Note from JWR:

Today, I’m catching up on part of the backlog of e-mails from the past few weeks that I haven’t had time to post (or to answer). The flip side to the astonishing success of SurvivalBlog.com is my burgeoning list of new e-mails each morning. (BTW, I simply cannot answer them all–so please don’t feel slighted when I don’t reply.)

Letter Re: Oil and Lubricant Storage in Retreat Planning

James,
After reading your blog [post] on oil storage I heartily agree with most of your points. I stock synthetic [motor] oil for this purpose: it lasts longer! If a time comes when I can’t get oil I want what I have to be the best. I recently began using Mobil 1 Extended Performance [synthetic] and I’m not sure I can back it up, but I did notice a slight mileage increase over regular Mobil 1 in my 2000 F-150 4×4 Super Cab. Perhaps just a coincidence, but perhaps it actually lubricates a bit better than regular Mobil 1. I also like to run synthetic [oil] in mowers and such because of infrequent oil changes and no filters. I recently began the “no oil change” thing on a Toyota that uses some oil anyway, so now I only change the filter occasionally and then top off the oil every week or two.

My only disagreement with your blog post concerns the sand soaked in “used” motor oil. Used motor oil is a known carcinogen and should be recycled. Use some kind of cheap oil for that purpose, but not used motor oil, especially on hand tools that are going to be in contact with your hands.  Later, – Matt in Montana

Letter Re: Onset of “The Crunch”

This is a question that should be of general interest. In your novel Patriots, “The Crunch” was beginning at 16% inflation. With the latest inflation figures annualized at 14.4%, how do we stand on The Crunch index? Will people really believe it is possible, even after it happens? The people I know are incredibly naive and trusting in all-powerful government.- Ron Y.

JWR Replies: I think that inflation would have to jump into triple digits in order to precipitate any sort of full scale economic collapse. IMO, it is far more likely that a dollar crisis initiated by nervous foreign investors (worried about our mountain of debt) will be the proximal trigger for what you envision.

Politics, Disaster Preparedness, Terrorism, WMDs, EMP

Hi,
I found this on a e-mail that I subscribe to, from The Federalist Patriot. See:

http://federalistpatriot.us/useprpc/plan.asp
http://federalistpatriot.us/useprpc [JWR Adds: This page includes links to analyses on biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, as well as EMP secondary effects.]

It is a pretty good source of conservative thought. In any case, they have placed some articles on preparedness on their web site. I thought you might be interested. It doesn’t say to prepare for as long a period as I think will be required, but at least there is another voice in the wilderness telling people to be prepared .  – Tim P.

Letter Re: Disabling OnStar Vehicular Tracking/Communication Systems, and EMP Protection

Jim,
I have two somewhat related questions:
1.) Can the OnStar [tracking/communications] system on General Motors vehicles be TOTALLY turned off by an owner? If so, how? And if so, is a professional recommended to do the work? I envision the possibility of the Powers That Be (PTB) simultaneously turning off engines of all OnStar vehicles to create massive chaos if it supports their plan.

2.) If we experience an EMP event, can we carry a spare computer module in protective casing and just replace module in our vehicle and we are off and running again? If so, what is the proper procedure? If question is off base or not possible… What can we do? (Affordably) – Robbie in Va.

JWR Replies: 1.) From what I’ve read in Usenet forums, the shutdown feature was considered during OnStar’s design phase but was never implemented, due to liability issues. OnStar does indeed, however, provide vehicle GPS tracking to assist police in the location of a stolen OnStar-equipped vehicle.

Conceivably, a situation might arise wherein you would want to disable OnStar. (See: http://whats.all.this.brouhaha.com/?p=132 ) The only way to be sure that you are completely disconnecting it from power is to disconnect the cables from the OnStar module itself. Any layman can do this. The hard part is finding the box. Typically, the OnStar modules are hidden are in the trunk–often next to the spare tire, such as in Cadillacs.  See: http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/onstardisable/).  The location will vary, depending on the make/model of your GM vehicle. I suspect that you cannot simply remove a fuse from your vehicle’s fuse holder array, because given the evil genius of GM’s design engineers there are probably other components–possibly essential components–that are downstream of that same fuse. (But I may be wrong. One nice thing about this blog: I’m sure that someone more knowledgeable will e-mail me within hours if I post something incorrect about anything.)

OBTW, here is an old trick that dates back to the days when car alarms were not wired into a vehicle wiring harness upstream of the fuse box: So that you can be ready to remove a fuse at a moment’s notice, one useful technique is to attach a small dimension “zip”-type plastic cable tie around the middle of a modern plastic fuse (between the fuse’s “legs”, or in the case of traditional tubular glass fuses, underneath the entire length of the fuse. That way all that you have to do is open the fuse box and jerk on the protruding cable tie–no fumbling around with a flashlight, trying to remember which is the correct fuse to pull.

On a related note, (purely for academic research, mind you) for those of you with a penchant for hacking, you can tap into your GM vehicle’s OnStar RS-232 GPS data. See: http://members.cox.net/onstar/  You can also hack into the OnStar communications module for Bluetooth. 😉 See: http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1234000170038047/

2.) Yes, a spare electronic ignition “computer” can be purchased and padded up thoroughly and carried in an ammo can or a biscuit tin. (Either will act as an effective Faraday cage.) But keep in mind that many vehicles made since the 1980s also have electronic fuel injection, which will have its own little microchip CPU.  Ask your local car mechanic–preferably one at a factory-associated dealership–for details about the ignition and fuel injection system of your particular make/model/year of vehicle.

Dried Pasta for Storage Food?

Mr. Rawles,
I thoroughly enjoyed “Patriots,” as it opened my eyes to the importance of Preparedness. My wife and I are educated Christians in our early twenties, and we are starting to amass supplies as money allows. Being in Law enforcement, I have a good understanding or firearms, but little experience in storing food. Is it a mistake to store large amounts of rice and pasta in food-grade buckets (or other containers)? Both are rather compact for the calories provided, and would be very simple to prepare. When packed vertically, you can feet quite a bit of spaghetti in a five gallon bucket. Any thoughts (however brief) would be appreciated. Thanks, -“Bossaboss”

JWR Replies:  Dried pasta stores fairly well, at least compared to things like wet-packed canned foods. Keep in mind however, that it is typically not made from whole grains, so it is marginally nutritious, even when bought “fresh” at your local grocery store.

Intact whole grains retain most of their nutritive value for much longer periods of time than cracked grains, flour, or flour-based food products (such as pasta). Whole hard red winter wheat, for example, stores for 20+ years with most of its nutritive value still intact.  In contrast, grain-based pasta is still palatable for many years, but it loses most of its nutritive value after just two to three years. Once processed in any way–that is, whenever the grain’s outer shell is compromised–then the storage life of grains drop considerably. For really long term nutritious storage, you need to buy wheat in food grade buckets, and a wheat grinder. (See the SurvivalBlog Archives for further details, and our Links page for trustworthy vendors.)

From David In Israel: A Dedicated SurvivalBlog Amateur Radio Net?

James:
It might be worthwhile to have a dedicated SurvivalBlog radio network. We could set up something on several HF bands. I am thinking it would be nice to have a way for SurvivalBlog readers to contact one another, even if and when the Internet and/or the phone system goes down. I think that there may be some interesting news will be coming from here [in Israel].  OBTW, the new year is 5766 from the creation of the world, the world is being closely judged for the next few days as Hashem re-coronates himself as the true King over kings. – David

JWR Replies:  Okay readers, to get this net “off the ground” please e-mail me with some suggested HF frequencies.  It is probably also apropos to pre-designate a sideband CB channel (or two), and some FRS, GMRS and 2 Meter frequencies. Please don’t just send me a random list of frequencies. Rather, I’m looking for your real world expertise on un-crowded frequencies, particularly east of the Mississippi, where spectrum occupancy is more dense.

Letter from Mrs. Victor Re: Initial Results of the Ten Cent Challenge

>RE: Note from JWR: Many thanks for your support Thusfar, we’ve had seven responses
>to the SurvivalBlog Ten Cent Challenge. Special thanks to David M., who pledged $100.

Come on people!!! Pony up for a valuable resource like this! Seven people? On a site with over three million hits? I’ve been a lifelong survival/self-sufficiency buff, thanks to my upbringing. I felt that I was totally s**t-together and was operating in a fairly low level maintenance mode with my preparedness supplies. Since finding survivalblog.com I have:
1. Heard about, found and ordered Jim’s book Patriots.
2. Heard about, found and obtained Sambucol for fighting Avian flu WTSHTF.
3. Heard about, found and obtained fresh antibiotics from a vet supply site for TEOTWAWKI.
4. Heard about, found and obtained canned meats and canned butter from a wonderful site.
5. Heard about and joined the linked discussion forums (The Claire Files) where there are many like-minded individuals sharing experience, strength and hope.
And all of this took place in just under two weeks since discovering SurvivalBlog!  For those out there who read this site regularly and are out stocking up and preparing, don’t forget that information is your most valuable resource. Thanks for your time and attention. Sincerely, – Mrs. Victor (in the retreat owner profiles) and “colordohermit” at The Claire Files

JWR Adds: We’ve now had 14 donations since I first announced the Ten Cent Challenge, including seven that were for the full $36.50.  Many thanks for your support, folks.

Odds ‘n Sods: An “Easy” Quiz

I found this short quiz floating through the ether of the Internet:

The world’s easiest quiz:
1.) How long did the Hundred Year War last?
2.) Which country makes Panama hats?
3.) From which animal do we get catgut?
4.) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?
5.) What is a camel’s hair brush made of?
6.) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?
7.) What was King George VI’s first name?
8.) What color is a purple finch?
9.) Where are Chinese Gooseberries from?
10.) How long did the Thirty Years War last?

Answers:
1.) 116 years, from 1337 to 1453 2.) Ecuador 3.) From sheep and horses 4.) November. The Russian calendar was 13 days behind ours. 5.) Squirrel fir 6.) The Latin name was Insularia Canaria – Island of the Dogs 7.) Albert – When he came to the throne in 1936 he respected the wish of Queen Victoria that no future king should ever be called Albert. 8.) Distinctively crimson 9.) New Zealand 10.) Thirty years, of course! From 1618 to 1648.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them
to do the same.” – Ronald Reagan

Note from JWR:

Many thanks for your support  Thusfar, we’ve had seven responses to the SurvivalBlog Ten Cent Challenge. Special thanks to David M., who pledged $100.

Today, we present yet another entry in our writing contest. There are just 10 days left to send your entries. The prize is a four day course certificate at Front Sight. (Worth up to $2,000!)

High Performance Low Maintenance Clothing for Troubled Times–by “Springmtnd”

What clothing do you pack in your bug-out-bag and for long term wear in troubled times? One of the things you can count on in trying times is limited access to shower and laundry facilities. Most clothing you wear next to your skin gets pretty skunky after a few days, especially synthetics. What’s a survivor to do? You want something soft and comfortable, light weight, warm when cold or wet, cool when hot, wicking, doesn’t stink, doesn’t get dirty, easy to wash, and while we are wishing–how about cheap?
I am into ultra-light backpacking. I used to wear a long sleeved dress shirt during the day to keep the sun off. It wasn’t very warm and it got so nasty after hiking in it all day, much less after 5 or 6 days, that I certainly didn’t want to wear it to bed at night. This necessitated carrying another shirt to wear in camp and to sleep in. Another shirt added weight I didn’t want to carry.
Enter Merino Wool. Merino wool has a very long and fine fiber. A long fiber results in fewer fiber ends for a given unit of fabric. It turns out that the fiber ends are what cause wool to feel itchy against the skin. Merino wool is naturally bactericidal and fungicidal (doesn’t stink and protects you from infection). My understanding is that this is somehow related to the wool’s property of having no liquid moisture on its surface. This property also keeps the wool from being damp, clammy and sticky against the skin. It also keeps the wool from flash cooling you when your activity level drops off like you experience when wearing cotton. Another advantage of Merino wool over synthetics is that it doesn’t melt or burn. This makes it suitable for high fire risk activities like flying or military operations.
The same features that make Merino wool the best choice for back country adventures make it a great choice for troubled times. Merino wool always feels good. It is a very comfortable fabric to wear against the skin. It is typically a very fine but open knit. When held up to the light you can see through it. This provides for good ventilation in warm weather. When I switched to a wool top for hiking I found that it was the only top I needed. I added a full length zipper to the front for maximum ventilation under heavy exertion when hiking away from the sun. When facing the sun it was easily zipped for sun protection or warmth when entering cool, shady, or windy areas. Wool doesn’t seem to get dirty. If you slop your dinner on your front you can just shake it and brush it off. It tends not to soak in. More absorbent finer woven fabrics get stained and dirty. It also helps that it generally comes in darker natural colors. I have worn a Merino wool top 24/7 for 6 days of strenuous hiking. It just doesn’t get stinky and foul like any other fabric. You can take a bath in a creek after 6 days of hard labor and when donning your Merino wool top it feels just as nice and cushy as when you put it on clean a week earlier. If you do decide to hand wash it it comes clean easily and dries reasonably fast. To speed things up I swing my socks or underwear around on the end of a string. At home I machine wash my Merino wool in cold water with the rest of my clothes. Just don’t put it in the dryer. And, lest I forget it is great for sleeping in. No need to bring another shirt.
Another issue is the message you sent by how you dress. Most Merino wool tops look a little dressier than athletic clothing. This could be an advantage when being approached by the authorities or if you need assistance.
Where can you get Merino wool? Smartwool and Icebreaker are major names. They make garments designed and cut for athletic activities. I have seen the tops for a modest $80! Also cycling shorts and tops are made from Merino wool. The performance of Merino wool has been well know to the professional cycling crowd for a long time. You can sometimes find Merino wool tops at Costco for $25 to $30. I just checked the Sierra Trading Post website and saw tops on sale in the $20 range. Where do I get Merino wool? I actually purchase Smartwool socks retail (retail, what a horrible word) form Sierra Trading Post. For tops, I shop at Savers. Savers is a chain of second hand clothing stores. They have 20 or 30 feet of rack space for sweaters. Once you know what you are looking for the Merino wool sweaters are easily found. They are typically finely woven, Italian made, in darker natural colors with a polo style button up neck and a collar. Occasionally the acrylics will fool you. Just check the label (it kills me when I see “100% virgin acrylic”). They have a distinctive symbol and say Woolmark and “100% fine Merino wool”. Savers color codes their tags so they can tell how long merchandise has been on the rack. Every week they put the next color tag on sale for 50% off. I move all the Merino wool to one spot on the rack and the day the new tag goes on sale I buy the half price ones for $3.50 to $4. The nice ones that are too big for me I give as gifts. The big ones I don’t give away I can make 2 or 3 sets of underwear out of. Yes, I wear Merino wool top and bottom.

For a bug-out-bag or for uncertain times Merino wool has a lot of advantages:

  • It is comfortable over a broader temperature range than any other fabric
  • If necessary it can go for long periods without being laundered and comes clean easily when washed – reduced laundering and minimizes need for extra clothing
  • Doesn’t support bacterial or fungal growth – stinky clothing and skin problems are two less things you need to deal with when trying to survive.

My bottom line advice: Pack and wear high performance minimum care Merino wool.

The Memsahib Comments: Wool has the distinct benefit over other fabrics of being warm even when wet. I once was out in the snow three hours but my feet stayed toasty warm in two layers of wool socks even though the socks were soaked through. Wool can be a life saver in foul weather and when there is risk of hypothermia. Thrift stores like Savers are a great place to find high quality clothes at great prices. Merino is the very finest and softest type of wool. Also note that most military surplus wool clothing uses low grade wool and is fairly itchy. If you’ve never worn wool, it is probably best to buy just one wool garment to start, to see if you are allergic–although most most people aren’t truly allergic but rather have just had the misfortune of  wearing a garment of poor quality wool. Oh, one word of warning don’t agitate your wool garments in warm and especially not hot water. And don’t tumble them in a hot drier. Wool felts with moisture, heat, and agitation.  And felting cannot be undone.

Sorting Out Fact from Fiction in the EMP Threat

There is a wide range of opinion on the potential implications of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)–either that generated by a terrorist nuke ground burst, or a nation-state’s high altitude air burst(s). I’m convinced that the threat is real. But don’t just take my word on it. Back in 2004, the U.S. Congress commissioned a study by a prestigious panel of scientists to investigate the potential implications of EMP. I suggest that you take time to read the Heritage Foundation’s summary, which followed the release of the EMP’s Commission’s report. (see: http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg1784.cfm).  And if you feel so inclined, go on to read the EMP Commission’s report–most of it is written in layman’s terms. The text of the report can be found here: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/congress/2004_r/04-07-22emp.pdf.  Warning: Reading this report has been known to cause rational people to buy large food storage supplies and a spare 4WD vehicle with a pre-electronic ignition system.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Note that mere ownership of a firearm does not render the owner armed any more than ownership of a guitar renders the owner a musician. The wild cry, “My life is in danger, give me a gun!” is the plaint of a fool. The time to acquire one’s weapons and learn how to use them is before the riots start, not afterwards."
– Col. Jeff Cooper