2-ways or FRS handhelds) and rotating the “recon element” task between adult members of the group with the realization that sustaining one or a few casualties is better than the entire convoy. The lead vehicle should be far enough ahead of the main element that no engine noise can be heard or other elements seen by possible ambushes ahead (roughly a half mile although no communications will mean that following elements only have gun shots to warn of danger ahead).
The second most important element in convoy operations will be the “rear guard” tailing the main convoy body once again with either the ability to fire at rear targets or catch up to the rest of the group for fire support (possibly a motorcycle). The Special Forces type of rig described in the preceding paragraph would be a fine choice with one or more riflemen in the truck bed behind sand bags providing vehicle cover for all members. This rear vehicle should remain roughly a quarter to half mile behind the main convoy body although the loss of communications could necessitate that it be within sight of the second to last vehicle.
Finally, the main convoy will be configured so as to give the best security to all non-combatants in the group, usually keeping women and children in support vehicles with the gear, thereby freeing up at least one reaction-type vehicle with shooters to respond to the front or rear of the convoy as required.

Summary

Any type of conflict occurring within the movement of this convoy will be dealt with in one of three ways: the lead element deciding that running the roadblock/ambush is necessary (little incoming fire/only way out of area), backtracking to find another route (bridge out/serious armed forces roadblock), or stopping the convoy to fight it out to a conclusion (well planned and initiated ambush with all vehicles in kill zone). To those of us with previous combat overseas but now without the options of air support, reinforcements or medevac, the first two options would be given the utmost priority if possible. Naturally this is taking into account the luxuries of having like-minded people around all heading in the same general direction with vehicles, weaponry and skill as to make this endeavor work. Personally, come TEOTWAWKI, I will be looking at a roughly 600 mile trip from southern Wyoming north to my families’ eastern Montana cattle ranch in a one or two vehicle convoy with my wife, an old Army buddy (and his family), and a single friend of mine who recently attended an RWVA Appleseed shoot with me in Guerney, Wyoming

From David in Israel: Home Birth Report–Twin Mitzvahs

James
My wife just delivered twins–one boy one girl. Blessed is Hashem who is good and does good. They were delivered in our home by a very competent French doctor. (French medical school has a much wider scope in traditional medicine.) Both babies were breach position but were delivered by allowing the baby’s to exit in a sitting position from a one leg out position (the assistant described it like a twisting motion), sadly I did not see exactly how this was accomplished and is beyond the scope of my [previous EMT] training.
Childbirth is hopefully the most common major medical “emergency” you will encounter but it requires serious
training to be done safely. For emergencies I suggest everyone attend a weekend PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) course yearly even if your are not a nurse, doctor, or paramedic.
Midwifery is an excellent supplemental or full time profession, there will always be a demand even if it is in a hospital setting.
Fortunately my wife was able to find this second opinion as the Israeli managed care system is very by the book not giving much freedom to doctors. She had been scheduled to have a Caesarean section tomorrow. (I suppose we should now call and cancel.) A C-section leaves a scar on the abdomen and uterus making later pregnancies difficult to deliver naturally. So we were very serious about avoiding this. The 10 kilometers of walking to get to the doctor’s office in Jerusalem is likely the final inducement to labor. – David

Letter Re: An Urban/Suburban “Stay Put” Survival Strategy

Hi again Jim,
I felt I must respond to David’s earlier post regarding self defense weapons and Buckshot’s suggestion of a .30-30 lever action as being your sole means of self defense. While many of your readers may live in rural areas with ready access to hunting and lower population densities there are many millions more like myself who live in major urban areas and make our living here. Many of us have a dream of some remote survival retreat well stocked and self sufficient with water and food but its not a reality at the moment.  Depending upon the situation, bugging out with just a few possessions and without a well prepared plan is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Therefore we must make due and create our survival retreat within the cities and try to make it as invisible as possible. A plan for survival in the big cities must include a long term food storage plan, water storage and purification alternatives, self defense preparations, radio monitoring/scanning and communications, mobility and recon, sustainable gardening, energy production or storage, medical preparations, financial preparations and probably the most important is a spiritual preparation for the possibility of some very bad times to come. Plan your urban retreat with a well thought out self defense plan based upon a group or neighborhood watch.
  It is estimated by authorities in Southern California that there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000 known gang members and thousands of other nefarious characters running around terrorizing our neighborhoods. There is a thin blue  line between civility and anarchy  in our society as evidenced by the many events of the recent past when our cities erupt into a crazed anarchy over things such as court decisions, racial differences, earthquakes or whatever it may be. There is a proliferation of modern high capacity weapons in the hands of many of these characters and/or gangs. If you live within a large urban center and cannot bug out because of many reasons including the possibility of the roads being jammed with cars or closed completely then you must consider staying put and standing your ground. I don’t mean brandishing your weapons in front of your neighbors and being the big man on the block with all the guns ready for the bad guys to come. What I mean is to keep them hidden and ready while carrying your concealed Glock or something similar if the situation erodes to the point of feeling that they may be necessary. Remember, your neighbors may not be your best friend in the worst of times. Regular training in the use of your weapons and tactics is a must. But when it comes down to it and you must use your rifles and shotguns then be prepared to use overwhelming force with surprise and finality. Self loading semi-automatic rifles in .308 cal. with lots of magazines  are my rifle of choice for men and AR or AK series for smaller stature persons or women. We can still purchase Mini-14s , M1As, SKS, and many other California legal semi autos here in California. Research the laws before proceeding with your purchases. Trijicon or other red dot sights make sighting easy for almost anyone to use. Body armor is also a must and should be purchased for anyone carrying a weapon and others in the group if you have the funds.
  Again, I cannot emphasize enough about keeping your weapons hidden but ready. Many authorities do not take kindly to rogue groups with guns and will confiscate them if found and possibly arrest you. Make your plans to hole up and hunker down while listening to the scanner, shortwave, amateur radio, AM/FM  etc. while setting up your LP/OP and  doing some short range recon. Have a communication plan for your family or group and rally point. Try to remain invisible to your neighbors and authorities as long as possible. Stay off the streets and do not go around sightseeing or trying to gather those forgotten items you may feel you need. If you don’t have them now and the situation is not life threatening then just stay at home. There will be thousands of desperate people looting and shooting each other as the situation gets worse. Prepare now. Try to prepare to stay at home for longer and longer periods of time with your stored supplies. And while not possible, work toward self sufficiency in as many areas as possible. Develop and learn a wide range of skills such as shooting, auto mechanics, gardening, sewing, cooking, amateur radio, EMT, motorcycle riding, swimming, home construction, plumbing, accounting/financial planning, camping,etc,etc,.And teach your kids these skills. I also am an urban search and rescue volunteer and carry official ID to assist me with passage through most disaster areas.
There are lots of books and info on the internet about all of these subjects. I am not an expert but I am always learning!
  In the event of a total collapse of our society such as the one you wrote about in “Patriots” I am not sure what we will do. I am considering several options, but more about that later. – Anonymous  in  So. Cal.

Letter Re: Request for Advice on Dog Breeds

James:
I’m writing in response to a subject that is very of interest to me. And I do understand some of your recommendations (I.e. Poodles are great family dogs and the standard size could be used for bird hunting, if field breed (but very hard to find), and  I was especially impressed by your recommendation of the Airedale Terrier, Which one of the best all around breeds a century ago but sadly is used mostly for show these days. They are very intelligent and can be head strong when this circumstance may require bid ability.
My suggestion to L.P. in Utah would be to look into English Shepard’s and American Working Farm Collies, Both of which are all purpose, Land Race Breeds in North America. That watch over the kids, work the livestock and hunt small game. These are the dogs that built our country before the dog shows started standardizing and specializing the Breeds. There is an active community working to reestablish these breeds. And though not AKC (yet), there are serious, responsible breeders out there. And if you Google either breed you will find them. I truly believe that these would be the Ideal Homestead dog. And before you say it, True all of the hunting info that I’ve seen has been hunting small game (such as rabbits, raccoons and squirrels) and vermin. But I have distinct memories of my father talking about old farm collies out performing high priced modern retrievers bringing back ducks in North Dakota in the 1940s. If that’s true I’d bet that some of those genes are around still, If you look hard enough. There once was an all-around breed of dog and there can be again.
As a starting point I would suggest checking out the American Working Farm Collies web site to find out more about the breed and see what you think. And as I’m also very interested in the subject, I’d like to post the question to their form (with your permission of course) to see if any of their lines show any interest in “birding”, They do everything else. Thanks for your time. Sincerely, – D.A.

Letter Re: Hunkering Down Close to an Urban Area

Hi Again Jim,
I live along the coast of Southern California about 20 miles from the core of Los Angeles and have no way of bugging out if TSHTF and have therefore made plans to bug in and hunker down with my survival family and a few very select friends. I have a 1/4 acre place with a small raised bed garden and about 10 fruit trees and have been following this web site for a while now with great interest. You may share with other readers if you feel there is interest. Regards, – DC

Letter Re: Salt Blocks and Free Firewood

Mr. Rawles:

I wanted to say what a great and informative site you have, I just recently found it, and have started reading the archives. I haven’t read much but I haven’t seen anything on putting out salt or trace mineral blocks to attract deer. I think it would be helpful to have several on hand.Ours is in the pasture behind the house and many mornings we could have shot from the deck. I think it’s a good idea to put them out now so the deer will have established a routine of visiting them.

Also concerning firewood, my husband owns a tree service, and is always looking for somewhere to dump wood. He has several people that let him dump wood that is suitable for firewood, so that all they have to do is work it up, and burn any leftover brush. It’s a blessing to both. He dumps there when he is in the area to save fuel and time, and they don’t have to search for wood. So some of your readers may want to contact a local tree service if they have an area where a dump truck won’t get stuck and will have easy access without having to wait on a gate to be unlocked.   Thanks, –   L.F.

JWR Replies: I did indeed bring up the topic of salt blocks for attracting game several months ago, but it bears repeating. In a survival situation, why “hunt” when you can have the protein come to you, and you then can pick and choose the healthiest looking critters? My advice is to buy plenty of salt blocks, including extras for barter and charity.

Odds ‘n Sods:

When on a recent trip into town, my #2 Son recently pointed out a snazzy Hummer 1 (H1) SUV that was driving alongside us. I mentioned their $80K+ price tag and their pitiful fuel mileage. I added “at least they have high ground clearance and a low center of gravity.” Always ready with his sharp wit, #2 Son replied,”Yep, low center of gravity, but a high center of poverty.”

   o o o

Russia to supply AK-47s and Mi-24 Hind-D attack helicopters to Afghanistan? I think that the Hinds might be a bad idea, they might evoke too many bad memories from the 1980s.

   o o o


 The global derivatives market blossoms to $285 Trillion dollars. Not billion, trillion. Talk about a ticking time bomb!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. This is not to say that firearms should not be very carefully used, and that definite safety rules of precaution should not be taught and enforced. But the right of citizens to bear arms is just one more guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard against tyranny which now appears remote in America, but which historically has proved to be always possible.” –
Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (D.) Minn. “Know Your Lawmakers” Guns magazine, February, 1960, p. 4.