Two Letters Re: The Ethanol Debate

Jim:
Regarding the following snippet in Odds ‘n Sods:

As quoted by our friend Bill Bonner at The Daily Reckoning: writing in Fortune magazine, Lester Brown notes that ethanol is not only a waste of money, if taken up widely, it would actually mean starvation for many of the world’s poor people. “The grain required to fill a 25-gallon tank (with ethanol) would feed one person for a year,” Brown writes.

I was under this impression too. Don’t get me wrong I think its a waste of time and resources, but ethanol doesn’t have to be [derived from] the grain. Ethanol can be made from the stalks and leavings AFTER grain harvesting. I don’t have any resource to direct you to as I can’t remember where I read it. Sorry 🙁 I do remember also….to compensate for the oil from ONE refinery, you would need an area a little bigger than Texas committed to growing said ethanol crops. So if you do the math every field in America would be needed almost committed to said
function for [the replacement of the output of] all the oil refineries that we have. – Cruzan

 

Mr Rawles:
Making ethanol from corn uses the starch of the grain but leaves the oil and the protein, so “starvation” isn’t really as much of an issue as some make it out to be. Regards, – Jim K.

#1 Son Replies: There is some interesting research going on, using enzymes produced by microbes living in the digestive system of termites to turn cellulose (wood, straw, etc.) into sugars that could be used for making ethanol. See this article in Wired News.

Letter Re: An Amazing Tale of Survival: Nine Months Adrift in the Pacific

Dear Jim,
I think this would be a good story to link to on SurvivalBlog. Three fishermen survived on a 25 foot boat for nine months at sea, doing drastic things to ensure their survival. Two of the men on the boat died because they didn’t have the will to live (there were originally five on the boat.) As a sea kayaker who takes safety very seriously, it is a sobering story. Take care, – C.R.

Two Letters Re: EpiPen–Another Item for the Retreat Medical Kit

Sir,
Excellent advice on the EpiPen, but its worth mentioning an adequate stock of Benadryl should also be on hand. The EpiPen treats the symptoms of anaphylactic shock but Benadryl or a similar antihistamine will treat the cause. (Which is of particular importance if a doctor is not available.) Bee stings are the most common culprit for anaphylaxis, but it can also be caused by food allergies, latex allergies, and others. Here is a site with some information on Benadryl, side effects and administration instructions Respectfully, – Patrick R

 

Jim:

Epi can kill if not used correctly. The key issue is understanding WHEN to administer. Most folks don’t understand anaphylaxis, which is what can kill someone who is allergic to bee stings. I hear a lot of people say, “I’m allergic to bee stings!”, but when I question them I find that their symptoms are not consistent with anaphylaxis. I.E. they are not really allergic reactions. In these cases use of EpiPen would be contraindicated.

Also, the commercially available EpiPens come in two prescription strengths — one suited for an adult; one for a small child. Giving the wrong one could be unproductive at best and fatal at worst. Hope this helps. – The Northwest EMT

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Desert T” notes: “I came across this item at the Smith & Wesson web site while researching something else. Rather steep price, but I found the marketing strategy interesting.” JWR Adds: Just the ticket for traipsing around Alaska.

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I recently heard about an interesting vendor called Civil Defense Supplies. They stock and eclectic line of storage food, first aid gear, commo gear, night vision gear, 72 Hour Kits, and so forth. I should mention, however, that I have not yet done business with them.

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Reader Sid near Niagara Falls spotted a unique folding–well, actually collapsing–bike. He noted: “I don’t know how this one stacks up against the other folding/compact bikes, but here is a link to one I haven’t seen ’til now.” JWR Adds: You will note that these bikes are being sold by Safecastle (one of our loyal advertisers), a firm with a sterling reputation and great customer service. They sell great products and they stand behind what they sell.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Some people live in the present, oblivious of the past and blind to the future.
Some dwell in the past.
A very few have the knack of applying the past to the present in ways that show them the future.
Great leaders have this knack." – Richard M. Nixon

Letter Re: Retreat Locale Recommendations in Texas

James
A couple of comments about K.A.D.’s Retreat Locales in Texas. (posted August 17th.) I largely concur with his well thought-out findings, though the recommended counties in the Hill Country such as Gillespie and Kerr have seen a huge increase in population in recent years, along with corresponding increases in land prices. A much better area, in my view, is further north and west, with far lower populations. But water is key in any part of the state west of I-35; with it, the area approaches ideal; without it, you’ll find yourself living in a desert. There are springs, but they’re fairly rare and often seasonal, especially in a drought like the current one. A good well is essential and much easier to find. Powered by solar or a generator gives you reliable water, and this part of the state has fertile soil in the bottomlands, a relatively mild climate, wild edibles such as pecan and walnut, abundant game and livestock, and self-reliant neighbors who believe in minding their own business (the neighbors also believe in pitching in and solving problems when someone seriously needs help, as witnessed by our local volunteer fire dept with over a hundred members, and this in a county with less than 5000 total population).
But you need to be multi-talented and tough to live here, for you’ll largely have to solve your own plumbing/electrical/fencing/livestock/home defense/varmint/vehicle issues on your own, which is as it should be. Those expecting to have quick, inexpensive assistance for every inconvenience need not apply. – J.H.

Two Letters Re: “Ural” Russian Motorcycles with Sidecars

Jim,
I have been riding BMW motorcycles for about 10 years. I have seen a few of those Urals around, and every one with first hand knowledge says they are not as dependable as the Beemers. But– the design is pretty simple, and they are not hard to work on. My Beemer has 86 K miles on it, and I had to replace a starter, and a coil. That’s it.
I guess the big question with the Ural is, does it have points ignition, or electronic?
This would be my first concern, now.
I have been entertaining the idea of putting a diesel engine on a Beemer. It would be fairly easy, as they have an automotive style dry clutch. It would be a bit slower, top-end, but it should still get up to 60 or 70 mph. I have seen a few done in my web-
surfing. Depending on the weight of the flywheels, it may accelerate just as well.
My Beemer has electronic ignition, but it is not computerized, so it might survive an EMP. How would I find out? – Sid, near Niagara Falls

 

Hello Mr. Rawles:
In regarding to your blog posting that someone recommended the Ural motorcycle which gets 31 mpg.
The Ural motorcycles are well known for being unreliable. They are also pricey. A $3,000 Honda Rebel 250cc will get you 70miles per gallon and as a Honda will give you less headaches. Shaft drive motorcycles – like the Ural, while needing less maintenance, are impossible to repair on the road. Its quite easy to change a motorcycle chain or master link and keep the chain lubricated.
While the Ural with the side car and two wheel drive capability offers great mobility, a 1980s diesel Mercedes automobile will get you 35+ mpg and you can find one with broken air conditioning for $1,500. A lot cheaper than the $8-10K they want for a Ural.
Keep up the great work and thanks! – L.B.

Letter Re: EpiPen–Another Item for the Retreat Medical Kit

Hi Jim,
Our son-in-law was stung by a bee or wasp last night as he was mowing. One time behind the ear. He had a severe reaction to the sting. This is the first time that this has ever happened. Emergency room and three more days of treatments. The doctor gave him a prescription for an EpiPen to self administer in case it happens again. I keep bees (no, mine didn’t get him) so I keep one around “just in case”.
Now I am of the opinion that several of these should should be a part of every preparanoids medical supplies. – John & Abigail Adams

Odds ‘n Sods:

When I was doing some recent research for a consulting client, I found this interesting land development in the White Mountains of Nevada. The land is being sold near Dyer, Nevada, not too far from Bishop, California. (But safely across the state line, in the tax haven of Nevada.) The unusual thing about this property is that some of the parcels have frontage on a year-round creek. That is a real rarity in Nevada. They are asking $100,000 for a 10 acre chunk with creek frontage. The gent that I talked with (Mike Levin) said that they plan to sell 72 parcels. There are CC&Rs, but not too horribly restrictive. (Hunting and shooting are allowed, and you can keep one horse for each two acres. They have the typical “no mobile homes” language. Homes must either be stick built or top quality modulars.) This is considered “remote” real estate. But hey, a lot of SurvivalBlog readers like remote. (It is definitely well removed from any anticipated “lines of drift” of refugees or looters, WTSHTF.) This development might be a viable choice for Californian preppers that are retiring, or that are self-employed, and that don’t want to have to move as far as Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana. (The San Francisco Bay Area would be about a seven hour drive.) OBTW, I have no financial interest in this development. My client decided to pass when I mentioned it. (“Not enough trees.”) So now I’m free to mention it in the blog.

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SF in Hawaii asks: “Has anyone mentioned a calculator (solar powered) as a survival tool? While basic arithmetic functions can be done with pen and paper by hand (with danger of a miscalculation) and you can learn to master the abacus, log tables and slide rule, a calculator can make life much easier. Need to calculate a trajectory? work out engineering spec on a house or bridge? design a parabolic mirror for cooking? update the accounting of your survival goods (food/ammo etc)? A calculator can sure make life easier.”

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As quoted by our friend Bill Bonner at The Daily Reckoning: writing in Fortune magazine, Lester Brown notes that ethanol is not only a waste of money, if taken up widely, it would actually mean starvation for many of the world’s poor people. “The grain required to fill a 25-gallon tank (with ethanol) would feed one person for a year,” Brown writes.

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So much for good NAIS news. Premises ID just became mandatory in Pennsylvania. See this post at NoNAIS.org. Also, they made an exception for this in the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), so you don’t even know what they are recording about you! If you own livestock, please write to your congressmen now! By the way, if you don’t know how to phrase your letter well, NoNAIS.org has some sample letters. Another site, StopAnimalID.org has a forum and other resources.

Note From #1 Son:

Great news! The Vermont NAIS equivalent program has been stopped. Premises registration is no longer mandatory in Vermont. Keep in mind, however, that the National Animal Identification System is still scheduled to become mandatory. Write your congressmen now! There are frequent updates on NAIS at NoNAIS.org. For general background, see our NAIS page.

Letter Re: Uses for CONEXes at a Retreat

Jim,
You mention using CONEX overseas shipping containers as an improvised house. I have been planning on putting two 40′ containers parallel to each other, cut some openings between containers (to “open” up some room) and cutting holes for windows/doors-using the cut outs as shutters over the windows/doors. I bought “one way” containers as they are near perfect, not 7-to-9 year olds being sold cheaper-with holes, dents, rust and doors that won’t open. Forest fire and theft were my reasons for using all metal outside. Do you or any of your readers have any suggestions before I light the cutting torch to reality? [Your novel] “Patriots” has given me tons of ideas and encouragement that I can prepare. Thanks, – R.E.

Letter Re: Advice on Military Surplus .308 Ammo

Dear Jim:
Recently several of us were having a discussion about the best .308 ammo available these days. I had recently bought some South African mil-spec stuff, but somebody thought that it might be of questionable quality.

1.) What do you think of South African 7.62 ( or any of the mil-spec) as far as quality ammo vs. other brands?

2.) The South African stuff is 147 grain. What grain .308 / 7.62 bullet do you like for your MBR?

Thanks for you response. B’Shem Moshiach Yahshua (In the Name of Messiah Yahshua) – Dr. Sidney Zweibel

P.S.: I loaned out my copy of “Patriots” about four months ago and still have not got it back. It is really making the rounds!!

JWR Replies: My all time favorite military surplus .308 ball ammo was West German ball, which was imported briefly in the early 1980s. It seemed to shoot as well as U.S. match ammunition! Then in the mid to late 1990s, there was a profusion of Portuguese ball. It was also excellent. Unfortunately, it too has dried up. A couple of years back there was a decent quantity of Australian ball on the market. That didn’t last long, either. The South African .308 ball is non-corrosively primed and is of good quality. Its accuracy is comparable to U.S.ball ammo. (Lake City or Winchester/USA commercial white box.) It seem to leave a bit more powder fouling, but it is far from “messy” ammo.

Be advised, however, that some of the South African 140 round battle packs have been received from importers with tears or pin holes, and some of the ammo is tarnished. (Some suspect that at least a few lots have been re-packed. So to prevent any further degradation, my advice is to store your battle packs in large ammo cans (big 20 mm cans work great), and just in case, throw in a bag of silica gel desiccant to absorb any residual moisture before you seal the can.

From what I’ve heard, the ballistic curve for 147 South African grain ball is not significantly different from U.S. ball ammo . (I have not yet done any extensive tests.) Hence, a rifle scope with a “U.S. ball” ballistic compensating cam should work fine with the South African ammo.

Given the current shortage of surplus ammo–at least some calibers– I recommend stocking up. The South African ball ammo is a good choice, but again, the battle packs should be stored in large ammo cans with desiccant. I’ve noticed the price of South African ball is starting to creep up. Buy a bunch while it is still cheap and plentiful!

Letter Re: The “GM” Diet

Dear Jim:
Whether you might need or want to lose some weight, I find the logic behind the “General Motors Diet” (which GM reportedly had a nutritionist develop) absolutely fascinating. I think this understanding could have beneficial survival advantages to your readers. It’s the HOW and WHY it works which is so interesting, and I’ll tell you, it does work. Here are the two versions of it I am aware of:

Version 1 (With meat)

Version 2 (No meat)

Most readers here have probably heard the adage: “Store what you eat and eat what you store.” I think we all need to keep in mind a potential shock to our systems if we suddenly start eating dehydrated foods and other things that we are not used to. A survival situation is no time to have a upset stomach, or worse, other related problems shall we say. Try out some of your storage food with your family in advance so you don’t have to flush out any problems later. More good advice, along these lines, like picking what kind of beans your family will eat before you buy large quantities, can be found in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course of which I am an owner and now a follower. – Rourke

Odds ‘n Sods:

Ain’t we high tech? I just heard that Mobitech Reader software (works with Bluetooth compatible laptops, Blackberries, PDAs, and even some cell phones) can now display RSS feeds. So you can read SurvivalBlog on the go. (Yes, we have had our own RSS feed for several months.)

OBTW, I am looking into putting some of my writings out as Mobitech/MobiPocket e-books, but I have some reservations about security that will have to be resolved first.

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Darrel Holland mentioned that he still has just a couple of seats open for his next long range shooting school, September 1-4, in Powers, Oregon. This is a GREAT training opportunity!

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I noticed that a gent on The FALFiles is selling a pair of scarce (discontinued) Cherokee AH-100 SSB-capable handheld 11 Meter/CB transceivers.

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Our #1 Son mentioned that NoNAIS.org has a new post about the (in)security of RFID tags.