MAXIMUM BOB
A loyal minion suggested this article. How to downsize a bug out bag to the minimum. I’ve never been too keen on the BOB concept. Yes, you need one to escape. No telling what is going to happen. Katrina was a good example of needing one although the lesson was limited since you only needed hiking goods and then money ( or a vehicle BOB and then money ). None of the usual recommended camping gear would have done much good since once outside the immediate area you couldn’t use any of it. The modern survival gear ( money and ID ) was more of what you needed. But the reason a BOB seems limited in usefulness to me is that in general you either need almost nothing or you need far more than you can carry. I don’t see much of a middle ground.
*
The main thing you can do to downgrade your risk while emergency traveling is to take your vehicle out of the equation. In the winter, too many folks are assuming a toasty warm car with a short dash into a toasty warm building. Always assume you will have a vehicle breakdown ( or even no vehicle ) and always dress walking warm in the winter. Don’t just have the gear in your vehicle, wear it. If need be, get in the habit of not even using the heater ( if you need to keep the windshield defrosted at least crack the window ). Then when you do break down you are already dressed for success. You may not really think you have to worry about a blockade on the highway consisting of mutant zombie bikers that fire an RPG into your vehicle forcing you to jump out with no time to grab anything and make a mad dash into the woods, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared ( if you’re laughing you aren’t paranoid enough ). In the summer always carry water and a hat. Don’t assume you can drive to the next convenience store and buy an imported sparkling water from France ( which unbeknownst to you is next to a nuclear waste dump ). Always wear solid boots, not tennis shoes or loafers. If your job prevents you from wearing this kind of footwear ( and ladies, you can combine boots and feminine clothing if you adopt the Mod look-hmm, sexy ) than you are trapped in the big city and will shortly die in the ensuing conflagration.
*
After wearing proper clothing and footwear at all times and carrying at least a minimum of water there is going to be very little you should need for short term emergencies. Always have at least a pocket knife. That should be your everyday carry item along with keys and a wallet and a small Bic lighter. The small size since it wont disturb you being in your pocket and a Bic since it is far more reliable than generic brands. If you can’t carry a knife, you need to get another job or move to another state. Any entity that won’t even let you carry that pathetic of a weapon ( and it is really just a tool, a weapon is being generous ) does not need your presence. Separately, if you feel the need, have a small back pack. Reflector blanket, some black plastic garbage bags, a straw type water filter or some camping water purification tablets. A fixed blade knife and a knife sharpener. A fresnel lens. A few packets of Top Ramen to put something in your belly to keep your strength up and if any room left some more water. Since most of us are in poor shape you shouldn’t even try to carry more than that. You might be a super stud Uber-Ninja warrior and be able to carry far more but regular folks won’t. And even if you can carry far more you aren’t ensuring survival for much longer anyway. Three days verses, what, a week? Ten days?
*
If you need gear for more than a quick trip back home, or back to civilization ( for instance from the flood zone back to a functioning economy ) than you are screwed anyway. There is no way you can carry enough for any length of time. All these gear lists with so much gear are not realistic. You can’t carry enough to matter without most of that weight being food to give you strength to carry it all. Let’s say the jack booted thugs crash through your door at three AM and by some miracle you escape with your BOB. If you pack too much you will be slowed down and possibly captured. And even without pursuit you can’t pack enough to live out in the woods Red Dawn style. Remember, they had a big pick up to transfer their gear. If you are traveling you can only carry so much and if stranded you will either be too far away for any amount of gear to matter or you will be close enough make it with the minimal amount.
*
Weighed down with more gear than you are used to and you will take far longer to travel than if you had just packed light. If you are traveling by car you will have more gear and not have to lug it, but beyond water and a few extra days of food most of that gear is going to be for the survival of the vehicle rather than you ( with exceptions such as a van or truck with shell ). And keep in mind that no matter how elaborate your car BOB plans are, your gasoline supply and the crowded roads will probably void them. Traveling by plane and you are too far away to walk back no matter what you bring. BOB is just a false sense of security if you are thousands of miles away ( come on, figure the odds of a tropical island wreck ). These are just general guidelines of course. Your situation will vary. But I think a good plan will lean more towards a system of caches or avoiding being too far away from home rather than too elaborate of a BOB. You are not a super ripped SEAL able to carry half their weight in gear. You are an office cubical captain lucky to carry one tenth your weight. Plan your BOB realistically.
END
Thursdays Rawles article was excellent ( www.survivalblog.com ). A easy to follow outline of why our economy is going to implode.
If you want to be a nomad rather than a hermit ( the junk land and trailer route ) there is a bunch of info at http://vandweller.org/everythingiknow.htm
$40 last month on my Amazon commissions ( used to buy more research books ). Thanks to all who used my affiliate links. Google ad revenue doubled, so thanks to those readers that were interested enough to click on those ads. And my e-book revenue is staying steady at over $30 a month. Thanks to all the new book readers. If you want to support Bison ( your way of saying thanks and keep writing ) you can do it at no cost to yourself through Google. If you want to spend no extra, buy the Amazon books and gear you were going to get anyway ( available at my web site www.bisonpress.com ). If you are really feeling generous buy an e-book or donate through PayPal ( also at my web site ). I feel I am one of the most rewarded survival writers on the web. Thanks to everyone!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
pet food and alpo for brains
PET FOOD AND ALPO FOR BRAINS
Regular folks, when they want to do research, read and take notes. Myself, wishing to be contrary and do things different not because it makes sense but simply because it defies convention, I just go along and suck up information in an unorganized manner and then later try to remember where I read about something. It is kind of like the unorganized desk method of filing. Clean it up and you can’t find anything. Of course this doesn’t always work great. I can’t find the description in turning Berden primed ammunition into Boxer and that is quite disappointing. And I remember several articles on making your own pet food but when I try to find them again I just come up on a bunch of worthless nonsense. For every article telling you to do something, another contradicts it. And you have simply outrageous claims. My cat needs vegetables? When did that happen? Last I checked when a feline goes stalking in the garden it is after a rodent, not asparagus. How did Hippies figure out a healthy carnivore needs veggies?
*
About the only thing I came up with that didn’t have conflicting information was the ratio of meat to grain if you make your own pet food. Even that could be wrong, but it seems reasonable anyway. Dogs need 25% meat and cats need 50%. Take your cooked grain such as rice and add meat to it. Cats will need that ground up. This is about the only information I could find that wasn’t dangerous or contradictory. If anyone has a good source for more information, please share it. My plan is to use the cats as they should be, as hunters for anything trying to share my food storage. A few large bags of food should last a long time supplemented in such a manner. Dogs are a different matter, requiring a lot of food. But they are a much better alarm than any electronics. A few galvanized trash cans full of Old Roy is still a great investment. After that its going to have to be homemade. I’m really not passing along great information here so much as soliciting comments. Easy and/or cheap recipes would be welcome.
*
Now to the crap for brains section, more politely referred to as Alpo for brains. National Pravda Radio covered the local plan in Reno Nevada for college students to stay safe. This following a local student being abducted from student housing, raped and killed. Everyone is in a tizzy. Now for the stupid part. The intrepid leaders of the University came out with wallet size cards with a few tips on safety. Travel in groups. Lock your windows and doors. And they were offered a plastic whistle free of charge. Now, who are the idiots here? The school staff for coming up with something so obvious, or the students who were too stupid to already know that? The biggest component of college costs is salaries. These Alpo for brains are getting paid so much that college inflation is in double digits and this is the best they can do? The Nevada governor gets a wad in his panties about a budget shortage ( who could have thought the rise in property taxes wouldn’t last forever? ) and tells everyone to cut a few percentage points from the upcoming fiscal year. You would have thought college campuses left and right were closing down, the yells of anguish that ensued. How in the name of all that is good and just can we be expected to survive without salary increases, department growth and bigger stadiums? Yet they sure as heck aren’t getting a raise on merit if you judge from their lame ass safety guide.
*
Or is it that students are too stupid to grasp anything more than a few pleas for common sense? This they treat as divine wisdom from on high. Are they really so sheltered in their lives that they can’t figure out on their own how not to live in a crime ridden city? Did mommy and daddy protect them from reality for eighteen years, and now they expect the University to do the same for another four? Do we want our future leaders do be this stupid? I’m not trying to blame the victim here. I don’t know exactly what happened. She could have been stupid and left the door next to her bed unlocked. Or it could have been something outside her control. What I am questioning is the supposed “wisdom” that is being spouted after the attack. This is pudding head thinking at its finest. If the University is incapable of better, former students should sue for a tuition refund because they sure got a crappy education for their money. If the students are that stupid their parents should save their money and just ship the kid over to the middle east as cannon fodder.
END
www.bisonpress.com for books and gear
Regular folks, when they want to do research, read and take notes. Myself, wishing to be contrary and do things different not because it makes sense but simply because it defies convention, I just go along and suck up information in an unorganized manner and then later try to remember where I read about something. It is kind of like the unorganized desk method of filing. Clean it up and you can’t find anything. Of course this doesn’t always work great. I can’t find the description in turning Berden primed ammunition into Boxer and that is quite disappointing. And I remember several articles on making your own pet food but when I try to find them again I just come up on a bunch of worthless nonsense. For every article telling you to do something, another contradicts it. And you have simply outrageous claims. My cat needs vegetables? When did that happen? Last I checked when a feline goes stalking in the garden it is after a rodent, not asparagus. How did Hippies figure out a healthy carnivore needs veggies?
*
About the only thing I came up with that didn’t have conflicting information was the ratio of meat to grain if you make your own pet food. Even that could be wrong, but it seems reasonable anyway. Dogs need 25% meat and cats need 50%. Take your cooked grain such as rice and add meat to it. Cats will need that ground up. This is about the only information I could find that wasn’t dangerous or contradictory. If anyone has a good source for more information, please share it. My plan is to use the cats as they should be, as hunters for anything trying to share my food storage. A few large bags of food should last a long time supplemented in such a manner. Dogs are a different matter, requiring a lot of food. But they are a much better alarm than any electronics. A few galvanized trash cans full of Old Roy is still a great investment. After that its going to have to be homemade. I’m really not passing along great information here so much as soliciting comments. Easy and/or cheap recipes would be welcome.
*
Now to the crap for brains section, more politely referred to as Alpo for brains. National Pravda Radio covered the local plan in Reno Nevada for college students to stay safe. This following a local student being abducted from student housing, raped and killed. Everyone is in a tizzy. Now for the stupid part. The intrepid leaders of the University came out with wallet size cards with a few tips on safety. Travel in groups. Lock your windows and doors. And they were offered a plastic whistle free of charge. Now, who are the idiots here? The school staff for coming up with something so obvious, or the students who were too stupid to already know that? The biggest component of college costs is salaries. These Alpo for brains are getting paid so much that college inflation is in double digits and this is the best they can do? The Nevada governor gets a wad in his panties about a budget shortage ( who could have thought the rise in property taxes wouldn’t last forever? ) and tells everyone to cut a few percentage points from the upcoming fiscal year. You would have thought college campuses left and right were closing down, the yells of anguish that ensued. How in the name of all that is good and just can we be expected to survive without salary increases, department growth and bigger stadiums? Yet they sure as heck aren’t getting a raise on merit if you judge from their lame ass safety guide.
*
Or is it that students are too stupid to grasp anything more than a few pleas for common sense? This they treat as divine wisdom from on high. Are they really so sheltered in their lives that they can’t figure out on their own how not to live in a crime ridden city? Did mommy and daddy protect them from reality for eighteen years, and now they expect the University to do the same for another four? Do we want our future leaders do be this stupid? I’m not trying to blame the victim here. I don’t know exactly what happened. She could have been stupid and left the door next to her bed unlocked. Or it could have been something outside her control. What I am questioning is the supposed “wisdom” that is being spouted after the attack. This is pudding head thinking at its finest. If the University is incapable of better, former students should sue for a tuition refund because they sure got a crappy education for their money. If the students are that stupid their parents should save their money and just ship the kid over to the middle east as cannon fodder.
END
www.bisonpress.com for books and gear
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
shortages
SHORTAGES
It is quite evident that shortages are occurring. Every week it seems something is suddenly in short supply. Some things are easy to figure out on the surface. Heavier than expected snow storms use up supplies of road salt and ice melt so we run out. A sugar refinery fire causes a week or so of spot shortages on grocery store shelves. The housing boom combined with Chinese infrastructure booms cause a copper pipe shortage. A late night talk show host makes a joke and toilet paper is hard to find ( Johnny Carson in the seventies ). But there has to be more to it than Chinese competition or bad weather. It might be little more than a perception change due to increased reporting or extra paranoia, but to me it seems this short of thing is just happening too often.
*
What fundamental change is causing our supply system to stall? The just in time inventory system certainly doesn’t help small disruptions due to lack of stockpiles. The increased squeeze on truckers due to environmental considerations with the diesel fuel/engines, higher fuel prices and inventory delays doesn’t help. Could it finally be that the increased population is meeting with a decreasing oil supply coupled with a failing infrastructure to produce a system breakdown? If global Peak Oil did indeed occur in 2005 and we are just now feeling the effects of increased demand with limited supply ( remember, pricing out the Third World so their share of usage shrank bought us some time ) might that account for a start in many more shortages? If companies are unable to pass along price increases for a variety of reasons, might shortages occur when those companies decline to produce since it would lose them money? Plenty of price increases occur, just look at .308 ammunition. But there are plenty of instances of at least a decrease in the increase of prices due to competition. Might this simply be a credit problem ( with the current financial melt-down )? Or heavy inflation hidden from view?
*
Are some companies even able to produce if increased costs and even shortages on their part put a brake on output? The South African electricity shortages are causing platinum cost to skyrocket. For years now environmental constraints have caused certain activities to be halted altogether ( ore refining, logging ). It seems you have two systems of supply going on right now. One is rapid price increases to keep items on the shelf. Look at flour, sugar, copper pipe. Other supplies just don’t show up since a bottleneck occurs somewhere along the supply chain. Municipalities are going to pay whatever is needed to get salt for winter road conditions. Dairy farmers need some kind of feed even if it isn’t corn. But if there is none available, good luck getting it. It almost makes me wonder if we aren’t in a system wide failure. Is it going unreported that the credit collapse is affecting people up and down the supply chain and they are starting to experience problems buying on the usual 90 day accounts receivable? Without credit for every supplier or service provider our system simply can’t work. They need a cushion between paying and getting paid. Is it as simple as inflation being lied about, businesses trying to hold down price increases as long as possible, then when that is no longer possible a certain price jumps at a certain time causing chaos in the system?
*
Sorry, I only have questions instead of answers. What you need to know, if unknown shortages are going to continue being the norm, is that you need to try to anticipate future shortages. I’ve come up with a short incomplete list. Feel free to add to it. Ammunition will continue to be available but prices are increasing steadily. If for whatever reason, Hillary being elected, a national panic such as a city being nuked, the general public starts wanting more than one box of ammo per gun you can be assured of actual shortages. Which in turn will see reloading components increase in price or disappear. As corn is hard to procure since Bush The Monkey Boy has the hand of ADM up his butt controlling his actions and producing ethanol, expect sugar to increase in price or become scarce. If you can’t cheaply sweeten with corn syrup you will need sugar. Flour prices are of course insane. Bakeries will soon have to pass on increases to the consumer. They are no longer able to lock in cheap future supplies like they used to. Expect shortages as well as increased prices.
*
As oil increases in price you should expect a few things to reflect that more than usual. Insulation is number one. Buy it while the housing bubble is deflating and you can afford it. If oil jumps up everyone is going to want to insulate their gum and glue McMansions to save on fuel. Wood and wood pellets will jump in price and experience shortages. At the end even glass will experience the same as passive solar heating becomes all the rage ( there is historical precedence for all this in the 70’s as oil prices jumped to high levels ). To add to the list is going to hurt your brain ( it did mine so I stopped ). You must account for whatever uses commodities and oil, which means pretty much everything. And don’t forget service disruptions to come. Local governments get into trouble, lay off personnel, you get shoddy or no service or even strikes. Won’t service shortages be fun? Electricity, sewer, water, trash.
*
Got preps?
END
Got Bison Books? www.bisonpress.com
It is quite evident that shortages are occurring. Every week it seems something is suddenly in short supply. Some things are easy to figure out on the surface. Heavier than expected snow storms use up supplies of road salt and ice melt so we run out. A sugar refinery fire causes a week or so of spot shortages on grocery store shelves. The housing boom combined with Chinese infrastructure booms cause a copper pipe shortage. A late night talk show host makes a joke and toilet paper is hard to find ( Johnny Carson in the seventies ). But there has to be more to it than Chinese competition or bad weather. It might be little more than a perception change due to increased reporting or extra paranoia, but to me it seems this short of thing is just happening too often.
*
What fundamental change is causing our supply system to stall? The just in time inventory system certainly doesn’t help small disruptions due to lack of stockpiles. The increased squeeze on truckers due to environmental considerations with the diesel fuel/engines, higher fuel prices and inventory delays doesn’t help. Could it finally be that the increased population is meeting with a decreasing oil supply coupled with a failing infrastructure to produce a system breakdown? If global Peak Oil did indeed occur in 2005 and we are just now feeling the effects of increased demand with limited supply ( remember, pricing out the Third World so their share of usage shrank bought us some time ) might that account for a start in many more shortages? If companies are unable to pass along price increases for a variety of reasons, might shortages occur when those companies decline to produce since it would lose them money? Plenty of price increases occur, just look at .308 ammunition. But there are plenty of instances of at least a decrease in the increase of prices due to competition. Might this simply be a credit problem ( with the current financial melt-down )? Or heavy inflation hidden from view?
*
Are some companies even able to produce if increased costs and even shortages on their part put a brake on output? The South African electricity shortages are causing platinum cost to skyrocket. For years now environmental constraints have caused certain activities to be halted altogether ( ore refining, logging ). It seems you have two systems of supply going on right now. One is rapid price increases to keep items on the shelf. Look at flour, sugar, copper pipe. Other supplies just don’t show up since a bottleneck occurs somewhere along the supply chain. Municipalities are going to pay whatever is needed to get salt for winter road conditions. Dairy farmers need some kind of feed even if it isn’t corn. But if there is none available, good luck getting it. It almost makes me wonder if we aren’t in a system wide failure. Is it going unreported that the credit collapse is affecting people up and down the supply chain and they are starting to experience problems buying on the usual 90 day accounts receivable? Without credit for every supplier or service provider our system simply can’t work. They need a cushion between paying and getting paid. Is it as simple as inflation being lied about, businesses trying to hold down price increases as long as possible, then when that is no longer possible a certain price jumps at a certain time causing chaos in the system?
*
Sorry, I only have questions instead of answers. What you need to know, if unknown shortages are going to continue being the norm, is that you need to try to anticipate future shortages. I’ve come up with a short incomplete list. Feel free to add to it. Ammunition will continue to be available but prices are increasing steadily. If for whatever reason, Hillary being elected, a national panic such as a city being nuked, the general public starts wanting more than one box of ammo per gun you can be assured of actual shortages. Which in turn will see reloading components increase in price or disappear. As corn is hard to procure since Bush The Monkey Boy has the hand of ADM up his butt controlling his actions and producing ethanol, expect sugar to increase in price or become scarce. If you can’t cheaply sweeten with corn syrup you will need sugar. Flour prices are of course insane. Bakeries will soon have to pass on increases to the consumer. They are no longer able to lock in cheap future supplies like they used to. Expect shortages as well as increased prices.
*
As oil increases in price you should expect a few things to reflect that more than usual. Insulation is number one. Buy it while the housing bubble is deflating and you can afford it. If oil jumps up everyone is going to want to insulate their gum and glue McMansions to save on fuel. Wood and wood pellets will jump in price and experience shortages. At the end even glass will experience the same as passive solar heating becomes all the rage ( there is historical precedence for all this in the 70’s as oil prices jumped to high levels ). To add to the list is going to hurt your brain ( it did mine so I stopped ). You must account for whatever uses commodities and oil, which means pretty much everything. And don’t forget service disruptions to come. Local governments get into trouble, lay off personnel, you get shoddy or no service or even strikes. Won’t service shortages be fun? Electricity, sewer, water, trash.
*
Got preps?
END
Got Bison Books? www.bisonpress.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
debt monster
DEBT MONSTER
I’m not going to sit here and point fingers and make rude noises about some peoples choices of likely coming calamities. None of us can know for sure what really is going to happen in the future. At best you are guessing with a dash of education thrown in. Preparing for survival is a personal decision based on whatever you fear and wish to cope with. You see a potential problem and take steps to overcome it. That rates a pat on the back and an “atta-boy” even if someone else might disagree with whatever you are preparing for. That said, whenever I point out something you “need” to do, it should be understood that what I mean is you should do it if that particular disaster is something you are worried about. When I wail and scream that the sky is falling I am in effect preaching to the choir. If you don’t believe what I am screaming about is valid, just read and enjoy as entertainment.
*
For those of you preparing to shoot UN troops as they repel from back helicopters, this will not apply to you. If anything you will do exactly the opposite. You will secure all means of credit and max out your limit down at Billy Bob’s Trading Post And Emporium Of Defense and buy 7.62x39 by the tin can, MRE meals by the case, AK mags by the bakers dozen. You want as much firepower as possible to fight Canadian troops sent in by the Illuminati ( I know I am pretty worried about the several thousand troops Canada can spare-unless the Afghan contingent is called home and then all our fears will be realized and we might face a whole eight thousand of their light infantry ). For the rest of us concerned with other potential disasters, I present to you the problem of being in debt as our economy is sucked into a black hole of derivatives implosion.
*
Debt is thought to be perfectly normal by most of our society. It has been pounded into our head for generations that this is the only way to get the good life. The only way to beat inflation. The only way to be prepared for emergencies. I don’t fault anyone for getting into debt. It is easy, normal, expected and actually hard NOT to do anymore. But, like a reformed alcoholic that won’t let you rest until you denounce Demon Rum, I feel I must keep warning you to get rid of debt as soon as possible. If the economy is set to crash, it doesn’t matter if we see inflationary or deflationary times, being in debt is not where you want to be. This may seem counter-intuitive since the preached doctrine has always been to get into debt with a mortgage so you escape the pain of inflation ( at least as far as your shelter is concerned ).
*
Owning a home is not the assured path to combat inflation that it once was. Once upon a time you could get a fixed loan and lock in a low interest loan for thirty years and buy low before the next wave of immigrants moved in to the area and sell the place for retirement. That equation has changed. It’s hard to find a good area that is just starting to be developed. The good land has already been taken. Homes now cost far more than what your wages are. Back in the Alice In Wonderland days the husband worked a Union job and could afford the house payments. And real estate pretty much went up all the time. And we were one of the worlds leading oil producers. Now it takes two working to pay the home. The Union jobs are a thing of the past outside government service ( and that will change as finances deteriorate ). We still produce a lot of oil but we use a lot more than before so domestic production is meager. We went from a creditor to a debtor nation. Housing prices are no longer magically increasing. And don’t forget the general drop in quality with houses. In short, nothing is the same when it comes to homes. Now they are overpriced poorly built money sinks. They have turned from an investment to a consumable.
*
Cars are long shown to be a waste of money. Not only are you paying a current retiree when you buy a new car, you are supporting the tax man at a high rate. You drive off the lot to a 25% depreciation. Most loans start at five years and seven years is starting to become the norm. You are almost always showing a negative investment in one. They are a necessity if you commute to work and entire industries capitalize off of this fact and extract their pound of flesh. Credit cards are insane. Balances used to take twenty to thirty years to pay off with their high interest rates ( they still do, you just pay more of the minimum per month and interest increases are disguised as late fees etc. ). Using a credit card for emergencies carry a twenty to thirty percent penalty yearly. Stuffing cash under the mattress only carries a seven to ten percent penalty as inflation chips away its value.
*
As Congress has shown, the terms we pay for credit are subject to change at whim ( as in, whenever their re-election coffers get enough cash from the bankers ). It used to be that any interest paid on any loan was tax deductible ( a clear inducement to get us started using credit cards in the first place ). Then they changed that to only mortgage interest. A clear shot in the arm for the housing industry. Next, the bankruptcy laws were changed to make it much more difficult to declare and still remain in the middle class. I used the loophole when I could and wiped out my debts. I’ve never even opened a credit card solicitation since. Almost a year before the law was changed I urged you to declare ( my original Bison readers ). I’ll get back to that shortly, just beware that the terms can change again. It would not surprise me to see an actual return to penalties under the law for failing to pay your debt. Perhaps not debtors prison, but something close to it in practice.
*
Let’s say that you are still convinced being in debt is a good thing. You don’t want to pay increased apartment rent. You have a good job. Your commute is short, freeing up gas money you can use for groceries as food prices increase. A mortgage makes good sense. The seven percent interest on a twenty year loan is reasonable. But ask yourself, can you move if you need to? I think recent events has shown how a minor downturn can freeze you into place as the real estate market starts reversing. What if something did happen to your job? If the derivatives markets keep failing ( not guaranteed but seemingly highly likely ) your county, city, state government could be forced to drastically cut back. Civil servants and contractors alike will suffer. I can’t see the Federal government doing anything other than printing money, so we can assume for some time that job will be safe. But what if a disaster such as coastal flooding happens and you are stuck in your home? I am not saying a mortgage is not ideal for some, I’m just trying to make the point that we are no longer in a stable economy and you should think about the improbable. Hey, sorry, it’s your job to be the provider. Good times and bad. Sorry if Universe is not cooperating with safe stable times any longer.
*
If you decide that debt is a noose around your neck that will tighten in hard times to come, remember that no matter how painful it is to cut the dependency right now in the long run it will be worth it. A little pain now or a lot later. If being in debt is the way you want to live, more power to you. If you want out so you can free up your future, do some research and prepare to abandon your expensive material goods. After you get an idea what is going to be required, pay the attorney. It will be money well spent. All lawyers are bastards, but if you pay the right one the correct amount he will be your bastard. And screw the banks. They’ve been doing it to all of us for a very long time.
END
Amazon books, e-books, free books, prep gear, links to others www.bisonpress.com
I’m not going to sit here and point fingers and make rude noises about some peoples choices of likely coming calamities. None of us can know for sure what really is going to happen in the future. At best you are guessing with a dash of education thrown in. Preparing for survival is a personal decision based on whatever you fear and wish to cope with. You see a potential problem and take steps to overcome it. That rates a pat on the back and an “atta-boy” even if someone else might disagree with whatever you are preparing for. That said, whenever I point out something you “need” to do, it should be understood that what I mean is you should do it if that particular disaster is something you are worried about. When I wail and scream that the sky is falling I am in effect preaching to the choir. If you don’t believe what I am screaming about is valid, just read and enjoy as entertainment.
*
For those of you preparing to shoot UN troops as they repel from back helicopters, this will not apply to you. If anything you will do exactly the opposite. You will secure all means of credit and max out your limit down at Billy Bob’s Trading Post And Emporium Of Defense and buy 7.62x39 by the tin can, MRE meals by the case, AK mags by the bakers dozen. You want as much firepower as possible to fight Canadian troops sent in by the Illuminati ( I know I am pretty worried about the several thousand troops Canada can spare-unless the Afghan contingent is called home and then all our fears will be realized and we might face a whole eight thousand of their light infantry ). For the rest of us concerned with other potential disasters, I present to you the problem of being in debt as our economy is sucked into a black hole of derivatives implosion.
*
Debt is thought to be perfectly normal by most of our society. It has been pounded into our head for generations that this is the only way to get the good life. The only way to beat inflation. The only way to be prepared for emergencies. I don’t fault anyone for getting into debt. It is easy, normal, expected and actually hard NOT to do anymore. But, like a reformed alcoholic that won’t let you rest until you denounce Demon Rum, I feel I must keep warning you to get rid of debt as soon as possible. If the economy is set to crash, it doesn’t matter if we see inflationary or deflationary times, being in debt is not where you want to be. This may seem counter-intuitive since the preached doctrine has always been to get into debt with a mortgage so you escape the pain of inflation ( at least as far as your shelter is concerned ).
*
Owning a home is not the assured path to combat inflation that it once was. Once upon a time you could get a fixed loan and lock in a low interest loan for thirty years and buy low before the next wave of immigrants moved in to the area and sell the place for retirement. That equation has changed. It’s hard to find a good area that is just starting to be developed. The good land has already been taken. Homes now cost far more than what your wages are. Back in the Alice In Wonderland days the husband worked a Union job and could afford the house payments. And real estate pretty much went up all the time. And we were one of the worlds leading oil producers. Now it takes two working to pay the home. The Union jobs are a thing of the past outside government service ( and that will change as finances deteriorate ). We still produce a lot of oil but we use a lot more than before so domestic production is meager. We went from a creditor to a debtor nation. Housing prices are no longer magically increasing. And don’t forget the general drop in quality with houses. In short, nothing is the same when it comes to homes. Now they are overpriced poorly built money sinks. They have turned from an investment to a consumable.
*
Cars are long shown to be a waste of money. Not only are you paying a current retiree when you buy a new car, you are supporting the tax man at a high rate. You drive off the lot to a 25% depreciation. Most loans start at five years and seven years is starting to become the norm. You are almost always showing a negative investment in one. They are a necessity if you commute to work and entire industries capitalize off of this fact and extract their pound of flesh. Credit cards are insane. Balances used to take twenty to thirty years to pay off with their high interest rates ( they still do, you just pay more of the minimum per month and interest increases are disguised as late fees etc. ). Using a credit card for emergencies carry a twenty to thirty percent penalty yearly. Stuffing cash under the mattress only carries a seven to ten percent penalty as inflation chips away its value.
*
As Congress has shown, the terms we pay for credit are subject to change at whim ( as in, whenever their re-election coffers get enough cash from the bankers ). It used to be that any interest paid on any loan was tax deductible ( a clear inducement to get us started using credit cards in the first place ). Then they changed that to only mortgage interest. A clear shot in the arm for the housing industry. Next, the bankruptcy laws were changed to make it much more difficult to declare and still remain in the middle class. I used the loophole when I could and wiped out my debts. I’ve never even opened a credit card solicitation since. Almost a year before the law was changed I urged you to declare ( my original Bison readers ). I’ll get back to that shortly, just beware that the terms can change again. It would not surprise me to see an actual return to penalties under the law for failing to pay your debt. Perhaps not debtors prison, but something close to it in practice.
*
Let’s say that you are still convinced being in debt is a good thing. You don’t want to pay increased apartment rent. You have a good job. Your commute is short, freeing up gas money you can use for groceries as food prices increase. A mortgage makes good sense. The seven percent interest on a twenty year loan is reasonable. But ask yourself, can you move if you need to? I think recent events has shown how a minor downturn can freeze you into place as the real estate market starts reversing. What if something did happen to your job? If the derivatives markets keep failing ( not guaranteed but seemingly highly likely ) your county, city, state government could be forced to drastically cut back. Civil servants and contractors alike will suffer. I can’t see the Federal government doing anything other than printing money, so we can assume for some time that job will be safe. But what if a disaster such as coastal flooding happens and you are stuck in your home? I am not saying a mortgage is not ideal for some, I’m just trying to make the point that we are no longer in a stable economy and you should think about the improbable. Hey, sorry, it’s your job to be the provider. Good times and bad. Sorry if Universe is not cooperating with safe stable times any longer.
*
If you decide that debt is a noose around your neck that will tighten in hard times to come, remember that no matter how painful it is to cut the dependency right now in the long run it will be worth it. A little pain now or a lot later. If being in debt is the way you want to live, more power to you. If you want out so you can free up your future, do some research and prepare to abandon your expensive material goods. After you get an idea what is going to be required, pay the attorney. It will be money well spent. All lawyers are bastards, but if you pay the right one the correct amount he will be your bastard. And screw the banks. They’ve been doing it to all of us for a very long time.
END
Amazon books, e-books, free books, prep gear, links to others www.bisonpress.com
Monday, February 25, 2008
po boy's and business as usual
PO BOY’S AND BUSINESS AS USUAL
Or, if it wasn’t so long and I could have fit it on to one line, “the lowest common denominator economically and the most likely outcome is business as usual”. In other words, yet another reason why the cheapest way is the best. Even if you earn more than minimum wage, your lifestyle choices ( or more accurately that of your spouse ) will still place you in the lower cost of disaster preparations. And, all fear and paranoia aside, the most likely outcome in our lives is going to be a slow steady worsening rather than an overnight cataclysm of Biblical proportions ( please read further before vomiting blood in disbelief at this outrageous statement ). So it may not make a whole lot of sense to spend a whole lot of money on preps.
*
Let me take the last statement first ( the first one we have covered a few times already ). Yes, I think you should prepare for the worst possible scenario. I think a multi-year supply of food is a great idea. I think thousands of rounds of ammo is a bare minimum. I think you can never be too paranoid. HOWEVER. With that said, more than likely events will unfold slow enough that we will be able to adapt to changes, for the most part. We still need prep gear because there are plenty of disruptions that are almost guaranteed to occur. But you don’t need five to ten years of grains. It would be nice, because you never know about nuclear winter, Yellowstone eruptions or asteroid impacts. But in all probability this is not going to happen. You don’t need a year supply of freeze dried food per person, because more than likely you will be able to get some other kind of food ( I’m not saying you shouldn’t have a years supply, just that you don’t need every single food item on a regular menu ). Three hundred pounds of grain and a hundred of beans will keep you alive worst case but most likely you will be able to supplement that somehow ( hunting, trapping, trading with precious metals, gardening, selling your skills ).
*
I try to give you a look at all possible disruptions or calamities. You don’t need gapping holes in your prep plans. But just because something can happen doesn’t mean it will. I don’t think it is guaranteed the oceans will rise six feet, but even a small rise will decimate coastal areas ( mostly the economic effects of refugees ). But I don’t stay away from the coasts because of that. It is the over-population issue for me. And I won’t live in Wyoming. Not because of Yellowstone but because of high land prices and idiotic zoning ( for frugal living anyway ). If you took all disasters into account there would be no safe place to live. An asteroid can land anywhere. You need to look at the chances of an event occurring realistically. I don’t base my living location on the placement of nuclear missile silos. An ICBM attack could certainly happen. I just think the odds are pretty small.
*
A total collapse could happen. Yes, of course. Peak Oil most certainly is credible. I have several years of food in wheat put aside. I don’t think the worst will happen so I am in no hurry to make it a five year supply for a group. That will happen eventually just because I believe paranoia is healthy ( I try to eat a bowl every breakfast ). But looking at it logically I am in no hurry. The most likely catastrophe we should be concerned with is an economic collapse. A year or two of food makes sense because of coming crop failures, oil prices increasing, etc. But it won’t likely be stick figures in the streets dying before our eyes. Yes, I write about gardens being worthless in a total collapse scenario. In an economic Depression they will be priceless ( assuming adequate law and order to leave your crops intact other than from petty theft ). My choice to live in the desert without a garden means I accept the need to stockpile extra grain and have some silver for buying my food. If I thought total collapse was just around the corner I wouldn’t be so unconcerned.
*
Buying the minimum prep supplies will not guarantee your survival but in all probability it will be all you really need in most cases. Yes, you are rolling the dice. But life is about gambles. There are no rock solid guarantees. Even a quarter million bucks in a perfect retreat, freeze dried foods and an arsenal a Columbian drug lord would envy is not going to absolutely, positively insure you survive to enjoy great-grandchildren. I am not saying you shouldn’t do better than the bare minimum, just that economically speaking it might be all the survival insurance you need. Which brings up our other point. How much you are allowed to have.
*
I don’t care if you make sixty grand a year. Unless you are unmarried with no family obligations you are restrained on the amount you can spend for prep supplies. The spouse will, 95% of the time, see things differently than you on the need to stockpile Ark II for the coming floods. Minimal preps are all you might be allowed. Almost no spouse other than Sara Conner is going to allow ten grand in food supplies. It will be a lot easier to get permission for $150 per person for wheat. The most expensive war surplus bolt gun is cheaper than any semi-auto carbine and can be sold as a hunting gun ( for free-range chemical free meat ). No wife ( unless you get a bimbo whose brains are in her boobs ) is going to buy the argument you need an AK-47 for stalking Bambi. I am not saying you can’t or shouldn’t do better than the minimum. We are not all whipped and forced to do the bidding of consumer crazy spouses. But MOST of us are and must fight to get the minimum.
*
Minimum, frugal preps are not the answer for all of us. But they can be for most of us. Yuppie preps might be the perfect solution to an unsafe imperfect world, but they are not the answer for 99% of us. A Penthouse wife would be perfect ( assuming you could afford her and weren’t interested in much conversation past diet and plastic surgery ). Most of us settle for lumpy or plain. And they make better wives. They are real. They perform better with less maintenance or inputs. And you spend a lot less money. Just like an Enfield as opposed to an FN-FAL. You might strike it rich one day and so think you need a looker trophy wife for the cocktail circuit to come to impress business clients. You might be overwhelmed one day by biker zombie hoards and think you need a semi-auto battle rifle with lots of mags and ammo. But the chances are good that neither is going to happen. The minimum will do just fine.
END
If you still haven't got your junk land but don't like the selections at www.dirtcheapdirt.blogspot.com I have started another blog. This is the same but with a bit higher prices for a bigger selection. The old blog will stay at $1k maximum price or payments under $100 a month. The new one is priced at $1001-$2k or payments to $150. Go to www.sortacheapdirt.blogspot.com
All Jim, All The Time www.bisonpress.com
Or, if it wasn’t so long and I could have fit it on to one line, “the lowest common denominator economically and the most likely outcome is business as usual”. In other words, yet another reason why the cheapest way is the best. Even if you earn more than minimum wage, your lifestyle choices ( or more accurately that of your spouse ) will still place you in the lower cost of disaster preparations. And, all fear and paranoia aside, the most likely outcome in our lives is going to be a slow steady worsening rather than an overnight cataclysm of Biblical proportions ( please read further before vomiting blood in disbelief at this outrageous statement ). So it may not make a whole lot of sense to spend a whole lot of money on preps.
*
Let me take the last statement first ( the first one we have covered a few times already ). Yes, I think you should prepare for the worst possible scenario. I think a multi-year supply of food is a great idea. I think thousands of rounds of ammo is a bare minimum. I think you can never be too paranoid. HOWEVER. With that said, more than likely events will unfold slow enough that we will be able to adapt to changes, for the most part. We still need prep gear because there are plenty of disruptions that are almost guaranteed to occur. But you don’t need five to ten years of grains. It would be nice, because you never know about nuclear winter, Yellowstone eruptions or asteroid impacts. But in all probability this is not going to happen. You don’t need a year supply of freeze dried food per person, because more than likely you will be able to get some other kind of food ( I’m not saying you shouldn’t have a years supply, just that you don’t need every single food item on a regular menu ). Three hundred pounds of grain and a hundred of beans will keep you alive worst case but most likely you will be able to supplement that somehow ( hunting, trapping, trading with precious metals, gardening, selling your skills ).
*
I try to give you a look at all possible disruptions or calamities. You don’t need gapping holes in your prep plans. But just because something can happen doesn’t mean it will. I don’t think it is guaranteed the oceans will rise six feet, but even a small rise will decimate coastal areas ( mostly the economic effects of refugees ). But I don’t stay away from the coasts because of that. It is the over-population issue for me. And I won’t live in Wyoming. Not because of Yellowstone but because of high land prices and idiotic zoning ( for frugal living anyway ). If you took all disasters into account there would be no safe place to live. An asteroid can land anywhere. You need to look at the chances of an event occurring realistically. I don’t base my living location on the placement of nuclear missile silos. An ICBM attack could certainly happen. I just think the odds are pretty small.
*
A total collapse could happen. Yes, of course. Peak Oil most certainly is credible. I have several years of food in wheat put aside. I don’t think the worst will happen so I am in no hurry to make it a five year supply for a group. That will happen eventually just because I believe paranoia is healthy ( I try to eat a bowl every breakfast ). But looking at it logically I am in no hurry. The most likely catastrophe we should be concerned with is an economic collapse. A year or two of food makes sense because of coming crop failures, oil prices increasing, etc. But it won’t likely be stick figures in the streets dying before our eyes. Yes, I write about gardens being worthless in a total collapse scenario. In an economic Depression they will be priceless ( assuming adequate law and order to leave your crops intact other than from petty theft ). My choice to live in the desert without a garden means I accept the need to stockpile extra grain and have some silver for buying my food. If I thought total collapse was just around the corner I wouldn’t be so unconcerned.
*
Buying the minimum prep supplies will not guarantee your survival but in all probability it will be all you really need in most cases. Yes, you are rolling the dice. But life is about gambles. There are no rock solid guarantees. Even a quarter million bucks in a perfect retreat, freeze dried foods and an arsenal a Columbian drug lord would envy is not going to absolutely, positively insure you survive to enjoy great-grandchildren. I am not saying you shouldn’t do better than the bare minimum, just that economically speaking it might be all the survival insurance you need. Which brings up our other point. How much you are allowed to have.
*
I don’t care if you make sixty grand a year. Unless you are unmarried with no family obligations you are restrained on the amount you can spend for prep supplies. The spouse will, 95% of the time, see things differently than you on the need to stockpile Ark II for the coming floods. Minimal preps are all you might be allowed. Almost no spouse other than Sara Conner is going to allow ten grand in food supplies. It will be a lot easier to get permission for $150 per person for wheat. The most expensive war surplus bolt gun is cheaper than any semi-auto carbine and can be sold as a hunting gun ( for free-range chemical free meat ). No wife ( unless you get a bimbo whose brains are in her boobs ) is going to buy the argument you need an AK-47 for stalking Bambi. I am not saying you can’t or shouldn’t do better than the minimum. We are not all whipped and forced to do the bidding of consumer crazy spouses. But MOST of us are and must fight to get the minimum.
*
Minimum, frugal preps are not the answer for all of us. But they can be for most of us. Yuppie preps might be the perfect solution to an unsafe imperfect world, but they are not the answer for 99% of us. A Penthouse wife would be perfect ( assuming you could afford her and weren’t interested in much conversation past diet and plastic surgery ). Most of us settle for lumpy or plain. And they make better wives. They are real. They perform better with less maintenance or inputs. And you spend a lot less money. Just like an Enfield as opposed to an FN-FAL. You might strike it rich one day and so think you need a looker trophy wife for the cocktail circuit to come to impress business clients. You might be overwhelmed one day by biker zombie hoards and think you need a semi-auto battle rifle with lots of mags and ammo. But the chances are good that neither is going to happen. The minimum will do just fine.
END
If you still haven't got your junk land but don't like the selections at www.dirtcheapdirt.blogspot.com I have started another blog. This is the same but with a bit higher prices for a bigger selection. The old blog will stay at $1k maximum price or payments under $100 a month. The new one is priced at $1001-$2k or payments to $150. Go to www.sortacheapdirt.blogspot.com
All Jim, All The Time www.bisonpress.com
Sunday, February 24, 2008
guest article
GUEST ARTICLE
Random Survival Thoughts
We all seem to read the same blogs and magazines. What amazes me is the number of people that will read some blogs and turn to the comments section to start ripping the writer a new one. My understanding of blogs is that they are a free exchange of ideas. While Bison’s content is usually tilted toward the low key life style, Rawles tilts toward the high end yuppieish life style. Now to be honest with you I would rather have several AR-15s and AK-47s put back for use by the people that I think just might show up after TEOTWAWKI. However, since I work for a living and do not have a ton of extra cash I have put back a few Mosin-Nagant rifles. No, they are not the Enfield’s that Jim likes, but they work for me. I took his basic idea of a bolt action rifle and modified it to what works for me, based on my budget, cost and availability of ammo, and other factors. Why is it a bad thing to think for yourself and change ideas to help yourself?
Along those same lines, several times one of the blog authors or another has written an opinion that has drawn the wrath of readers in the comment section. The attacks are a lot of times personal too. Again, none of us are Survival Gods and all knowing. Ideas get tossed out for people to build on. Who gives a rat’s ass if a barrel stove system will last three years or thirty? The point is that it is an inexpensive way to heat a given area in the event you need to heat said given area.
Have you ever tried to plant a Three Sisters Garden? Mine was for crap, twice. In case you don’t know the Three Sisters were Corn, Beans, and Squash planted together in a hill. The source of the idea can from the Indians, feathers not dots. They would plant all three together. The corn grew and gave the beans a trellis to grow up. The large leaves of the squash helped keep the ground moisture in so everything grew better. It was suppose to be an easy way to grow stuff without a lot of labor and follow up. I planted several hills at my hunting cabin and the deer and rabbits ate them before they grew much at all. After a couple of years I gave up since I couldn’t protect them. I also tried planting carrots, radishes and a couple other root plants at the cabin. The radishes were the size of .22 slugs and that was all that grew. There is no non-labor intensive way to grew food at my cabin. Still, now I know.
Speaking of my cabin, or in survival speak, the retreat, I started to build my own survival book there. What we have done is cut out articles or ran copies, or printed them off the computer. Everything we have done is something we may wish to refresh our memory on in the event of TSHTF. Things like receipts for cooking over a fire, how to dress game, natural fishing lures. Even though we do all those things now, we may wish to teach them to others or just make sure we remember correctly later, and we won’t have a computer to do it with.
Several years ago I promised myself that I would learn several things. One area I was short on was wild foods. I knew two mushrooms that were safe to eat and that was all. I talked a friend and his very woods wise father into taking me with then ‘roon hunting one fall. I took a camera with me and took pictures of the safe to eat fungi that I was shown. I was able to use the photos to help me more than double the amount of mushrooms I am able to put on the table. My own photos were much better than the ones in guide books because they showed the area I was hunting in.
I have a good friend that has taught me a ton of survival items. He will not write them and post them for a lot of reasons. I never share his stuff unless he clears it first. What amazes me is that it is the little things that make some of the biggest differences. For years he never left a gun show without an empty ammo can or two. I had all I wanted and thought he was just weird. As I got more involved in squaring away my survival supplies I found I needed tons of ammo cans. They store so much stuff beside ammo. By the time I got around to bringing ammo cans home from every show they had doubled in price. What used to be two for $5 were now two for $10. Stuff ain’t getting any cheaper guys.
A while back I wrote a guest article for Bison and several people jumped all over it as something from Jim. No, I wrote it. When I write an article on survival I use the name Wolverine because I live in the Wolverine State, Michigan for those of you anonymous guys. I also write free lance magazine articles on several other subjects and publish under my real name. I try to toss out ideas and information that I hope people can use. Some of it I have tried and some I have only “thunk on”.
One anonymous fellow wrote that reading what I shared was a waste of time. Well, fellow I will tell you what. I am taking a break from writing survival thoughts. Understand this though. I had the wherefore to take my time to write stuff out. I signed it with my name de plume and sent it out. (Understand, Rawles, Rangerman, Viking, The Other Ryan, Jim Dakin, and several other all know my real name. If I screw it up they will write me direct and crew me out. None have yet.) Since my stuff is a waste of your time, I will wait for you to strap on a pair of balls and write something for me to learn from. Oh, and if I write something in the comments section I will sign my freakin’ name so you know who wrote. I refuse to hide, but then I tend to be a bit more self-assured than most.
Wolverine, out.
Random Survival Thoughts
We all seem to read the same blogs and magazines. What amazes me is the number of people that will read some blogs and turn to the comments section to start ripping the writer a new one. My understanding of blogs is that they are a free exchange of ideas. While Bison’s content is usually tilted toward the low key life style, Rawles tilts toward the high end yuppieish life style. Now to be honest with you I would rather have several AR-15s and AK-47s put back for use by the people that I think just might show up after TEOTWAWKI. However, since I work for a living and do not have a ton of extra cash I have put back a few Mosin-Nagant rifles. No, they are not the Enfield’s that Jim likes, but they work for me. I took his basic idea of a bolt action rifle and modified it to what works for me, based on my budget, cost and availability of ammo, and other factors. Why is it a bad thing to think for yourself and change ideas to help yourself?
Along those same lines, several times one of the blog authors or another has written an opinion that has drawn the wrath of readers in the comment section. The attacks are a lot of times personal too. Again, none of us are Survival Gods and all knowing. Ideas get tossed out for people to build on. Who gives a rat’s ass if a barrel stove system will last three years or thirty? The point is that it is an inexpensive way to heat a given area in the event you need to heat said given area.
Have you ever tried to plant a Three Sisters Garden? Mine was for crap, twice. In case you don’t know the Three Sisters were Corn, Beans, and Squash planted together in a hill. The source of the idea can from the Indians, feathers not dots. They would plant all three together. The corn grew and gave the beans a trellis to grow up. The large leaves of the squash helped keep the ground moisture in so everything grew better. It was suppose to be an easy way to grow stuff without a lot of labor and follow up. I planted several hills at my hunting cabin and the deer and rabbits ate them before they grew much at all. After a couple of years I gave up since I couldn’t protect them. I also tried planting carrots, radishes and a couple other root plants at the cabin. The radishes were the size of .22 slugs and that was all that grew. There is no non-labor intensive way to grew food at my cabin. Still, now I know.
Speaking of my cabin, or in survival speak, the retreat, I started to build my own survival book there. What we have done is cut out articles or ran copies, or printed them off the computer. Everything we have done is something we may wish to refresh our memory on in the event of TSHTF. Things like receipts for cooking over a fire, how to dress game, natural fishing lures. Even though we do all those things now, we may wish to teach them to others or just make sure we remember correctly later, and we won’t have a computer to do it with.
Several years ago I promised myself that I would learn several things. One area I was short on was wild foods. I knew two mushrooms that were safe to eat and that was all. I talked a friend and his very woods wise father into taking me with then ‘roon hunting one fall. I took a camera with me and took pictures of the safe to eat fungi that I was shown. I was able to use the photos to help me more than double the amount of mushrooms I am able to put on the table. My own photos were much better than the ones in guide books because they showed the area I was hunting in.
I have a good friend that has taught me a ton of survival items. He will not write them and post them for a lot of reasons. I never share his stuff unless he clears it first. What amazes me is that it is the little things that make some of the biggest differences. For years he never left a gun show without an empty ammo can or two. I had all I wanted and thought he was just weird. As I got more involved in squaring away my survival supplies I found I needed tons of ammo cans. They store so much stuff beside ammo. By the time I got around to bringing ammo cans home from every show they had doubled in price. What used to be two for $5 were now two for $10. Stuff ain’t getting any cheaper guys.
A while back I wrote a guest article for Bison and several people jumped all over it as something from Jim. No, I wrote it. When I write an article on survival I use the name Wolverine because I live in the Wolverine State, Michigan for those of you anonymous guys. I also write free lance magazine articles on several other subjects and publish under my real name. I try to toss out ideas and information that I hope people can use. Some of it I have tried and some I have only “thunk on”.
One anonymous fellow wrote that reading what I shared was a waste of time. Well, fellow I will tell you what. I am taking a break from writing survival thoughts. Understand this though. I had the wherefore to take my time to write stuff out. I signed it with my name de plume and sent it out. (Understand, Rawles, Rangerman, Viking, The Other Ryan, Jim Dakin, and several other all know my real name. If I screw it up they will write me direct and crew me out. None have yet.) Since my stuff is a waste of your time, I will wait for you to strap on a pair of balls and write something for me to learn from. Oh, and if I write something in the comments section I will sign my freakin’ name so you know who wrote. I refuse to hide, but then I tend to be a bit more self-assured than most.
Wolverine, out.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
minimalism
MINIMALISM
The other day Creekmore ( www.thesurvivalistblog.blogspot.com ) had a great article on a budget arsenal. A Russian bolt gun, a single shot shotgun and a used police revolver would only set you back about $350. This is for enough guns to fit almost all of your needs ( the 80/20 rule ). This is about as cheap as you can possible get trying to prepare for the Apocalypse and as a bonus the ammunition is also some of the cheapest available. Then people started commenting. I didn’t have time to read all of them, just the ones posted as articles the next day. I understand that everyone meant well. They saw a great idea and wanted to improve on that. Nothing wrong with that. That is why I liked the article on the improved tuna can heater- it took a good idea and evolved it to the pinnacle of perfection. Unfortunately this idea can’t really be improved on. Yes, perhaps you could take the Russian revolver that uses moon clips on .45 ammo-or something along those lines ( are they even still available? ) and save a hundred bucks. I don’t know. Creekmore knows much more about guns than I do so I’m going to just assume he is listing the cheapest quality pistol available ( or would that make another article? Hint, hint ).
*
So, if he has listed the cheapest arsenal, what makes anyone assume they are improving things? Yes, it will improve the rifle to add a composite stock and scope. Yes, you can get a pump shotgun for $180. But that misses the point. The article was a budget arsenal. Not the next best arsenal for a bit more money. You can always improve things by throwing money at it. If a semi-auto carbine is better than a thirty caliber bolt gun, then logically you can say for just a little more money a 30 caliber battle rifle is even better. You could go from $100 to only $200 and then only $500. People, you can’t think this way. You need to approach all survival preparations ( and living expenses for that matter ) in a minimalist mindset. How can I perform a function as cheap as possible without sacrificing performance? You need to be constantly downsizing your needs, not trying to upgrade them.
*
Our entire lives we are pressured to upgrade. Do better in school to get a better job to attract a better wife to have better kids who will get better jobs to allow you a better retirement. There is nothing wrong with wanting and working for better. The problem is when you can’t match your wants with your means. You may want a better gun but since you insisted on a better wife she won’t let you trade her better haircuts for your better gun. If you want a gun at all you had better be happy with the cheapest you can get. Yes, a scope on it is great, especially for the older guys with worse eyesight. Worry about that later, if at all. Yes, an all wheat diet is less desirable than one with more protein in it. But if your budget only allows for a minimum amount devoted to food it is better to get the basics first and then upgrade ( and that in turn ties in with the Friday article at www.survivalblog.com about a “come as you are” collapse- you won’t have time for last minute shopping so you better have what you need NOW ).
*
A travel trailer is less than ideal to live in. Far better a shack with great insulation, southern exposure, a cast iron stove. If all you can afford is a trailer, at least you already have shelter available. You can upgrade later, if there is still time. How much time do you think is left? The derivatives market is failing fast enough that the economy is headed downhill. Do you think your employer is going to give you any warning before layoffs begin? And then, do you think any replacement jobs at your current pay are going to be available? Of course not. You need to procure all of your needs now. And that means doing with the minimal tools you can get away with. The cheapest guns, the cheapest ammo ( within reason of course, a .22 has far less use ) the most basic foods ( grains, and if lucky beans ). Just like land, you can wait around for the best, or at least better, and then keep on waiting as the economy implodes and you are left with no land at all. Minimal can always be upgraded. It’s kind of hard to upgrade from nothing without any resources. And no resources is where we are headed.
*
You can go to extremes here. I wont upgrade to broadband, and it is available for another ten bucks ( the “free” broadband at the park is next to worthless ). I wont buy better beef even if it is only another buck a pound. I can afford these things, but I try to minimize all my expenses. For me it is a lifestyle choice. All you need to do is play that game for a little while until you have some good prep items. If we end up with plenty of more time, upgrade them. But get the very basic stuff now. Don’t fall for the “just a bit better for a little more money” mindset until the basics are secure.
END
Rawles has had some really good articles lately. He was just talking about generic HK91’s ( it’s nice to dream ). And Friday had a great article on survival chickens. That was an angle I had not considered.
www.shtfblog.com had a wonderful article on rooftop urban survival living. You need to check it out.
Sunday we have another guest article.
Buy my crap at www.bisonpress.com
The other day Creekmore ( www.thesurvivalistblog.blogspot.com ) had a great article on a budget arsenal. A Russian bolt gun, a single shot shotgun and a used police revolver would only set you back about $350. This is for enough guns to fit almost all of your needs ( the 80/20 rule ). This is about as cheap as you can possible get trying to prepare for the Apocalypse and as a bonus the ammunition is also some of the cheapest available. Then people started commenting. I didn’t have time to read all of them, just the ones posted as articles the next day. I understand that everyone meant well. They saw a great idea and wanted to improve on that. Nothing wrong with that. That is why I liked the article on the improved tuna can heater- it took a good idea and evolved it to the pinnacle of perfection. Unfortunately this idea can’t really be improved on. Yes, perhaps you could take the Russian revolver that uses moon clips on .45 ammo-or something along those lines ( are they even still available? ) and save a hundred bucks. I don’t know. Creekmore knows much more about guns than I do so I’m going to just assume he is listing the cheapest quality pistol available ( or would that make another article? Hint, hint ).
*
So, if he has listed the cheapest arsenal, what makes anyone assume they are improving things? Yes, it will improve the rifle to add a composite stock and scope. Yes, you can get a pump shotgun for $180. But that misses the point. The article was a budget arsenal. Not the next best arsenal for a bit more money. You can always improve things by throwing money at it. If a semi-auto carbine is better than a thirty caliber bolt gun, then logically you can say for just a little more money a 30 caliber battle rifle is even better. You could go from $100 to only $200 and then only $500. People, you can’t think this way. You need to approach all survival preparations ( and living expenses for that matter ) in a minimalist mindset. How can I perform a function as cheap as possible without sacrificing performance? You need to be constantly downsizing your needs, not trying to upgrade them.
*
Our entire lives we are pressured to upgrade. Do better in school to get a better job to attract a better wife to have better kids who will get better jobs to allow you a better retirement. There is nothing wrong with wanting and working for better. The problem is when you can’t match your wants with your means. You may want a better gun but since you insisted on a better wife she won’t let you trade her better haircuts for your better gun. If you want a gun at all you had better be happy with the cheapest you can get. Yes, a scope on it is great, especially for the older guys with worse eyesight. Worry about that later, if at all. Yes, an all wheat diet is less desirable than one with more protein in it. But if your budget only allows for a minimum amount devoted to food it is better to get the basics first and then upgrade ( and that in turn ties in with the Friday article at www.survivalblog.com about a “come as you are” collapse- you won’t have time for last minute shopping so you better have what you need NOW ).
*
A travel trailer is less than ideal to live in. Far better a shack with great insulation, southern exposure, a cast iron stove. If all you can afford is a trailer, at least you already have shelter available. You can upgrade later, if there is still time. How much time do you think is left? The derivatives market is failing fast enough that the economy is headed downhill. Do you think your employer is going to give you any warning before layoffs begin? And then, do you think any replacement jobs at your current pay are going to be available? Of course not. You need to procure all of your needs now. And that means doing with the minimal tools you can get away with. The cheapest guns, the cheapest ammo ( within reason of course, a .22 has far less use ) the most basic foods ( grains, and if lucky beans ). Just like land, you can wait around for the best, or at least better, and then keep on waiting as the economy implodes and you are left with no land at all. Minimal can always be upgraded. It’s kind of hard to upgrade from nothing without any resources. And no resources is where we are headed.
*
You can go to extremes here. I wont upgrade to broadband, and it is available for another ten bucks ( the “free” broadband at the park is next to worthless ). I wont buy better beef even if it is only another buck a pound. I can afford these things, but I try to minimize all my expenses. For me it is a lifestyle choice. All you need to do is play that game for a little while until you have some good prep items. If we end up with plenty of more time, upgrade them. But get the very basic stuff now. Don’t fall for the “just a bit better for a little more money” mindset until the basics are secure.
END
Rawles has had some really good articles lately. He was just talking about generic HK91’s ( it’s nice to dream ). And Friday had a great article on survival chickens. That was an angle I had not considered.
www.shtfblog.com had a wonderful article on rooftop urban survival living. You need to check it out.
Sunday we have another guest article.
Buy my crap at www.bisonpress.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
serf and turf
SERF AND TURF
Let’s say that society as a whole is a machine. Whether it is an engine out of a Ferrari or an old 18th century steam engine barely producing power doesn’t matter. The owner of that machine is the government. The people in government, as a whole ( the exceptions merely prove the rule ), look upon the machine as theirs. They are superior, therefore they are destined by God or the natural order of things to rule, own, use the machine as they see fit. They oil it on a regular basis only because they wish to see it continue to run. They know from their teachings that a replacement machine is hard to get, like trying to get a doohicky for your 1975 Honda motorcycle. It has to be special ordered from a sub-contractor working out of India or Bangladesh using recycled oil tanker metal and it takes awhile to ship over from the orient. So the machine gets regular maintenance. In good times regular oil is used. The spare parts are installed on schedule before they actually break. In down times, after the machines owners went on one too many benders, after they needed to borrow money to pay for another orgy, after the owners son or grandson stopped working any job and just hung around the house and watched MTV and kept dialing 900 numbers for phone sex, maintenance begins to suffer. A cheaper grade of oil is used, there is a longer period of time between parts replacement. And then when it breaks the owner kicks and yells at the machine for breaking.
*
Remember, society is the machine. The machine does not think like the owner. The machine thinks that the owner loves the machine. The machine does not think it can survive without the owner being there to oil it ( few think to sell the power produced and pay a mechanic to oil it and thus have no need for an owner ). When the machine gets oil it gets all grateful. If irregular oil is used or if parts are not maintained, rather than get rid any owner at all, the machine just wants to get a new owner. Government thinks people are machines to be exploited and citizens think they need government to keep the machinery running.
*
Like almost all civilizations throughout history ( in some periods China and Peru being good exceptions ) the Romans allowed greed and the pressure of population growth to dictate the treatment of soil fertility. As in, cash crops were encouraged rather than proper soil husbandry. And it wasn’t like they didn’t know any better. Popular writings warned of the imperative of proper soil since the beginning of the Republic ( just as we did extensive global studies on soil lose after the Dust Bowl and then ignored them for profit ). After a long period of time soil had become so depleted of nutrients that grain supplies could not keep up with demand ( sort of like now, eh? ). This was of course not the only reason that Rome fell, but it did play a big part ( just as debt, Peak Oil, inflation, global warming, greed, endless war, etc all converge to destroy us now ). At the end only Egypt was a consistent bulk supplier and that only because the Nile supplied fresh nutrients every year to the soil ( but never fear, stupidity always rules in the end and the Egyptians built a dam to end seven thousand years of fertile soil ).
*
So what did the Romans do to help combat the decline of crop production? Keep Senators from owning large estates growing cash crops? Don’t be silly. In the end it was mandated by law that farmers could not leave their land. And their sons were bound to it also. The soil could not feed the farmer, or the Empire, but government mandate could change reality. Thus, serfdom was born. You thought it was a bunch of stuffy English and French guys who didn’t want to give up control of their machines. Rome perfected the idea, Europe just had it around a lot longer. Government has always lived in an Alice In Wonderland world, but the citizens are no better at rational thinking.
*
So now you are wondering why I even bring this up. Surely you can already see the parallels between then and now. The farmer was tied to his land. We are tied to our jobs and our houses. The economic machine that uses us for profit ( I blame government, but understand that business, banks and government are intertwined and really one unit ) cannot allow that to end. You can follow the long and sad history of the erosion of our freedom, economic freedom anyway. We are still mostly free to say what we want ( ending soon of course ). We can still mostly own any weapon we want ( within reason and with lots of bribe money ) although that too will one day end. Despite all the early warning systems as the canary chokes in the coal mine, by and large we still have a lot of personal freedom, as long as it does not threaten the economic machine. I would argue that we have less economic freedom than any other. Yes, they backed down after public ridicule, but don’t think it is any accident that kids are arrested for a lemonade stand businesses. Without permission from the master you are not allowed to engage in any economic threatening activity. Most places even charge more in a garage sale permit than what sales tax on the items would bring. And any city not charging that most likely sees plenty in property tax where the event is held and from the gas used to get to the sale.
*
Zoning is all about economic control and profit. There will always be exceptions to adventuresome souls bucking the trend but by and large it is nearly impossible to live free and cheap. Or without a tax paying job ( welfare is okay since it is paid for with taxes and the people live in the regular economy, being good little consumers ). The economics of most areas is that you need a lot of money to conform to what is allowed for housing. This keeps us under control, and provides lots of profit. A neat scheme. But now that most of us are under their control economically, the scene is set for more overt, ominous controls in the future. It won’t be soil infertility this time ( as long as there is oil ). It will be keeping us chained to a paycheck and debt payments. The near impossibility of bankruptcy ( for middle classers, frugals can still easily use this out ) was just the start. What do you want to bet soon it will be illegal to send Jingle Mail? You might get a forty year loan from a government backed agency at a lower payment ( monthly, far more total ) if you are lucky.
*
They can do all kinds of things to squeeze you. You might be forced to take in your aging parents, whether you want to or not. They might lose their Social Security otherwise. You’ll get a small tax credit, not that the medical costs you incur will be worth it. But look to see zoning considerations on public benefits. Right now, off the grid? Try getting food stamps or such for the kids. You might even lose custody since the children “are being deprived” without grid power. You are endangering them. Want to bet that won’t happen when you take in your parents? The welfare always comes with strings attached. And you don’t even need to get benefits. Look at the coming control of livestock. You won’t be able to afford to raise legal chickens. You must dine at Tyson’s table. You will remain chained to the corporate profit machine, like it or not. Not as cruel as being chained to land that can’t feed you. Just a thousand small cuts. Enjoy.
END
Thursday morning Wells, Nevada had a 6.0 earthquake. I felt the trailer roll about some time after 6 this morning but as I was only on my second cup of coffee thought little of it. I later heard about the quake on the radio ( had an “ohhhh…yea! Moment ). I am about 300 miles from that area as the crow flies. Another good reason to be in a trailer. They suck in tornado country, are pretty nice when the ground starts shaking. You just roll with the punches. I’ve been woken in the middle of the night by quakes and just go back to sleep. Nothing to fall in on me, I just slide around a bit.
Go buy something at www.bisonpress.com . My cats don’t eat Wal-Mart brand food.
Let’s say that society as a whole is a machine. Whether it is an engine out of a Ferrari or an old 18th century steam engine barely producing power doesn’t matter. The owner of that machine is the government. The people in government, as a whole ( the exceptions merely prove the rule ), look upon the machine as theirs. They are superior, therefore they are destined by God or the natural order of things to rule, own, use the machine as they see fit. They oil it on a regular basis only because they wish to see it continue to run. They know from their teachings that a replacement machine is hard to get, like trying to get a doohicky for your 1975 Honda motorcycle. It has to be special ordered from a sub-contractor working out of India or Bangladesh using recycled oil tanker metal and it takes awhile to ship over from the orient. So the machine gets regular maintenance. In good times regular oil is used. The spare parts are installed on schedule before they actually break. In down times, after the machines owners went on one too many benders, after they needed to borrow money to pay for another orgy, after the owners son or grandson stopped working any job and just hung around the house and watched MTV and kept dialing 900 numbers for phone sex, maintenance begins to suffer. A cheaper grade of oil is used, there is a longer period of time between parts replacement. And then when it breaks the owner kicks and yells at the machine for breaking.
*
Remember, society is the machine. The machine does not think like the owner. The machine thinks that the owner loves the machine. The machine does not think it can survive without the owner being there to oil it ( few think to sell the power produced and pay a mechanic to oil it and thus have no need for an owner ). When the machine gets oil it gets all grateful. If irregular oil is used or if parts are not maintained, rather than get rid any owner at all, the machine just wants to get a new owner. Government thinks people are machines to be exploited and citizens think they need government to keep the machinery running.
*
Like almost all civilizations throughout history ( in some periods China and Peru being good exceptions ) the Romans allowed greed and the pressure of population growth to dictate the treatment of soil fertility. As in, cash crops were encouraged rather than proper soil husbandry. And it wasn’t like they didn’t know any better. Popular writings warned of the imperative of proper soil since the beginning of the Republic ( just as we did extensive global studies on soil lose after the Dust Bowl and then ignored them for profit ). After a long period of time soil had become so depleted of nutrients that grain supplies could not keep up with demand ( sort of like now, eh? ). This was of course not the only reason that Rome fell, but it did play a big part ( just as debt, Peak Oil, inflation, global warming, greed, endless war, etc all converge to destroy us now ). At the end only Egypt was a consistent bulk supplier and that only because the Nile supplied fresh nutrients every year to the soil ( but never fear, stupidity always rules in the end and the Egyptians built a dam to end seven thousand years of fertile soil ).
*
So what did the Romans do to help combat the decline of crop production? Keep Senators from owning large estates growing cash crops? Don’t be silly. In the end it was mandated by law that farmers could not leave their land. And their sons were bound to it also. The soil could not feed the farmer, or the Empire, but government mandate could change reality. Thus, serfdom was born. You thought it was a bunch of stuffy English and French guys who didn’t want to give up control of their machines. Rome perfected the idea, Europe just had it around a lot longer. Government has always lived in an Alice In Wonderland world, but the citizens are no better at rational thinking.
*
So now you are wondering why I even bring this up. Surely you can already see the parallels between then and now. The farmer was tied to his land. We are tied to our jobs and our houses. The economic machine that uses us for profit ( I blame government, but understand that business, banks and government are intertwined and really one unit ) cannot allow that to end. You can follow the long and sad history of the erosion of our freedom, economic freedom anyway. We are still mostly free to say what we want ( ending soon of course ). We can still mostly own any weapon we want ( within reason and with lots of bribe money ) although that too will one day end. Despite all the early warning systems as the canary chokes in the coal mine, by and large we still have a lot of personal freedom, as long as it does not threaten the economic machine. I would argue that we have less economic freedom than any other. Yes, they backed down after public ridicule, but don’t think it is any accident that kids are arrested for a lemonade stand businesses. Without permission from the master you are not allowed to engage in any economic threatening activity. Most places even charge more in a garage sale permit than what sales tax on the items would bring. And any city not charging that most likely sees plenty in property tax where the event is held and from the gas used to get to the sale.
*
Zoning is all about economic control and profit. There will always be exceptions to adventuresome souls bucking the trend but by and large it is nearly impossible to live free and cheap. Or without a tax paying job ( welfare is okay since it is paid for with taxes and the people live in the regular economy, being good little consumers ). The economics of most areas is that you need a lot of money to conform to what is allowed for housing. This keeps us under control, and provides lots of profit. A neat scheme. But now that most of us are under their control economically, the scene is set for more overt, ominous controls in the future. It won’t be soil infertility this time ( as long as there is oil ). It will be keeping us chained to a paycheck and debt payments. The near impossibility of bankruptcy ( for middle classers, frugals can still easily use this out ) was just the start. What do you want to bet soon it will be illegal to send Jingle Mail? You might get a forty year loan from a government backed agency at a lower payment ( monthly, far more total ) if you are lucky.
*
They can do all kinds of things to squeeze you. You might be forced to take in your aging parents, whether you want to or not. They might lose their Social Security otherwise. You’ll get a small tax credit, not that the medical costs you incur will be worth it. But look to see zoning considerations on public benefits. Right now, off the grid? Try getting food stamps or such for the kids. You might even lose custody since the children “are being deprived” without grid power. You are endangering them. Want to bet that won’t happen when you take in your parents? The welfare always comes with strings attached. And you don’t even need to get benefits. Look at the coming control of livestock. You won’t be able to afford to raise legal chickens. You must dine at Tyson’s table. You will remain chained to the corporate profit machine, like it or not. Not as cruel as being chained to land that can’t feed you. Just a thousand small cuts. Enjoy.
END
Thursday morning Wells, Nevada had a 6.0 earthquake. I felt the trailer roll about some time after 6 this morning but as I was only on my second cup of coffee thought little of it. I later heard about the quake on the radio ( had an “ohhhh…yea! Moment ). I am about 300 miles from that area as the crow flies. Another good reason to be in a trailer. They suck in tornado country, are pretty nice when the ground starts shaking. You just roll with the punches. I’ve been woken in the middle of the night by quakes and just go back to sleep. Nothing to fall in on me, I just slide around a bit.
Go buy something at www.bisonpress.com . My cats don’t eat Wal-Mart brand food.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
economic storms and ice ages
ECONOMIC STORMS AND ICE AGES
Before we start today, apologies to the guys at www.tslrf.blogspot.com if I offended. No disrespect was intended the other day. The joker reference was supposed to mean wild card. Okay, enough boot licking. Down to business. Weekly we hear hysterical reports from the trenches as the US economy implodes. The latest was municipal bond insurers and their troubles, necessitating cities getting financed at much higher rates. In some instances going from around seven percent to upwards of twenty. Ha, ha! Serves the suckers right for building sports stadiums to enrich former slum dwellers with athletic ability and team owners that refuse to build with their own money. Then, as tax receipts fall since the housing market is being sucked into a black hole the cities are strapped for cash at the same time their interest payments increase. Are you on a state pension? Be afraid. This will also be the perfect excuse for the Feds to tighten control over local law enforcement by offering free money. Heck, they can print all they want.
*
The sad thing is we can only look on and hope like hell this will be just another LTCM bank failure where a bailout succeeds. I personally doubt it. The derivatives market is too huge to contain a failure. Even the Plunge Protection Team uses that market to manipulate things. I think it has gotten to where we shouldn’t even waste time panicking. The collapse has already begun. Just do as much as you can, while you can. Now, let’s sweeten the pot. Let’s make this an even better disaster. Let’s throw wild weather into the equation. If you went to see I-Gore’s wild pony show you know that the planet is heating up and the only thing we can do to stop it is for everyone to drive his SUV down to the store and buy florescent bulbs. That should solve everything. But I suspect that this is just a circus shown to the free bread crowd. The agenda is not to profit off of carbon credits ( that’s just a bonus ) but rather to keep you in place until you freeze in the dark.
*
www.unknowncountry.com/edge/quickwatch/ is a site questioning if global cooling is coming about. It is not the definitive source, but a sample. They look at sunspot activity as the main concern. Guess what, right now there is none. As in, no sunspot activity to speak of. The last time that happened was in 1250. That Little Ice Age lasted ( with some cyclic changes ) about four hundred years, to about the time we started really shoveling out greenhouse gases. The period of 1650-1750 was the lowest count for sunspots, also the most severe part of the cooling period. Now, obviously there are a lot of unknowns here. Global weather is a complicated business. We haven’t factored in El Nino or fresh water weakening the North Atlantic conveyer. The main point is that low sunspot activity is thought to cause cooling periods globally. Now, obviously the entire population didn’t keel over and die of starvation. Life went on, but with a lot of deadly interruptions such as periodic famine, and epidemic disease caused by widespread malnutrition. Kind of like Africa today. Widespread crop failures don’t condemn all, just a large portion.
*
So now I hear you thinking, what the hell, man. Derivatives and sunspots have exactly what in common? I’m glad you asked. Here is my new pet theory. It is subject to revision at whim, and I reserve the right to claim I never said it in case it is wrong. Conversely, if I am right I want all the credit, with none going to any authors already published that might have beat me to it ( I’m about to order a book tying in the Agricultural Revolution to our interglacial period but have no details to steal from it ). As our economy stumbles and falls and we burn a lot less oil due to economic failure and China and India’s economies grind to a halt and the world wide consumer market stops dead in its tracks, we will pump a lot less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and that combined with low sunspot activity will start the new Ice Age.
*
Farfetched? Of course. But like all good theories it is nice and simple ( whether simple minded is a question we won’t ask ). But I like that it ties in with a government conspiracy. You can’t have too many of those. Actually, I bring this up after reading a story by Pournelle and Others where this is pretty much what happens ( although it was environmentalists rather than economic factors ). So, blame the author of Lucifer’s Hammer, not me, if you think this sounds stupid. I mostly don’t originate ideas, just borrow, mix and match and remold. Plus try to look through as few prisms as possible to simplify and find truth. We all have our skills. Too bad mine won’t translate very well into post-apocalypse life. All for today.
END
Just when you are convinced that you are throwing pearls before swine, someone actually listens to you. A loyal minion has decided to try the micro-business idea I wrote about ( not my original idea, just wisdom I pass on ). He has written a book and it is up for sale as an e-book. “Emergency Preparedness Tips”, a measly $3 to download. This is a great collection of prep tips put together in a 50 page book. A lot less rambling than my writing, straight and to the point. Mostly water, food, shelter. Almost nothing on guns ( I don’t fear showing my ignorance by voicing opinion as fact, the author here wisely avoids this by generalizing on guns briefly ). He doesn’t pretend to cover it all. I read an early version and I was impressed. Yes, you’re sort of reading most of what you already know. But you can get it all in one place here. And there is sure to be something you haven’t seen before. Two new ideas I liked ( new as far as seeing the details anyway ) were the section on hand drilling a shallow well and generating bleach from salt and a battery. This book collects these kind of facts in one place. I liked the book enough, I bought a copy even though I already had version one ( and you know how tight I am with a buck ). This will hopefully encourage future efforts. So help out a fellow Bison Herd member.
www.lulu.com/content/2081668
I encourage others to try this. Write up what you know, what you’re good at. An e-book at www.lulu.com is simple as pie. They take a 20% commission, but they sell it for you, have the ability to collect credit cards, do all the work. You stick with being an author ( and remember, conventional publishers take 90% ). It doesn’t even have to be a e-book. It can be a printed book. Free, as long as you don’t want an ISBN to sell on Amazon. They print-on-demand so your up front cost is nothing. The print cost is high, the print run is one instead of 1000. But the important point is, you pay no up front cost, you keep 80% of profits after print cost and it is available immediately. You don’t have to write really well, just being clear and presenting the information in a logical easy to follow manner will do the trick. And, of course, send me a first draft e-mail. Unless it is a big steaming pile of dung I will plug it for you here.
To get samples of The Best Books Ever, buy mine at www.bisonpress.com
Before we start today, apologies to the guys at www.tslrf.blogspot.com if I offended. No disrespect was intended the other day. The joker reference was supposed to mean wild card. Okay, enough boot licking. Down to business. Weekly we hear hysterical reports from the trenches as the US economy implodes. The latest was municipal bond insurers and their troubles, necessitating cities getting financed at much higher rates. In some instances going from around seven percent to upwards of twenty. Ha, ha! Serves the suckers right for building sports stadiums to enrich former slum dwellers with athletic ability and team owners that refuse to build with their own money. Then, as tax receipts fall since the housing market is being sucked into a black hole the cities are strapped for cash at the same time their interest payments increase. Are you on a state pension? Be afraid. This will also be the perfect excuse for the Feds to tighten control over local law enforcement by offering free money. Heck, they can print all they want.
*
The sad thing is we can only look on and hope like hell this will be just another LTCM bank failure where a bailout succeeds. I personally doubt it. The derivatives market is too huge to contain a failure. Even the Plunge Protection Team uses that market to manipulate things. I think it has gotten to where we shouldn’t even waste time panicking. The collapse has already begun. Just do as much as you can, while you can. Now, let’s sweeten the pot. Let’s make this an even better disaster. Let’s throw wild weather into the equation. If you went to see I-Gore’s wild pony show you know that the planet is heating up and the only thing we can do to stop it is for everyone to drive his SUV down to the store and buy florescent bulbs. That should solve everything. But I suspect that this is just a circus shown to the free bread crowd. The agenda is not to profit off of carbon credits ( that’s just a bonus ) but rather to keep you in place until you freeze in the dark.
*
www.unknowncountry.com/edge/quickwatch/ is a site questioning if global cooling is coming about. It is not the definitive source, but a sample. They look at sunspot activity as the main concern. Guess what, right now there is none. As in, no sunspot activity to speak of. The last time that happened was in 1250. That Little Ice Age lasted ( with some cyclic changes ) about four hundred years, to about the time we started really shoveling out greenhouse gases. The period of 1650-1750 was the lowest count for sunspots, also the most severe part of the cooling period. Now, obviously there are a lot of unknowns here. Global weather is a complicated business. We haven’t factored in El Nino or fresh water weakening the North Atlantic conveyer. The main point is that low sunspot activity is thought to cause cooling periods globally. Now, obviously the entire population didn’t keel over and die of starvation. Life went on, but with a lot of deadly interruptions such as periodic famine, and epidemic disease caused by widespread malnutrition. Kind of like Africa today. Widespread crop failures don’t condemn all, just a large portion.
*
So now I hear you thinking, what the hell, man. Derivatives and sunspots have exactly what in common? I’m glad you asked. Here is my new pet theory. It is subject to revision at whim, and I reserve the right to claim I never said it in case it is wrong. Conversely, if I am right I want all the credit, with none going to any authors already published that might have beat me to it ( I’m about to order a book tying in the Agricultural Revolution to our interglacial period but have no details to steal from it ). As our economy stumbles and falls and we burn a lot less oil due to economic failure and China and India’s economies grind to a halt and the world wide consumer market stops dead in its tracks, we will pump a lot less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and that combined with low sunspot activity will start the new Ice Age.
*
Farfetched? Of course. But like all good theories it is nice and simple ( whether simple minded is a question we won’t ask ). But I like that it ties in with a government conspiracy. You can’t have too many of those. Actually, I bring this up after reading a story by Pournelle and Others where this is pretty much what happens ( although it was environmentalists rather than economic factors ). So, blame the author of Lucifer’s Hammer, not me, if you think this sounds stupid. I mostly don’t originate ideas, just borrow, mix and match and remold. Plus try to look through as few prisms as possible to simplify and find truth. We all have our skills. Too bad mine won’t translate very well into post-apocalypse life. All for today.
END
Just when you are convinced that you are throwing pearls before swine, someone actually listens to you. A loyal minion has decided to try the micro-business idea I wrote about ( not my original idea, just wisdom I pass on ). He has written a book and it is up for sale as an e-book. “Emergency Preparedness Tips”, a measly $3 to download. This is a great collection of prep tips put together in a 50 page book. A lot less rambling than my writing, straight and to the point. Mostly water, food, shelter. Almost nothing on guns ( I don’t fear showing my ignorance by voicing opinion as fact, the author here wisely avoids this by generalizing on guns briefly ). He doesn’t pretend to cover it all. I read an early version and I was impressed. Yes, you’re sort of reading most of what you already know. But you can get it all in one place here. And there is sure to be something you haven’t seen before. Two new ideas I liked ( new as far as seeing the details anyway ) were the section on hand drilling a shallow well and generating bleach from salt and a battery. This book collects these kind of facts in one place. I liked the book enough, I bought a copy even though I already had version one ( and you know how tight I am with a buck ). This will hopefully encourage future efforts. So help out a fellow Bison Herd member.
www.lulu.com/content/2081668
I encourage others to try this. Write up what you know, what you’re good at. An e-book at www.lulu.com is simple as pie. They take a 20% commission, but they sell it for you, have the ability to collect credit cards, do all the work. You stick with being an author ( and remember, conventional publishers take 90% ). It doesn’t even have to be a e-book. It can be a printed book. Free, as long as you don’t want an ISBN to sell on Amazon. They print-on-demand so your up front cost is nothing. The print cost is high, the print run is one instead of 1000. But the important point is, you pay no up front cost, you keep 80% of profits after print cost and it is available immediately. You don’t have to write really well, just being clear and presenting the information in a logical easy to follow manner will do the trick. And, of course, send me a first draft e-mail. Unless it is a big steaming pile of dung I will plug it for you here.
To get samples of The Best Books Ever, buy mine at www.bisonpress.com
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
jericho and ill wind
JERICHO AND ILL WIND
Jericho started out with a decent first season. I had taped a good portion of them and watched with mild interest. At first I was a bit too critical, expecting better than Hollywood could possibly offer ( especially for TV ). After I watched again I softened my view and enjoyed what it offered, namely a few realistic scenarios for post-collapse life scattered amongst the more common Melrose Place type relationships. It’s all Beautiful People With Perfect White Teeth six months after a nuclear war. But while I can’t help but poke fun, it was at least a glimmer of hope for spreading the prep message ( not that it would, since the series sends out the message that you will survive and thrive without them- but a few souls might be converted to the One True Way ).
*
That message has been given its death notice. CBS cancelled the series after the first season. For whatever reason. Perhaps the Nazi’s don’t like shows that don’t show the government will save the day, like with “24”. Perhaps the cartel running the entertainment industry doesn’t like seeing common citizens with guns ( licensed private detectives are okay ). Or, perhaps, the least believable reason, they actually did get crappy ratings. So thousands of fans send in peanuts to the executives ( after the last show has Hero Boy saying “nuts” to a surrender request ). Unlike Fox which will stop a show no matter what fans say ( the advertisers are their customers, not the viewers ), CBS caved and agreed to give us another half a season. We all eagerly awaited its arrival, proving we indeed have no real life outside of cheesy entertainment. We might as well been waiting for Hillary to tell the truth. CBS has screwed us.
*
When the second season premier showed last Tuesday I was unable to watch, it came on after my bedtime. But they did show it again Saturday night. I watched it and I came away pissed off. They butchered the show. Before, it was Jericho against the world. A small town trying to make a go of it on their own. But at the beginning of the second season, a massive military force moves in and forces a peace between the two feuding towns. They impose law and order and get the electricity running again. Normalcy returns. Now it is no longer a community trying to survive. Now its just Melrose Place On The Prairie, with the action to come ( I assume ) consisting of the evil dude in the new government trying to capture the nuke, or the fight between the government factions. It is no longer survival after a nuke war, it is life as usual, just different politics. What a cop out. What a sell out. If the ratings didn’t suck before they will now, giving CBS the excuse to cancel it for good. Bastards.
*
Ill Wind by Kevin Anderson and Doug Beason came out about ten years ago. It is a novel about a super bug that eats oil spills that gets out into the world and starts eating everything petroleum based. This causes the end of civilization. It is a good premise. It could have been a good substitute for grid down, or EMP attack. Let me start out by saying that the writing was great. The story held your interest the whole way through. That said, this is really more of a disaster novel than an end of the world novel. Things turn out okay in the end, with minimal disruption. Typical. Luckily, after my last disappointment I had kept my expectations low and so was not too bummed out. After setting up the disaster they started touching on the details of collapse, of chaos and destruction. But then it turned sunny and optimistic quickly after that. They almost had it, but then turned to the Dark Side of the publishing industry, happy/happy joy/joy stories to churn out some bucks. I can’t say I really blame them. The sheeple don’t pay to be stampeded. One other thing I wasn’t too fond of was the number of characters. There were far too many. No one got more than a superficial treatment. You never had a chance to get to know any character in any depth. Of course, I guess that is how you write a fast paced story.
*
So, let me put it like this. If you find a used copy for a few bucks, enjoy it for entertainment. Don’t spend a whole lot expecting a true post-Apocalypse story.
END
books and gear-you buy now!- www.bisonpress.com
Jericho started out with a decent first season. I had taped a good portion of them and watched with mild interest. At first I was a bit too critical, expecting better than Hollywood could possibly offer ( especially for TV ). After I watched again I softened my view and enjoyed what it offered, namely a few realistic scenarios for post-collapse life scattered amongst the more common Melrose Place type relationships. It’s all Beautiful People With Perfect White Teeth six months after a nuclear war. But while I can’t help but poke fun, it was at least a glimmer of hope for spreading the prep message ( not that it would, since the series sends out the message that you will survive and thrive without them- but a few souls might be converted to the One True Way ).
*
That message has been given its death notice. CBS cancelled the series after the first season. For whatever reason. Perhaps the Nazi’s don’t like shows that don’t show the government will save the day, like with “24”. Perhaps the cartel running the entertainment industry doesn’t like seeing common citizens with guns ( licensed private detectives are okay ). Or, perhaps, the least believable reason, they actually did get crappy ratings. So thousands of fans send in peanuts to the executives ( after the last show has Hero Boy saying “nuts” to a surrender request ). Unlike Fox which will stop a show no matter what fans say ( the advertisers are their customers, not the viewers ), CBS caved and agreed to give us another half a season. We all eagerly awaited its arrival, proving we indeed have no real life outside of cheesy entertainment. We might as well been waiting for Hillary to tell the truth. CBS has screwed us.
*
When the second season premier showed last Tuesday I was unable to watch, it came on after my bedtime. But they did show it again Saturday night. I watched it and I came away pissed off. They butchered the show. Before, it was Jericho against the world. A small town trying to make a go of it on their own. But at the beginning of the second season, a massive military force moves in and forces a peace between the two feuding towns. They impose law and order and get the electricity running again. Normalcy returns. Now it is no longer a community trying to survive. Now its just Melrose Place On The Prairie, with the action to come ( I assume ) consisting of the evil dude in the new government trying to capture the nuke, or the fight between the government factions. It is no longer survival after a nuke war, it is life as usual, just different politics. What a cop out. What a sell out. If the ratings didn’t suck before they will now, giving CBS the excuse to cancel it for good. Bastards.
*
Ill Wind by Kevin Anderson and Doug Beason came out about ten years ago. It is a novel about a super bug that eats oil spills that gets out into the world and starts eating everything petroleum based. This causes the end of civilization. It is a good premise. It could have been a good substitute for grid down, or EMP attack. Let me start out by saying that the writing was great. The story held your interest the whole way through. That said, this is really more of a disaster novel than an end of the world novel. Things turn out okay in the end, with minimal disruption. Typical. Luckily, after my last disappointment I had kept my expectations low and so was not too bummed out. After setting up the disaster they started touching on the details of collapse, of chaos and destruction. But then it turned sunny and optimistic quickly after that. They almost had it, but then turned to the Dark Side of the publishing industry, happy/happy joy/joy stories to churn out some bucks. I can’t say I really blame them. The sheeple don’t pay to be stampeded. One other thing I wasn’t too fond of was the number of characters. There were far too many. No one got more than a superficial treatment. You never had a chance to get to know any character in any depth. Of course, I guess that is how you write a fast paced story.
*
So, let me put it like this. If you find a used copy for a few bucks, enjoy it for entertainment. Don’t spend a whole lot expecting a true post-Apocalypse story.
END
books and gear-you buy now!- www.bisonpress.com
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
plentiful harvest of blogs
PLENTIFUL HARVEST OF BLOGS
There was a comment the other day, there sure seems to be a lot of new blogs out there. Of course he was referring to survival/prep/self-sufficiency blogs, since neither one of us reads up on quilting. Well, I know I don’t anyway. I think as we see the economy worsen there will be even more out there. Most of it is just Fan Boy activity, a great aspect of the Internet where the love of subject is all that is needed in payment for your efforts. That is straight out of cyberpunk sci-fi and the street cred. Some no doubt have visions of wealth allowing them to write from a retreat ( that’s mine anyway ). Good luck on that. Street cred pays for crap. At least in tradable currency. The last group of celebrity survival writers from the 70’s was a wild group, it will be interesting to see the cream rising to the top this time ( whether the cream will be fresh or rancid is another matter- and I know what my trolls are thinking ).
*
So, there are a plentiful harvest of blogs. I can’t share them all with you. Sorry if I left anyone out, it is only because I don’t know you are there. Some I don’t include are specialized such as primitive tech ( stone knives, etc. ) which are great but not something I think a lot of us can use. And some like economics are included, not because you care but because I do. It’s a subjective list. I go from my most favorite to my least useful for the first thirteen. Those are the ones I read every morning before work and during my first coffee. Don’t take that the wrong way, some are great but ranked lower only because I read the most useful first in case I run out of time. For instance, Viking is rated last only because it is published once or twice a week and I can miss a few days if needed ( plus it was the last one I ran across ). The first listed is daily so I can’t miss a thing. I couldn’t pick my favorite if I had to, since some days one takes the prize, then falters a bit the next. Heck, I have the best blog out there and even I have days not as good as others. I should have said they were ranked in no particular order, but I don’t want to sugar coat anything.
*
The first blog ( and I use blog incorrectly-most are newsletters rather than personal ramblings ) I like to read in the morning is www.urbansurvival.com . This is from G. Ure, our corporate consultant holing up on a farm in East Texas. He holds to the expensive toy filled ideal of farming so there is little there to glean but his economic analysis is outstanding. He gives you most pertinent news items forming a big picture look at where the economy is headed. Go to the above site and click on free daily updates. His hope is that you will subscribe to his yearly weekly update at $40. I’ve seen a sample and think it would be worth it myself, I’m just gathering up the courage to spend that kind of scratch for an e-mailed newsletter. I’m a bit weird in that I like economics/politics/history so this is what I read first. But it is tied for first place with our next entry.
*
www.survivalblog.com might not have been the first survival blog ( I don’t know for sure ) but it is the biggest and most likely the longest running. Even though I despise Yuppie Survivalism for many reasons, I love Rawles work. If this site ended I would be really pissed and throw a fit. I hope he is teaching his son how to run the site in case a fellow Elk hunter accidentally shoots him or he has a heart attack or a black helicopter whisks him off to a secret internment camp. And his occasional plug of my site certainly doesn’t hurt me wishing him a long and successful run. A lot here I can’t use but plenty I can. That makes it worth looking forward to reading.
*
www.tslrf.blogspot.com is the Total Survival Libertarian Rant Fest. Three jokers write this one and you never know what to expect. It is poorly edited, but the bizarre nature of what is presented makes that a minor point. I’m not saying it is the most original or the best written, just that the sheer off the wall diversity makes it a fun and required read every morning.
*
www.shtfblog.com is the Ranger Man’s daily musings. Ranger Man is great. He has a level head, is not paranoid, lives a normal life and has kept his sense of humor. Others ( such as myself ) try to present some humor to you but deep down we know we are all freeking doomed and it shows in our shrill screaming as we point to a falling sky. Ranger Man sees it all as a fun game between him and the universe and refuses to panic. He is here to enjoy himself. If you wish, he offers to take you along for the ride. He just added printed books as a revenue tool, which is nice. I will most likely buy one even though my military tour turned me away from military manuals. Hint, Hint, get some such as Nuclear War Survival Skills by Kearny or the Shelters Shacks and Shanty book or the Japanese night combat manual to give us a bit of variety please. I’ll definitely buy then.
*
www.bearridgeproject.com is a great recording of one mans journey to throwing off the consumerist yoke. Great because it isn’t just self-sufficiency per se. More like a low budget version. Mostly daily postings so far. A slow day might see a political rant, but they are good anyway.
*
www.cryptogon.com is news, analysis and conspiracies. Between this one and UrbanSurvival I don’t even need to read the newspaper anymore other than for local news. It has enough paranoia included that you can daily document our decent into a fascist police state. Great stuff here, mainly five days a week ( little on the weekends ).
*
More economics ( with bizarre stuff thrown in on slow days ) from C. Hugh Smith Financial at www.oftwominds.com/blog.html . Sometimes he gives concise analysis of the economy, others times he gets bogged down in charts and arcane details. But enough good stuff to keep you coming back.
*
Creekmore is over at www.thesurvivalistblog.blogspot.com and seems to have gotten back into posting regularly. When he is posting, it’s great. But a bit inconsistent. That’s why it goes down the list a bit. This was giving me a fit. Thanks for helping out loyal minions-
wwwstayalive.blogspot.com
Notice the lack of the period between the www and the s. You’ll have to copy and paste to get the link. Half and half. Some days a bit light, other days excellent posts. Try it out. One article on post-collapse diabetes and another on reloading ( puts mine to shame ) really stand out.
*
www.survivalacres.com/wordpress/ is a collapse blog. As in, it’s inevitable, we’re all going to die. No hope reading here. Sells food supplies to keep writing. Not every day, but close. www.theurbansurvivalist.blogspot.com is about a once a week affair. Not bad but not enough. www.teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com is worse, about a two or three times a month deal. Worth checking out however. And the last is www.vikingpreparedness.blogspot.com which is about weekly. When he does post, I would say it is even better than the last two as far as style.
*
The next three I don’t read in the morning. They are too long, contain too much information for just a quick read. These I read at night while cooking/eating.
www.energybulletin.net is a Peak Oil article clearing house. Some days it’s a skim over, others I waste at least an hour here the articles are so engrossing. www.financialsense.com is a stable of authors on finances. Some are mind numbing with charts and bizarre language only Bernenke would appreciate. Others keep you reading half the evening. Monday through Friday. The last is our old buddy, a blast from the past, www.timebomb2000.com , the best bulletin board on preps out there. The usual crap, people responding with stupid comments just to be heard, but that can’t be stopped.
*
Okay, enough, I’ll spoil you. Enjoy getting your extra doom and gloom daily.
END
Buy my books, Amazon books and gear, please www.bisonpress.com
There was a comment the other day, there sure seems to be a lot of new blogs out there. Of course he was referring to survival/prep/self-sufficiency blogs, since neither one of us reads up on quilting. Well, I know I don’t anyway. I think as we see the economy worsen there will be even more out there. Most of it is just Fan Boy activity, a great aspect of the Internet where the love of subject is all that is needed in payment for your efforts. That is straight out of cyberpunk sci-fi and the street cred. Some no doubt have visions of wealth allowing them to write from a retreat ( that’s mine anyway ). Good luck on that. Street cred pays for crap. At least in tradable currency. The last group of celebrity survival writers from the 70’s was a wild group, it will be interesting to see the cream rising to the top this time ( whether the cream will be fresh or rancid is another matter- and I know what my trolls are thinking ).
*
So, there are a plentiful harvest of blogs. I can’t share them all with you. Sorry if I left anyone out, it is only because I don’t know you are there. Some I don’t include are specialized such as primitive tech ( stone knives, etc. ) which are great but not something I think a lot of us can use. And some like economics are included, not because you care but because I do. It’s a subjective list. I go from my most favorite to my least useful for the first thirteen. Those are the ones I read every morning before work and during my first coffee. Don’t take that the wrong way, some are great but ranked lower only because I read the most useful first in case I run out of time. For instance, Viking is rated last only because it is published once or twice a week and I can miss a few days if needed ( plus it was the last one I ran across ). The first listed is daily so I can’t miss a thing. I couldn’t pick my favorite if I had to, since some days one takes the prize, then falters a bit the next. Heck, I have the best blog out there and even I have days not as good as others. I should have said they were ranked in no particular order, but I don’t want to sugar coat anything.
*
The first blog ( and I use blog incorrectly-most are newsletters rather than personal ramblings ) I like to read in the morning is www.urbansurvival.com . This is from G. Ure, our corporate consultant holing up on a farm in East Texas. He holds to the expensive toy filled ideal of farming so there is little there to glean but his economic analysis is outstanding. He gives you most pertinent news items forming a big picture look at where the economy is headed. Go to the above site and click on free daily updates. His hope is that you will subscribe to his yearly weekly update at $40. I’ve seen a sample and think it would be worth it myself, I’m just gathering up the courage to spend that kind of scratch for an e-mailed newsletter. I’m a bit weird in that I like economics/politics/history so this is what I read first. But it is tied for first place with our next entry.
*
www.survivalblog.com might not have been the first survival blog ( I don’t know for sure ) but it is the biggest and most likely the longest running. Even though I despise Yuppie Survivalism for many reasons, I love Rawles work. If this site ended I would be really pissed and throw a fit. I hope he is teaching his son how to run the site in case a fellow Elk hunter accidentally shoots him or he has a heart attack or a black helicopter whisks him off to a secret internment camp. And his occasional plug of my site certainly doesn’t hurt me wishing him a long and successful run. A lot here I can’t use but plenty I can. That makes it worth looking forward to reading.
*
www.tslrf.blogspot.com is the Total Survival Libertarian Rant Fest. Three jokers write this one and you never know what to expect. It is poorly edited, but the bizarre nature of what is presented makes that a minor point. I’m not saying it is the most original or the best written, just that the sheer off the wall diversity makes it a fun and required read every morning.
*
www.shtfblog.com is the Ranger Man’s daily musings. Ranger Man is great. He has a level head, is not paranoid, lives a normal life and has kept his sense of humor. Others ( such as myself ) try to present some humor to you but deep down we know we are all freeking doomed and it shows in our shrill screaming as we point to a falling sky. Ranger Man sees it all as a fun game between him and the universe and refuses to panic. He is here to enjoy himself. If you wish, he offers to take you along for the ride. He just added printed books as a revenue tool, which is nice. I will most likely buy one even though my military tour turned me away from military manuals. Hint, Hint, get some such as Nuclear War Survival Skills by Kearny or the Shelters Shacks and Shanty book or the Japanese night combat manual to give us a bit of variety please. I’ll definitely buy then.
*
www.bearridgeproject.com is a great recording of one mans journey to throwing off the consumerist yoke. Great because it isn’t just self-sufficiency per se. More like a low budget version. Mostly daily postings so far. A slow day might see a political rant, but they are good anyway.
*
www.cryptogon.com is news, analysis and conspiracies. Between this one and UrbanSurvival I don’t even need to read the newspaper anymore other than for local news. It has enough paranoia included that you can daily document our decent into a fascist police state. Great stuff here, mainly five days a week ( little on the weekends ).
*
More economics ( with bizarre stuff thrown in on slow days ) from C. Hugh Smith Financial at www.oftwominds.com/blog.html . Sometimes he gives concise analysis of the economy, others times he gets bogged down in charts and arcane details. But enough good stuff to keep you coming back.
*
Creekmore is over at www.thesurvivalistblog.blogspot.com and seems to have gotten back into posting regularly. When he is posting, it’s great. But a bit inconsistent. That’s why it goes down the list a bit. This was giving me a fit. Thanks for helping out loyal minions-
wwwstayalive.blogspot.com
Notice the lack of the period between the www and the s. You’ll have to copy and paste to get the link. Half and half. Some days a bit light, other days excellent posts. Try it out. One article on post-collapse diabetes and another on reloading ( puts mine to shame ) really stand out.
*
www.survivalacres.com/wordpress/ is a collapse blog. As in, it’s inevitable, we’re all going to die. No hope reading here. Sells food supplies to keep writing. Not every day, but close. www.theurbansurvivalist.blogspot.com is about a once a week affair. Not bad but not enough. www.teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com is worse, about a two or three times a month deal. Worth checking out however. And the last is www.vikingpreparedness.blogspot.com which is about weekly. When he does post, I would say it is even better than the last two as far as style.
*
The next three I don’t read in the morning. They are too long, contain too much information for just a quick read. These I read at night while cooking/eating.
www.energybulletin.net is a Peak Oil article clearing house. Some days it’s a skim over, others I waste at least an hour here the articles are so engrossing. www.financialsense.com is a stable of authors on finances. Some are mind numbing with charts and bizarre language only Bernenke would appreciate. Others keep you reading half the evening. Monday through Friday. The last is our old buddy, a blast from the past, www.timebomb2000.com , the best bulletin board on preps out there. The usual crap, people responding with stupid comments just to be heard, but that can’t be stopped.
*
Okay, enough, I’ll spoil you. Enjoy getting your extra doom and gloom daily.
END
Buy my books, Amazon books and gear, please www.bisonpress.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
collapse slumlord
COLLAPSE SLUMLORD
Before we start today I’d like to thank Rawles ( http://www.survivalblog.com/ ) for the olive branch he extended. Even though it was unintentional I’m sure my caustic nature rubbed him wrong so I’m glad to see we can embrace the perfect King relationship ( all getting along ). I’ve never disliked the man, just the message. His is the ideal, which is not necessarily bad. Just not realistic for most. But we can still coexist as long as you clearly see it as apples and oranges. His is still an important message. That said, I am kind of sad I have to be nice now :)
*
The Ranger Man ( http://www.shtfblog.com/ ) wrote a wonderful article the other day on apartments for survivalists. Usually Ranger Man has a real life outside of his writing so he throws in a few great ideas, tries for some laughs and gets on with more important matters. He must have been having a passionate response to someone’s bonehead idea ( most likely mine ) because he wrote a long and detailed entry here. I was impressed. You need to read it, but essentially it says the most likely danger is not total collapse but an economic Depression and a good defense would be to own rental property. And it can be done as cheaply as buying your own McMansion. A great read. I won’t spill any more details. Stop stripping foreclosed houses of their copper wire and go read the darn thing.
*
Now, I slap my head in wonderment that someone as intelligent, sexy and having such nice hair as myself could not have come up with a scoop on this. But then I figured, what the heck. I’ll just steal the idea, change a few details and call it my own. Collapse Slumlord. It has a certain ring to it. I can hear it now. But, Guvnor, little Jimmy is shivering in the cold and rats are gnawing on his toes. I work all day to buy the porridge, and coals too dear for a fire. Can’t you fix the hole in the wall, please? I throw back my cape ( which would be cool to have back in fashion ) and thunder out a diabolically load chuckle. Never, you sniveling peasant! Now go away, I must count my gold coins!
*
Alas, I’m sure it is never to be. But perhaps you can come close with…wait for it. Wait. A trailer park! The perfect Second Depression business. The upper middle class, the government civil servants, those on welfare, illegal immigrants. All will be given subsidies to live in apartments. Now, owning said apartment will be a good thing. You will survive comfortably. Ranger Mans advice is great. And it is as easy as signing papers and getting into debt ( and later fixing toilets overflowing from condoms, Tampax and disposable diapers at 3 a.m. ). To get a trailer park, your expenses are going to be considerably less but the sweat factor is much larger. You have to find a area zoned for such an endeavor, where land is still cheap ( don’t cater to rich Snow Birds in Winnebago’s, the cost and hassle will be too much ). Outside of the city limits in Texas is great unzoned land. Any other state it is going to be a lot of work getting around the zoning Nazi’s ( and even in Texas, do research first ).
*
Now, I realize you think I’m gay over travel trailers. I see trailers as a solution to every shelter problem. But, hey, they’re cheap used, turnkey, replaceable and you are recycling ( I think aluminum is one of the most abundant elements in the earths crust, but the energy to extract it is dear ). I look at trailers as little oriental guys drinking spoiled milk looked at yurts, the perfect shelter ( yes, yurts are better, but not as cheap ). So it is natural to see them as the financially disadvantaged perfect economic collapse home. Most folks won’t have any extra income to buy them come the collapse so you can supply them at a good profit. Okay, back to a park. A conventional park will be cheaper than an apartment complex ( small scale only here ) but it does have substantial investment needs just the same. Even with only gravel roads you need all the permits, the sewer and water and power installed, as well as the land cost. The good part is that the maintenance costs will be lower also. No roof to replace, no cleaning up after the last occupant.
*
For those that do not want to get into debt to be an Apocalypse Slumlord, you can just add a tenant or two to where you already live. On some land? Get a trailer dweller or two and charge rent less than the cost of the parks. Park them a bit away from your house. The sewer and water tap in should be easy. Even if you need to hire an electrician to extend power it should be pretty cheap. Almost free money from then on. Off the grid you could hook up with a fellow survivalist online and charge them very little to live there in their trailer ( they provide their own PV panel, etc. ). Off grid, your bills are very little so you can get by on such a small amount. Knowing, of course, the zoning problems with these two “get a room mate in his own room” schemes. How about a cheap survival group concept with everyone living on one cheap lot of land in trailers?
*
Another idea if you are handy with fixing things is to buy dirt cheap trailers now and fix them up. Stockpile them. One day they should be a good investment as folks will have no money for fancy apartments or homes. You could sell them outright or rent them out. Another idea is to create a single family dwelling. Take four ( or eight ) trailers and create a square out of them. Like the old Mexican square building with a middle courtyard. Build a wall around them to make it more energy efficient. Call each trailer a room of your house. In reality it is a four-plex rental unit but the Zoning SWAT Team only sees a single family home ( honest, officer, Pedro is my second cousin ). A lot depends on your zoning rules, future zoning problems, sanitation facilities, etc. But you get the idea.
END
your fav books and gear http://www.bisonpress.com/
Before we start today I’d like to thank Rawles ( http://www.survivalblog.com/ ) for the olive branch he extended. Even though it was unintentional I’m sure my caustic nature rubbed him wrong so I’m glad to see we can embrace the perfect King relationship ( all getting along ). I’ve never disliked the man, just the message. His is the ideal, which is not necessarily bad. Just not realistic for most. But we can still coexist as long as you clearly see it as apples and oranges. His is still an important message. That said, I am kind of sad I have to be nice now :)
*
The Ranger Man ( http://www.shtfblog.com/ ) wrote a wonderful article the other day on apartments for survivalists. Usually Ranger Man has a real life outside of his writing so he throws in a few great ideas, tries for some laughs and gets on with more important matters. He must have been having a passionate response to someone’s bonehead idea ( most likely mine ) because he wrote a long and detailed entry here. I was impressed. You need to read it, but essentially it says the most likely danger is not total collapse but an economic Depression and a good defense would be to own rental property. And it can be done as cheaply as buying your own McMansion. A great read. I won’t spill any more details. Stop stripping foreclosed houses of their copper wire and go read the darn thing.
*
Now, I slap my head in wonderment that someone as intelligent, sexy and having such nice hair as myself could not have come up with a scoop on this. But then I figured, what the heck. I’ll just steal the idea, change a few details and call it my own. Collapse Slumlord. It has a certain ring to it. I can hear it now. But, Guvnor, little Jimmy is shivering in the cold and rats are gnawing on his toes. I work all day to buy the porridge, and coals too dear for a fire. Can’t you fix the hole in the wall, please? I throw back my cape ( which would be cool to have back in fashion ) and thunder out a diabolically load chuckle. Never, you sniveling peasant! Now go away, I must count my gold coins!
*
Alas, I’m sure it is never to be. But perhaps you can come close with…wait for it. Wait. A trailer park! The perfect Second Depression business. The upper middle class, the government civil servants, those on welfare, illegal immigrants. All will be given subsidies to live in apartments. Now, owning said apartment will be a good thing. You will survive comfortably. Ranger Mans advice is great. And it is as easy as signing papers and getting into debt ( and later fixing toilets overflowing from condoms, Tampax and disposable diapers at 3 a.m. ). To get a trailer park, your expenses are going to be considerably less but the sweat factor is much larger. You have to find a area zoned for such an endeavor, where land is still cheap ( don’t cater to rich Snow Birds in Winnebago’s, the cost and hassle will be too much ). Outside of the city limits in Texas is great unzoned land. Any other state it is going to be a lot of work getting around the zoning Nazi’s ( and even in Texas, do research first ).
*
Now, I realize you think I’m gay over travel trailers. I see trailers as a solution to every shelter problem. But, hey, they’re cheap used, turnkey, replaceable and you are recycling ( I think aluminum is one of the most abundant elements in the earths crust, but the energy to extract it is dear ). I look at trailers as little oriental guys drinking spoiled milk looked at yurts, the perfect shelter ( yes, yurts are better, but not as cheap ). So it is natural to see them as the financially disadvantaged perfect economic collapse home. Most folks won’t have any extra income to buy them come the collapse so you can supply them at a good profit. Okay, back to a park. A conventional park will be cheaper than an apartment complex ( small scale only here ) but it does have substantial investment needs just the same. Even with only gravel roads you need all the permits, the sewer and water and power installed, as well as the land cost. The good part is that the maintenance costs will be lower also. No roof to replace, no cleaning up after the last occupant.
*
For those that do not want to get into debt to be an Apocalypse Slumlord, you can just add a tenant or two to where you already live. On some land? Get a trailer dweller or two and charge rent less than the cost of the parks. Park them a bit away from your house. The sewer and water tap in should be easy. Even if you need to hire an electrician to extend power it should be pretty cheap. Almost free money from then on. Off the grid you could hook up with a fellow survivalist online and charge them very little to live there in their trailer ( they provide their own PV panel, etc. ). Off grid, your bills are very little so you can get by on such a small amount. Knowing, of course, the zoning problems with these two “get a room mate in his own room” schemes. How about a cheap survival group concept with everyone living on one cheap lot of land in trailers?
*
Another idea if you are handy with fixing things is to buy dirt cheap trailers now and fix them up. Stockpile them. One day they should be a good investment as folks will have no money for fancy apartments or homes. You could sell them outright or rent them out. Another idea is to create a single family dwelling. Take four ( or eight ) trailers and create a square out of them. Like the old Mexican square building with a middle courtyard. Build a wall around them to make it more energy efficient. Call each trailer a room of your house. In reality it is a four-plex rental unit but the Zoning SWAT Team only sees a single family home ( honest, officer, Pedro is my second cousin ). A lot depends on your zoning rules, future zoning problems, sanitation facilities, etc. But you get the idea.
END
your fav books and gear http://www.bisonpress.com/
Sunday, February 17, 2008
guest article
GUEST ARTICLE
Buddy StovesI have always liked to do things with less. Recycling can have lots of different forms. The Buddy Stove is one. It has different names and has had numerous forms just since I have been making them.
*
A few years ago I wanted some sort of small portable campfire to light for my young son when he wanted to go outside and have a little fire. I didn't want the trouble and mess of a campfire in the back yard, although we have plenty of firewood. Then I saw a wax/cardboard/tuna can stove in some sort of scouting or outdoors magazine and thought it was a good idea. The basic model uses a cleaned tuna can with cardboard cut to fit just below the rim of the can. Then heat wax or paraffin in a double boiler and pour the melted wax onto the cardboard, allowing it to soak in. The resulting creation can be used to heat a pot of food or water, light a stubborn campfire, act as a large candle, or even provide a limited amount of heat. To cook with, you can position some rocks or logs around the heater and put the pot or pan above it. You could even carry some large nails like are used in gutters and put them in position to set your pan on. Some people use them with an empty number 10 can as the burner plate by cutting a hole in the base to slide the stove in, and putting a few holes at on the sides at the top to create a draft. The bottom of the upside down #10 can is the burner surface.
*
I made quite a few of these little numbers using several different methods. During the summer, I would put some on the dash of my truck with wax scraps on the cardboard and let the sun melt it into the cardboard. Later, I began using the burner of my drip coffee maker. It would melt the wax first and I would slowly position the cardboard into the can. It worked fine, but I had to be careful with installing the rolled up cardboard.
*
Not long after I had been using the coffee burner, it dawned on me that paper from my shredder would light more easily and absorb more wax. So I started using shredded paper and adding it to the melted wax. This combination works quite well. It lights easily and burns completely.
*
The one minor drawback is that I eat a limited amount of tuna. I started looking around for other containers that would work. Some pop top individual serving cans for foods like beans have the white plastic liners. They were the right size, but unusable because of the liner. Then it dawned on me that aluminum drink cans could easily be cut to the right size, and were an almost unlimited supply of containers. So I took an old Barlow knife and cut a cola can in two. Then, using some old scissors, I trimmed the edge. Then I melted the wax, put in the shredded paper and let it cool. The top edge was sharp, so I put on my leather work glove and bent it down for safety. (Always use leather gloves and cover work surfaces when working with hot wax. You will spill some.)
*
My last revision in the process was to buy an old coffee pot at a yard sale for a dollar just to heat my wax in. I can make a dozen heaters with it in the time it took to melt the wax on the coffee pot burner for just one.
*Burn time will depend on the amount of wax and paper you use in the can. I keep them in plastic bags in my BOB and for emergencies under the seat of my truck. It also has a nice smell if you have scented candles.
*
Lastly, if you need to put one out before it is completely consumed, cover it with wet newspapers or rags. If it is sitting on the ground and not on dry grass, you could just turn it over and smother the flames. The metal can will be hot, so USE GLOVES.I now have over a hundred emergency candles/heaters/stoves stashed away. Make a few for yourself. They come in handy.
Clark in NC
END
I asked Clark to take all his ideas and roll them in one article. He has taken an idea and evolved it to perfection, which is why I love his changes from the tuna can/cardboard so much. So, thanks for the research, thanks for the extra time writting it up for everyone. A true loyal minion.
Buddy StovesI have always liked to do things with less. Recycling can have lots of different forms. The Buddy Stove is one. It has different names and has had numerous forms just since I have been making them.
*
A few years ago I wanted some sort of small portable campfire to light for my young son when he wanted to go outside and have a little fire. I didn't want the trouble and mess of a campfire in the back yard, although we have plenty of firewood. Then I saw a wax/cardboard/tuna can stove in some sort of scouting or outdoors magazine and thought it was a good idea. The basic model uses a cleaned tuna can with cardboard cut to fit just below the rim of the can. Then heat wax or paraffin in a double boiler and pour the melted wax onto the cardboard, allowing it to soak in. The resulting creation can be used to heat a pot of food or water, light a stubborn campfire, act as a large candle, or even provide a limited amount of heat. To cook with, you can position some rocks or logs around the heater and put the pot or pan above it. You could even carry some large nails like are used in gutters and put them in position to set your pan on. Some people use them with an empty number 10 can as the burner plate by cutting a hole in the base to slide the stove in, and putting a few holes at on the sides at the top to create a draft. The bottom of the upside down #10 can is the burner surface.
*
I made quite a few of these little numbers using several different methods. During the summer, I would put some on the dash of my truck with wax scraps on the cardboard and let the sun melt it into the cardboard. Later, I began using the burner of my drip coffee maker. It would melt the wax first and I would slowly position the cardboard into the can. It worked fine, but I had to be careful with installing the rolled up cardboard.
*
Not long after I had been using the coffee burner, it dawned on me that paper from my shredder would light more easily and absorb more wax. So I started using shredded paper and adding it to the melted wax. This combination works quite well. It lights easily and burns completely.
*
The one minor drawback is that I eat a limited amount of tuna. I started looking around for other containers that would work. Some pop top individual serving cans for foods like beans have the white plastic liners. They were the right size, but unusable because of the liner. Then it dawned on me that aluminum drink cans could easily be cut to the right size, and were an almost unlimited supply of containers. So I took an old Barlow knife and cut a cola can in two. Then, using some old scissors, I trimmed the edge. Then I melted the wax, put in the shredded paper and let it cool. The top edge was sharp, so I put on my leather work glove and bent it down for safety. (Always use leather gloves and cover work surfaces when working with hot wax. You will spill some.)
*
My last revision in the process was to buy an old coffee pot at a yard sale for a dollar just to heat my wax in. I can make a dozen heaters with it in the time it took to melt the wax on the coffee pot burner for just one.
*Burn time will depend on the amount of wax and paper you use in the can. I keep them in plastic bags in my BOB and for emergencies under the seat of my truck. It also has a nice smell if you have scented candles.
*
Lastly, if you need to put one out before it is completely consumed, cover it with wet newspapers or rags. If it is sitting on the ground and not on dry grass, you could just turn it over and smother the flames. The metal can will be hot, so USE GLOVES.I now have over a hundred emergency candles/heaters/stoves stashed away. Make a few for yourself. They come in handy.
Clark in NC
END
I asked Clark to take all his ideas and roll them in one article. He has taken an idea and evolved it to perfection, which is why I love his changes from the tuna can/cardboard so much. So, thanks for the research, thanks for the extra time writting it up for everyone. A true loyal minion.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
economics of self sufficiency
ECONOMICS OF SELF SUFFICIENCY
To me, self-sufficiency and a mortgage are a contradiction. If we enter a situation where you must rely on your food production to survive then I can’t see where you will still have a job. Look at almost any area in economic trouble and you have peasants starving amongst a functioning government. The government will enforce whatever laws the money interests decide. Unless a tsunami or asteroid or nuclear bomb wipes out Washington D.C. the banks will see to it that you lose your property before they lose any money. I’m not knocking a piece of land in the country growing your own food. I might have issues about its long term viability after a serious collapse but I also realize it is most likely the best you can do. But not if you need to get into debt to do it. Who really thinks our economy will continue for thirty years ( in January alone the global markets lost $6 trillion, inflation counting food and oil is in double digits-but all is well I’m sure )?
*
On our frugal quest for land, crap land is about as good as it is going to get. You usually have two choices there. Desert land or temperate climate land down South which is in the middle of an unemployment zone. It’s only redeeming value is it is mortgage free. If you can import a job, and you can handle the population density and you are not concerned with future race wars or flooding due to climate change then the water and food issue is cheaply solved. Intensive gardening with rabbits and chickens ( with nearby fishing perhaps ) should take care of most of your needs on just a small plot. If you seek desolate surroundings to shield you from the desperate mouth breathing masses then you have no choice but to buy a piece of junk land out in the middle of barren land without water.
*
While being in little hurry to move there myself due to the transportation cost I have justified this to myself by crying about my vulnerability from lack of wood, water and food. Trying to be intellectually honest with myself means I need to admit this is just me being lazy and unwilling to sacrifice. I want the solitude and quiet and increased security. But while I must work full time it is such an inconvenience. Thirty miles round trip a day, five days a week. I am at the mercy of mechanical break downs and gasoline costs. Economically it does not make sense. However, I can’t claim it doesn’t make sense from a self sufficiency stand point. Picking your spot in the desert with some care means a natural source of water is nearby. Yes, you have to haul it. This does increase your vulnerability both to people and mechanical breakage if you’re not hauling on foot ( even a bicycle is going to have repair/replacement issues ). But hauling water from a river means your land goes down from $300,000 to $3,000. Well, okay, the infertile soil helps the cost too. However, as time goes on and you continually add to your ghetto homestead your rain capturing surface area increases. You need to haul less and/or use more water for more food production.
*
Which brings us to food. Any soil can be built up. Compost, store bought fertilizer, worms. In the long run you might need to recycle your own fertilizer which presents a challenge but it can be done. South facing windows and insulation not only extend your growing season but help heat your dwelling. You won’t achieve 100% self-sufficiency ( if such a thing exists ). You’ll still need to stockpile a lot of grain and beans. But with water hauling, greenhouse, water catchments, French Intensive gardening , etc. you can grow a good portion of your own food. And you can do it cheaply. With land around $2k ( some cheaper, some a bit more, call it average ) and a trailer for a grand, another grand for insulation and storage sheds, a grand for metal roof and water barrels, and a thousand for way over a ton of stored grain/beans, you have a country retreat with farming potential. Not 100% of what you need but enough to supplement your stored food for quite a time. $6k. And it can be done a bit at a time. You don’t need it all up front. And with each investment you save on rent and your grocery bills, perhaps enough to pay for itself in a year. This is not a money pit such as a huge farm with never ending fencing and outbuildings and tractors and whatever else. Here, each incremental additional spending saves you money. It is hard for an acre of zucchini to pay for itself when you use a tractor and need a high deer fence. But an attached greenhouse grows food and gives you free heat in the winter. Instant savings on wood.
*
What does “cheap” farmland in the country cost? At least five times our amount, and that is in economically depressed areas. If you want that, just go with a thousand dollar Southern trailer lot and have the water and organic material thrown in ( unless it’s near Atlanta, of course ) as a bonus. Plus little in the way of winter heat needed. Do you see where I am going here? Another example of the 80/20 rule. On junk land you can cheaply be semi-self-sufficient. You can be as self-sufficient as possible with a butt load of cash. With debt you can be food self-sufficient but you’ll maximize your income dependency. You wouldn’t be reading here if you were rich, so the other two choices are what you get. And don’t forget your other intangible benefits on junk land. You can start a lot quicker. You can “pay as you go”. You escape becoming a Yuppie since you don’t need to live above your income and worry what your place looks like. And don’t forget, a five acre farm is a more obvious target than a shack in the desert with an attached greenhouse ( use a submerged design to minimize the greenhouse size ).
*
Look at it this way. A mortgage on a farm is betting either the economy never gets bad or the bank can’t foreclose on the property. Long odds. A junk homestead with less food production but no debt is betting on steadily worsening conditions, the same as we have been having the last forty years. What seems the more realistic bet to you? And don’t forget that I have included high prices on the junk land. You get do it all for as little as half what I talked about if you are careful and cut corners. We all have a million reasons why we can’t get a homestead, but money shouldn’t be one of them.
END
You should check out www.stayalive.blogspot.com . I know some of you were less than thrilled with some postings but he does include some real gems. I will have a guest article Sunday, check it out. And you know the usual drill
www.bisonpress.com for All Things Jim
www.bisonpress.com/affiliatebooks.html for great books
www.bisonpress.com/amazonproducts.html for prep gear, grinders, weapons, camping stuff, etc.
To me, self-sufficiency and a mortgage are a contradiction. If we enter a situation where you must rely on your food production to survive then I can’t see where you will still have a job. Look at almost any area in economic trouble and you have peasants starving amongst a functioning government. The government will enforce whatever laws the money interests decide. Unless a tsunami or asteroid or nuclear bomb wipes out Washington D.C. the banks will see to it that you lose your property before they lose any money. I’m not knocking a piece of land in the country growing your own food. I might have issues about its long term viability after a serious collapse but I also realize it is most likely the best you can do. But not if you need to get into debt to do it. Who really thinks our economy will continue for thirty years ( in January alone the global markets lost $6 trillion, inflation counting food and oil is in double digits-but all is well I’m sure )?
*
On our frugal quest for land, crap land is about as good as it is going to get. You usually have two choices there. Desert land or temperate climate land down South which is in the middle of an unemployment zone. It’s only redeeming value is it is mortgage free. If you can import a job, and you can handle the population density and you are not concerned with future race wars or flooding due to climate change then the water and food issue is cheaply solved. Intensive gardening with rabbits and chickens ( with nearby fishing perhaps ) should take care of most of your needs on just a small plot. If you seek desolate surroundings to shield you from the desperate mouth breathing masses then you have no choice but to buy a piece of junk land out in the middle of barren land without water.
*
While being in little hurry to move there myself due to the transportation cost I have justified this to myself by crying about my vulnerability from lack of wood, water and food. Trying to be intellectually honest with myself means I need to admit this is just me being lazy and unwilling to sacrifice. I want the solitude and quiet and increased security. But while I must work full time it is such an inconvenience. Thirty miles round trip a day, five days a week. I am at the mercy of mechanical break downs and gasoline costs. Economically it does not make sense. However, I can’t claim it doesn’t make sense from a self sufficiency stand point. Picking your spot in the desert with some care means a natural source of water is nearby. Yes, you have to haul it. This does increase your vulnerability both to people and mechanical breakage if you’re not hauling on foot ( even a bicycle is going to have repair/replacement issues ). But hauling water from a river means your land goes down from $300,000 to $3,000. Well, okay, the infertile soil helps the cost too. However, as time goes on and you continually add to your ghetto homestead your rain capturing surface area increases. You need to haul less and/or use more water for more food production.
*
Which brings us to food. Any soil can be built up. Compost, store bought fertilizer, worms. In the long run you might need to recycle your own fertilizer which presents a challenge but it can be done. South facing windows and insulation not only extend your growing season but help heat your dwelling. You won’t achieve 100% self-sufficiency ( if such a thing exists ). You’ll still need to stockpile a lot of grain and beans. But with water hauling, greenhouse, water catchments, French Intensive gardening , etc. you can grow a good portion of your own food. And you can do it cheaply. With land around $2k ( some cheaper, some a bit more, call it average ) and a trailer for a grand, another grand for insulation and storage sheds, a grand for metal roof and water barrels, and a thousand for way over a ton of stored grain/beans, you have a country retreat with farming potential. Not 100% of what you need but enough to supplement your stored food for quite a time. $6k. And it can be done a bit at a time. You don’t need it all up front. And with each investment you save on rent and your grocery bills, perhaps enough to pay for itself in a year. This is not a money pit such as a huge farm with never ending fencing and outbuildings and tractors and whatever else. Here, each incremental additional spending saves you money. It is hard for an acre of zucchini to pay for itself when you use a tractor and need a high deer fence. But an attached greenhouse grows food and gives you free heat in the winter. Instant savings on wood.
*
What does “cheap” farmland in the country cost? At least five times our amount, and that is in economically depressed areas. If you want that, just go with a thousand dollar Southern trailer lot and have the water and organic material thrown in ( unless it’s near Atlanta, of course ) as a bonus. Plus little in the way of winter heat needed. Do you see where I am going here? Another example of the 80/20 rule. On junk land you can cheaply be semi-self-sufficient. You can be as self-sufficient as possible with a butt load of cash. With debt you can be food self-sufficient but you’ll maximize your income dependency. You wouldn’t be reading here if you were rich, so the other two choices are what you get. And don’t forget your other intangible benefits on junk land. You can start a lot quicker. You can “pay as you go”. You escape becoming a Yuppie since you don’t need to live above your income and worry what your place looks like. And don’t forget, a five acre farm is a more obvious target than a shack in the desert with an attached greenhouse ( use a submerged design to minimize the greenhouse size ).
*
Look at it this way. A mortgage on a farm is betting either the economy never gets bad or the bank can’t foreclose on the property. Long odds. A junk homestead with less food production but no debt is betting on steadily worsening conditions, the same as we have been having the last forty years. What seems the more realistic bet to you? And don’t forget that I have included high prices on the junk land. You get do it all for as little as half what I talked about if you are careful and cut corners. We all have a million reasons why we can’t get a homestead, but money shouldn’t be one of them.
END
You should check out www.stayalive.blogspot.com . I know some of you were less than thrilled with some postings but he does include some real gems. I will have a guest article Sunday, check it out. And you know the usual drill
www.bisonpress.com for All Things Jim
www.bisonpress.com/affiliatebooks.html for great books
www.bisonpress.com/amazonproducts.html for prep gear, grinders, weapons, camping stuff, etc.
Friday, February 15, 2008
how long to shopping
HOW LONG TO SHOPPING?
As you might know ( or whether you even cared ) I was sick yesterday. Due to my high standing with the reigning deity, my daily mega-dosing of vitamin C and my ( relatively ) clean living I recovered quickly. I am still weak and unwilling to put much of anything solid in my stomach today but I am able to stumble through the day on my feet. Once I dragged myself home yesterday I had everything I needed to help myself recuperate. I already had powdered Gatorade and some bottles of Pepto ( generic from the dollar store ). I didn’t have to worry about stopping at the store to get any medicine. I’m a slow learner but eventually I do catch on. The last time I was blowing out my lower intestines I didn’t have any of the pink juice and had to run around town looking for a open drug store ( this was before Wal-Mart opened a store on my end of town ) before going to work. I finally found some at an outrageous price. From then on I always had all the pharmaceuticals I needed already on hand. Over the counter, anyway.
*
Which leads me to the question, how long would it be before you needed to go shopping? Before you needed to dig into your doomsday food stash, how long could you go without restocking your pantry, your cupboard, your medicine chest or your toilet paper supply? Your everyday consumable items. Do you have spares for everything? I know you can’t use lack of space for an excuse because I live in a thirty foot trailer ( call it a tad over 200 square feet ) and I could go months on my toilet paper supply without restocking ( to name the bulkiest item ). I have a small twelve inch tall freezer and I can go up to a month without needing to buy more meat ( and that’s with butter and other items shoved in there ). I could go six months on my vitamin supply, at current consumption ( and could stretch it out to a couple of years if need be ).
*
None of this is difficult or expensive. Just identify an item of two at a time and keep buying it until you have enough for at least six months. And almost everything is available at the dollar store or Wal-Mart. Just keep shopping once a week and make most of your purchases stockpile items rather than immediate consumption items. Sometimes you have so much already stocked and so little room you can’t buy more of one item even if you wanted to. I can’t buy TP more than every other week since half the closet is filled with it. So I go to another stock item. Say, more dental floss. When the toothpaste area is overflowing I buy more deodorant. When that is overflowing I get more toothbrushes.
*
You can’t stockpile certain food items obviously. Without a root cellar it’s kind of hard to stock more than a few weeks of potatoes. Your meat stockpile is limited to the freezer capacity ( I only carry canned meat for emergencies ). The whole point is to have as much as possible stored in your home rather than back at the store. You know this. I’m just reminding you to stock as many different items as you can, and as much as you can. Keep buying, even with increased costs. This is about going through shortages without notice rather than inflation fighting. My dozens of cans of coffee sit untouched. I paid $3 each for them. I still buy more coffee as needed at $4 a can. Don’t touch your stash except to rotate.
*
Every time you go to the store, notice what you buy. Do you have a stockpile of it? Could you have skipped that shopping trip? Stuff you never think of. Hair combs. Shoe laces. You get the idea.
END
go shopping at www.bisonpress.com
As you might know ( or whether you even cared ) I was sick yesterday. Due to my high standing with the reigning deity, my daily mega-dosing of vitamin C and my ( relatively ) clean living I recovered quickly. I am still weak and unwilling to put much of anything solid in my stomach today but I am able to stumble through the day on my feet. Once I dragged myself home yesterday I had everything I needed to help myself recuperate. I already had powdered Gatorade and some bottles of Pepto ( generic from the dollar store ). I didn’t have to worry about stopping at the store to get any medicine. I’m a slow learner but eventually I do catch on. The last time I was blowing out my lower intestines I didn’t have any of the pink juice and had to run around town looking for a open drug store ( this was before Wal-Mart opened a store on my end of town ) before going to work. I finally found some at an outrageous price. From then on I always had all the pharmaceuticals I needed already on hand. Over the counter, anyway.
*
Which leads me to the question, how long would it be before you needed to go shopping? Before you needed to dig into your doomsday food stash, how long could you go without restocking your pantry, your cupboard, your medicine chest or your toilet paper supply? Your everyday consumable items. Do you have spares for everything? I know you can’t use lack of space for an excuse because I live in a thirty foot trailer ( call it a tad over 200 square feet ) and I could go months on my toilet paper supply without restocking ( to name the bulkiest item ). I have a small twelve inch tall freezer and I can go up to a month without needing to buy more meat ( and that’s with butter and other items shoved in there ). I could go six months on my vitamin supply, at current consumption ( and could stretch it out to a couple of years if need be ).
*
None of this is difficult or expensive. Just identify an item of two at a time and keep buying it until you have enough for at least six months. And almost everything is available at the dollar store or Wal-Mart. Just keep shopping once a week and make most of your purchases stockpile items rather than immediate consumption items. Sometimes you have so much already stocked and so little room you can’t buy more of one item even if you wanted to. I can’t buy TP more than every other week since half the closet is filled with it. So I go to another stock item. Say, more dental floss. When the toothpaste area is overflowing I buy more deodorant. When that is overflowing I get more toothbrushes.
*
You can’t stockpile certain food items obviously. Without a root cellar it’s kind of hard to stock more than a few weeks of potatoes. Your meat stockpile is limited to the freezer capacity ( I only carry canned meat for emergencies ). The whole point is to have as much as possible stored in your home rather than back at the store. You know this. I’m just reminding you to stock as many different items as you can, and as much as you can. Keep buying, even with increased costs. This is about going through shortages without notice rather than inflation fighting. My dozens of cans of coffee sit untouched. I paid $3 each for them. I still buy more coffee as needed at $4 a can. Don’t touch your stash except to rotate.
*
Every time you go to the store, notice what you buy. Do you have a stockpile of it? Could you have skipped that shopping trip? Stuff you never think of. Hair combs. Shoe laces. You get the idea.
END
go shopping at www.bisonpress.com
Thursday, February 14, 2008
and then
AND THEN?
I’m often quite critical about comedy movies. More often than not there are a few one liners surrounded by whatever message the movie wants to convey. At the very least a chick flick imploring males to willingly castrate themselves. Or a father figure becoming a pussy so him and his kids can become buddies. You already know how I feel about the Femi-Nazi movement, and as far as father/kid buddy movies that might be a natural development but not until after they becomes adults on their own. I am truly turning into a crusty old guy ( if you think I’m offensive and offended now, wait until I’m done with middle age and actually get old ). So with few exceptions the only good comedy movies out there are just after cheap laughs, full of bathroom humor, non-politically correct, etc. Just good old fashion role in the isles and pee your pants funnier than all hell comedies. Animal House, Beta House, Not Another Teen Movie, Super Troopers, etc. Another great movie is Dude, Where’s My Car? And the best line from that movie is “and then”. The main character goes into a drive through at an oriental fast food place. He only places a small order. The high pitched oriental women taking the order through the microphone asks “and then”. The guys are pretty clueless until they finely figure out they are expected to order more. But the voice never stops. After each additional item, “and then!”.
*
Survivalists are like that women. And Then!! We always want more. We never have enough, the stockpiles keep on growing. There is always another item we need, another disaster we need to prepare for. This not only freezes us into the consumer lifestyle ( the 1980’s media crusade against survivalists ended after all the bastards from California jacked up the entire West’s real estate above middle class affordability so 99% of preppers had to stay in town and consume more to compensate for a feeling of decreased security-if that didn’t do the trick the closing of Mom And Pop stores made rural areas employment wastelands ) but it puts us into a dangerous habit come doomsday. Everyone is at thinking ( if not actually planning ) to go on last minute shopping trips as a collapse unfolds. This was brought to mind as I was reading the book Ill Wind by Anderson and Beason ( it started out great, when I finish I’ll let you know if the whole thing is worth it ).
*
You also had shades of this material in Lucifer’s Hammer, the recent online novel ( Lights Out? I think ) and the movie Trigger effect. It is part of survivalist lore. And it is too dangerous. I used to entertain thoughts along these lines but I think I’ll just hunker down no matter what I need. We are not as smart as we think we are ( arguably a lot of failure to prep is merely lack of education rather than intelligence ). So if we can figure out things are falling apart, so can Joe Average. The more that are convinced they might die the more violent and vicious they will be. Stay away from needless confrontation.
END
Sorry, a little short today. I’ve picked up on a Super Bug and feeling like Death already knocked me down and is pummeling me with a sickle. I can barely sit up straight to type. I even went home early, an event that only happens a few times a decade. Here’s hoping you all don’t get it. Fever and mass ejection from both ends.
my crap for sale is at http://www.bisonpress.com/
I’m often quite critical about comedy movies. More often than not there are a few one liners surrounded by whatever message the movie wants to convey. At the very least a chick flick imploring males to willingly castrate themselves. Or a father figure becoming a pussy so him and his kids can become buddies. You already know how I feel about the Femi-Nazi movement, and as far as father/kid buddy movies that might be a natural development but not until after they becomes adults on their own. I am truly turning into a crusty old guy ( if you think I’m offensive and offended now, wait until I’m done with middle age and actually get old ). So with few exceptions the only good comedy movies out there are just after cheap laughs, full of bathroom humor, non-politically correct, etc. Just good old fashion role in the isles and pee your pants funnier than all hell comedies. Animal House, Beta House, Not Another Teen Movie, Super Troopers, etc. Another great movie is Dude, Where’s My Car? And the best line from that movie is “and then”. The main character goes into a drive through at an oriental fast food place. He only places a small order. The high pitched oriental women taking the order through the microphone asks “and then”. The guys are pretty clueless until they finely figure out they are expected to order more. But the voice never stops. After each additional item, “and then!”.
*
Survivalists are like that women. And Then!! We always want more. We never have enough, the stockpiles keep on growing. There is always another item we need, another disaster we need to prepare for. This not only freezes us into the consumer lifestyle ( the 1980’s media crusade against survivalists ended after all the bastards from California jacked up the entire West’s real estate above middle class affordability so 99% of preppers had to stay in town and consume more to compensate for a feeling of decreased security-if that didn’t do the trick the closing of Mom And Pop stores made rural areas employment wastelands ) but it puts us into a dangerous habit come doomsday. Everyone is at thinking ( if not actually planning ) to go on last minute shopping trips as a collapse unfolds. This was brought to mind as I was reading the book Ill Wind by Anderson and Beason ( it started out great, when I finish I’ll let you know if the whole thing is worth it ).
*
You also had shades of this material in Lucifer’s Hammer, the recent online novel ( Lights Out? I think ) and the movie Trigger effect. It is part of survivalist lore. And it is too dangerous. I used to entertain thoughts along these lines but I think I’ll just hunker down no matter what I need. We are not as smart as we think we are ( arguably a lot of failure to prep is merely lack of education rather than intelligence ). So if we can figure out things are falling apart, so can Joe Average. The more that are convinced they might die the more violent and vicious they will be. Stay away from needless confrontation.
END
Sorry, a little short today. I’ve picked up on a Super Bug and feeling like Death already knocked me down and is pummeling me with a sickle. I can barely sit up straight to type. I even went home early, an event that only happens a few times a decade. Here’s hoping you all don’t get it. Fever and mass ejection from both ends.
my crap for sale is at http://www.bisonpress.com/
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
you can't always get what you want
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
As usual, I am all about other people. I love everyone, even overpaid fiction writers dubbed expert by their fan base with the only achievement being necessary for such a title is being published by an establishment media company. And since my love knows no bounds I present you with yet another free gift. The wisdom of living frugally can be summed up very simply. You can’t always get what you want. With this tidbit you can now live happily ever after, no longer burdened by the consumer lifestyle or a worsening job market. You can live far below the needs of normal Americans. There is no need to send thanks. Helping others is my reward.
*
Okay, seriously, buy my crap, send a PayPal donation or at least buy something from Amazon at no extra charge to yourself so I get a commission. Satisfaction doesn’t pay the rent. But you can make yourself a heck of a lot happier by living this lifestyle. Now, I can hear what you are thinking. You gave up your daily visit to Big And Sagging Hooters dot com to read my drivel and I’m telling you, what? Buy Bison books but don’t live the consumer life style. How does that make sense? Obviously you have to consume. You don’t eat without consuming, without earning some money. Few of us can raise our own food and even those that do must join the money economy so they can pay taxes on the land where they raise their food.
*
So I guess I should have been a bit clearer and stated that you should never live by your wants but by your needs. Eliminate all of your wants from your budget, buy only needs. After your bills have fallen below your income than you can have some of the saving back to invest in your wants. To a limited degree, then you have a safety net. Never spend one dollar without asking yourself, do I need this or do I want it? This will tend to drive yourself, your spouse, your children and your buddies crazy. But it is the only way to live frugal. How do you think I live off one income of $7 an hour, with child support payments and taxes taking half of that? I won’t spend one red cent without agonizing over it. Hungry, time for lunch? A Big Mac is only $1.50. Too much, a half a loaf of wheat bread is half of that. Beef on sale for $1.99, how about leftover meat for lunch? No, bread for breakfast and lunch. Meat is only for dinner. Get broadband Internet for $15, only $5 more than my dial-up? I don’t need it, I just won’t download video ( the park supposedly has free wi-fi but I have nothing but problems with it ).
*
Need a cell phone? Or do you just want one? Cable television, a bigger TV? Why? The small TV lets you get near free entertainment and a roof antenna is a one time only expense. A car gets you to work so it can be considered an investment rather than an expense ( assuming you can’t move closer to work ) but a new one is a want rather than a need. A new transmission in the old one is a lot cheaper. The old one must be used until rust covers the entire surface. Need new clothes? Why? Because you want them is not acceptable. Need then for work? Salvation Army. You don’t need Starbucks, ever. Buy generic coffee and brew your own. If you are frugal and your wife is not, ask yourself if you need this wife or you just want her. Okay, I’m almost kidding. I offer nothing new here. Nothing original. I just offer the observation that to survive in today’s stagflation you need to constantly without fail evaluate true needs from wants. It is not easy, we are conditioned from birth to consume without thought.
*
All the helpful hints on cheap living won’t help you without this basic attitude. You must question every purchase. A good example. I’ve been a tightwad for so long I question each purchase to an unhealthy degree. I was thinking about buying the “forever” stamps. Since the Post Office looks like it is going to raise the cost of stamps yearly by the official inflation figures. Since I use so few of them a roll would last a long time. I spend $41 now and if it takes three years to spend at the end I’m saving two and three cents a stamp. But this is a false savings. Anything else I invest in is going to produce more than a 3% return. Food was up at least ten percent last year. Silver about 20%. Ammunition 25%. Why tie up any money in stamps? Now all of my spending decisions must pass investment criteria.
*
This is not about denying yourself. It is about limiting your pleasures to a manageable level. Be happy with the small things. Otherwise, you never know when to stop spending and consuming and over time it satisfies you less and less. Just as eating steak every week will decrease your appreciation of it over time. Reserved for special occasions it is much more enjoyable. Now, in our case your increased savings are just consumed by disaster preparations. But, then, that is really an investment in your families safety rather than mindless consumerism. And as time goes on and you plant gardens and install solar panels or insulate it turns into further savings. Just be sure to question every prep item also. 90% of it is toys or luxuries. Your frugal thinking cap should never come off.
END
If you are handy with junk and want to make your own vacuum sealer go to www.urbansurvival.com/vacsealer.pdf ( the sites owner gives the usual “I am passing this on, can’t vouch for its safety” warning ).
If you are going to Wal-Mart check out the clearance section by the sports area. 1000 fps pellet gun with scope marked down from $100 to $75.
As usual, my wonderful web page at www.bisonpress.com
As usual, I am all about other people. I love everyone, even overpaid fiction writers dubbed expert by their fan base with the only achievement being necessary for such a title is being published by an establishment media company. And since my love knows no bounds I present you with yet another free gift. The wisdom of living frugally can be summed up very simply. You can’t always get what you want. With this tidbit you can now live happily ever after, no longer burdened by the consumer lifestyle or a worsening job market. You can live far below the needs of normal Americans. There is no need to send thanks. Helping others is my reward.
*
Okay, seriously, buy my crap, send a PayPal donation or at least buy something from Amazon at no extra charge to yourself so I get a commission. Satisfaction doesn’t pay the rent. But you can make yourself a heck of a lot happier by living this lifestyle. Now, I can hear what you are thinking. You gave up your daily visit to Big And Sagging Hooters dot com to read my drivel and I’m telling you, what? Buy Bison books but don’t live the consumer life style. How does that make sense? Obviously you have to consume. You don’t eat without consuming, without earning some money. Few of us can raise our own food and even those that do must join the money economy so they can pay taxes on the land where they raise their food.
*
So I guess I should have been a bit clearer and stated that you should never live by your wants but by your needs. Eliminate all of your wants from your budget, buy only needs. After your bills have fallen below your income than you can have some of the saving back to invest in your wants. To a limited degree, then you have a safety net. Never spend one dollar without asking yourself, do I need this or do I want it? This will tend to drive yourself, your spouse, your children and your buddies crazy. But it is the only way to live frugal. How do you think I live off one income of $7 an hour, with child support payments and taxes taking half of that? I won’t spend one red cent without agonizing over it. Hungry, time for lunch? A Big Mac is only $1.50. Too much, a half a loaf of wheat bread is half of that. Beef on sale for $1.99, how about leftover meat for lunch? No, bread for breakfast and lunch. Meat is only for dinner. Get broadband Internet for $15, only $5 more than my dial-up? I don’t need it, I just won’t download video ( the park supposedly has free wi-fi but I have nothing but problems with it ).
*
Need a cell phone? Or do you just want one? Cable television, a bigger TV? Why? The small TV lets you get near free entertainment and a roof antenna is a one time only expense. A car gets you to work so it can be considered an investment rather than an expense ( assuming you can’t move closer to work ) but a new one is a want rather than a need. A new transmission in the old one is a lot cheaper. The old one must be used until rust covers the entire surface. Need new clothes? Why? Because you want them is not acceptable. Need then for work? Salvation Army. You don’t need Starbucks, ever. Buy generic coffee and brew your own. If you are frugal and your wife is not, ask yourself if you need this wife or you just want her. Okay, I’m almost kidding. I offer nothing new here. Nothing original. I just offer the observation that to survive in today’s stagflation you need to constantly without fail evaluate true needs from wants. It is not easy, we are conditioned from birth to consume without thought.
*
All the helpful hints on cheap living won’t help you without this basic attitude. You must question every purchase. A good example. I’ve been a tightwad for so long I question each purchase to an unhealthy degree. I was thinking about buying the “forever” stamps. Since the Post Office looks like it is going to raise the cost of stamps yearly by the official inflation figures. Since I use so few of them a roll would last a long time. I spend $41 now and if it takes three years to spend at the end I’m saving two and three cents a stamp. But this is a false savings. Anything else I invest in is going to produce more than a 3% return. Food was up at least ten percent last year. Silver about 20%. Ammunition 25%. Why tie up any money in stamps? Now all of my spending decisions must pass investment criteria.
*
This is not about denying yourself. It is about limiting your pleasures to a manageable level. Be happy with the small things. Otherwise, you never know when to stop spending and consuming and over time it satisfies you less and less. Just as eating steak every week will decrease your appreciation of it over time. Reserved for special occasions it is much more enjoyable. Now, in our case your increased savings are just consumed by disaster preparations. But, then, that is really an investment in your families safety rather than mindless consumerism. And as time goes on and you plant gardens and install solar panels or insulate it turns into further savings. Just be sure to question every prep item also. 90% of it is toys or luxuries. Your frugal thinking cap should never come off.
END
If you are handy with junk and want to make your own vacuum sealer go to www.urbansurvival.com/vacsealer.pdf ( the sites owner gives the usual “I am passing this on, can’t vouch for its safety” warning ).
If you are going to Wal-Mart check out the clearance section by the sports area. 1000 fps pellet gun with scope marked down from $100 to $75.
As usual, my wonderful web page at www.bisonpress.com
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