tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25108332275710301912024-02-20T00:32:05.180-08:00Lester On SurvivalLesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-75371013248686871132018-04-10T13:30:00.003-07:002018-04-10T13:30:58.086-07:00Wow! It's been over 3yrs since my last posting...<br />
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The insanity of These Days is everywhere In Your Face... The crazies that run the world are (evidently) looking to "destroy all flesh". If you are Bible Believer, Christ Foretold this eventuality in Matthew 24:21-24. There is a great online searchable Bible at unbound.biola.edu. Choose your version, but I like the lyricism of the KJV. There is also that "...But for the Very Elect's sake, those days will be shortened!" Witness; so be of Good Cheer...<br />
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For 14yrs I have witnessed to the world via Internet discussion principally concerning Christians not yet Born-Again and Living In Relationship With Father and Son, that THESE Are The Final Days, and it's time to Answer God's Call. I have also written on the topics related to Self-Sufficiency which corelates to the 70's idea of Survivalism.<br />
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There are previous posts here related to some specific topics. Maybe I've done this "last minute preparations" post before? Well, here it is again!<br />
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IF you live within 10mi of a major US coastal city, or a primary military base which could be a nuclear weapon target REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER EVACUATION TO A SAFER AREA...<br />
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Nuclear War Survival Skills was written/compiled by Cresson Kearny of Oakridge Nuclear Laboratory, a US Government facility, published in 1979, updated in 1987; or so my hardcopy states. Maybe there's been further updates? I dunno... What I DO KNOW is you can get a FREE Download of this book at www.ki4u.com... That website run by Shane Conner has other valuable FREE Info you can dowload and employ to enable you and yours to Survive A Nuclear Event, whether terror or ff; or nuclear war.<br />
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Nuclear War Survival Skills (FREE Download at ki4u.com) contains The Best Info ever assembled on Sheltering. Chapter 5 and several of the Appendices show and discuss how an Expedient Shelter can be made in 12 hours or so by those who have Evacuated From The Fireball and Highest Blast OverPressures.<br />
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Tons of info that will help you make informed decisions in Nuclear War Survival Skills.<br />
If you own some basic gardening gear and are fit enough to dig for several hours at a stretch, and you follow the ideas outlined, you can likely live through a war scenario. A FF or Terror Event will have no media coverage or warning announcement, but neither will those "events" be characterized by use of high-yield or widespread weapons. Maybe you luck-out?<br />
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Today is April 10, 2018. <br />
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The world situation is "fluid". Seems to me that any pretext to begin nuclear war on a global scale is being sought. Syria looks to be the flashpoint, but there are others... <br />
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My hope for you and yours, dear reader, is that you will Get The FREE Download at ki4u.com and read the chapters on Shelter-Making and then read all the rest. As Conner says, "the good news about nuclear war is it's survivable". If you KNOW What You Need To Do Before It Happens...<br />
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As with so many other things in life, a considered and prepared Response is always better than a knee-jerk reaction:<br />_Get Informed, <br />_Consider The Assets You Now Have To Work With,<br />
_Make Your Plan,<br />
_Work Your Plan.<br />
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Basic things you can do right now include: <br />
_Keeping Your Vehicles Fully Fueled and Ready, <br />_Buy Extra Food, Canned & Other Long-Storing Foods Especially,<br />
_Store Water & Get Some Plain HYPOCHLORITE Bleach To Treat Raw Water,<br />
_Determine A Method For Disposal Of Fecal Waste,<br />
_Take Steps As Necessary For Your Own Sheltering Needs,<br />
_If You Own Firearms, Be Sure You Have Ammunition,<br />
_Read Nuclear War Survival Skills and You'll Get More Informed....<br />
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There is No Reason To Expect Rational Decisionmaking from world leaders at this juncture. The Biblical Corelation is very plain. Some of the bad-actors on worldstage seem to be "forcing" events to align with Prophecy. <br />
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There is never a wrong time to Get Right With God! I ask All HIS Blessings Be Upon You!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-32621470122269745302014-11-15T12:55:00.001-08:002014-11-15T13:05:07.602-08:00Two Articles From Selco... On Decision Making & When To Bug-OutThe Following Graciously Allowed By Selco, whose Blog you Really Ought To Read Regularly...<br />
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Lots of other great articles and info there, even a forum. Selco freely shares his experiences and observations, lessons learned and insights. Worth reading for sure... Thanks for your permission to reprint this, Selco. Link to rest of the article and others is below.<br />
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**********<u>Decision Making in Survival Situations</u>***********<br />
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We all usually keep forgetting that when SHTF things will be different in many ways.<br />
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We talk about lack of food, clean water, coffee, or simply lack of hygiene. And we say that people gonna die because of that and because of lots of violence. Based on my experience, all above is correct, but we also usually forget one simple fact: pressure!<br />
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Guy from my street worked before SHTF as a computer technician. Those years here were time when computers were started to be widely used in big companies. He was something like famous in that field, so he had good life, nice home, car, family and everything else.<br />
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When SHTF he just like great number of other folks was simply lost. While chaos was spreading through the city he stayed home watching through the window how people sporadically run across the street to avoid sniper fire and shelling.<br />
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He monitored how telephone lines went out, electricity and water too. Later he was trying to „catch“ some news over his radio that he used before for football (soccer) games broadcasts. His son later told us that they ate a lot of some old jam because they had eaten everything else.<br />
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And then one day he simply was forced to go out, they delayed that moment as much as they could, but when you watch your kid and wife go hungry it is very hard to just do nothing. You see those who are close to you slowly get worse and worse.<br />
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They found him some 300 meters from his house, some guys told him that they worked for government, and they are trying to restore peace.<br />
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They told him to show them his home and then shot him. When they came into his house first guy knock out the kid with rifle butt. Then they looked for gold. Then they played with wife. Anyway they kill her too, kid survived. I spoke with kid and we did not talk too much about details, it is rare people want to speak about any details from this time. Too much bad memories.<br />
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His story was not the only story like that in that time. Now you may think that they died because he was stupid, he was not prepared, he did not have weapon etc. All of that is correct actually.<br />
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But I like to think that they died because he made decisions under pressure, huge pressure. And it was wrong decision.<br />
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He waited for too long to choose correct moment to go out and find useful stuff like food, weapon or simply to connect with other folks.<br />
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And then one day situation caught him, and he was forced to make decision, to act under the pressure. As I said he was not only man who died that way, lots of other folks died in similar way.<br />
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Point is that we preppers and survivalist often forget that in survival situation we also have to make decisions under pressure. You might be great shooter, but are you ready to see loved ones suffering and making life or death decisions? It is harder than most people think.<br />
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Lesson here is to not be arrogant because you are a survivalist or prepper. Because you are that you escape first and you are not the bravest person who impresses whole neighborhood by getting shot first. You are also not overly careful and hide out until you run out of preps and have no choice but to go out.<br />
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We can be prepared.<br />
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What gives your mental side advantage is this:<br />
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You understand how the world has changed and that you have to forget about old rules. I speak in detail about this in my course and here on blog.<br />
You keep don’t let emotions decide what you do. You plan and dont put yourself in situation with only one way out.<br />
You expect the worst, forget about Hollywood action movie heroes and use all skills you practiced today and know already.<br />
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I have seen other folks doing mistakes under pressure......<br />
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- See more at: http://shtfschool.com/blog/#sthash.dMgZzDlo.dpuf<br />
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And this one, from June 2nd, 2014 on Knowing When To Bug-Out.....<br />
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**********BUGGING OUT: WHY I MISSED BEST TIME TO BUG OUT....***********<br />
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Best way to survive is not being close to any problems. Like I describe in my survival course about my experience in Balkan war I missed my chance to bug out in time. I ended up surrounded by enemy army and trapped in city for a year without power and regular resources. Everyone fighting for the little what was left and being shot at by snipers and artillery from enemies did not make experience any better.<br />
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There are many reasons why people fail to bug out. Last week Jay (guy I run this website with) left Bangkok because of military coup. He first did not want to leave right away but then common sense won and he left. You can read about what happened in our forum. Nothing bad happened after he left, but it could have.<br />
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There can be many reasons like failure to recognize that S. gonna hit the fan, blocked streets on the way out of the city, problems convincing everyone to leave or just some special events you want to stay for.<br />
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I mention many times why I failed to leave city before everything became blocked. So I said that simply I did not see signs, or even if I saw something that looked serious to me, I assure myself that everything gonna be OK in short.<br />
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And of course media was there to told us that everything gonna be fine, nothing gonna escalate etc. and all of this above is true, it was like that, but as the time goes by I am able to see one more mistake that I have done that contributed to the my choice of staying.<br />
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Actually it was not really choice, I failed to see that I had big choice to make back then. We humans like to go with the flow and that is what I did. There was no choice, just years later and when your freedom is taken you realize you failed to make right choice.<br />
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So the big mistake I also made was the fact that I was simply thrilled and excited how events are unfolding in front of my own eyes, it was kinda mesmerizing.<br />
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You know that feeling that you are going to be part of something big, something that it is gonna be part of history books?<br />
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I had that feeling on some subconscious level I guess.<br />
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It was like being part of event that goes like this:<br />
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Day 1: Today we lost ability to phone outside town, sporadic shots were fired whole day, on the TV there is no news from our city, which is weird…<br />
Day 2: I just saw tank on the street, went to check is there anything left in the store to buy or take, but actually there is no store anymore, tank was slowly rumbling over the street, guy who was standing next to me said „they gonna ruin the asphalt with that beast“ like that is important, but that guy still thought in old terms, like we all did. I think he thought that it is temporary, and tomorrow city gonna need to repair that street because tank ruined it, and we all pay that through our taxes, and so on, and so on.<br />
Day 3: Our first neighbor shows up with rifle and said „I ll gonna shoot those mother……s „ I ask him „who?“ he said „anyone who approaches my house.“<br />
At the beginning it was like being in movie, but pretty soon we all were like „f..k, people get killed for real here“.<br />
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One day after another day, events simple unfolding, more dramatic after dramatic. It is a bit like slow collapse that we experience now, changes come step by step, even in short time but it is all exciting until one point and then it can be too late.<br />
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This is what happened, one day it was simply too late to leave.<br />
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Now you need to understand me that this was not the only reason why I stayed in the city, it was not even most important, I speak about everything in detail in my course. But still it was the one of the reasons and one of the reasons that can be easily overlooked.<br />
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It is important to be mentioned here, simply because I can see and read in many places that lots of people still make similar mistakes. It is simply interesting for them to stay and see what is going to happen.<br />
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For those of you who were part of some SHTF event, whatever it was, some natural disaster or similar, you may understand what I am trying to say. Arrah who lost almost everything in devastating hurricane Haiyan in Philippines writes about this too.<br />
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It is the fact that timing of events is not goning to wait for you, it is going to unfold on its own, and at the end it is simply gonna overrun you if you are in its path.<br />
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You will be left behind to sit through consequences or destroyed.<br />
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People often act like world is spinning around them, and like nothing bad is going to happen to them, while in reality you (and me) are nobody in bigger picture. When you get more experience as survivalist and prepper you maybe even become arrogant and think you know what you deal with and can stay and wait.<br />
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I was young then, and my blood reacted different on gunshots, screams, or hearing about attacks or defense, or pride and similar, so I can blame that too. But still, it is easy to fall into the thinking of „staying to see events“.<br />
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Oh it was interesting for sure, especially in the beginning, before I realized fact that people died in great numbers, and that there is a huge possibility that I could be killed too, and it would not be some big event and very soon it is over.<br />
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Later it was all about trying to survive, something like constant running for your life. You become very humble man if you almost lose all control over things around you.<br />
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And remember the saying: “May you live in interesting times”, but also remember that it is as much curse as it can bring you excitment in good times. So if you see that „interesting times“ are coming to your neighbourhood, just leave the area, it is much better to be „bored“ but alive somewhere else.<br />
<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-3165105739867011302014-10-24T13:06:00.002-07:002014-10-24T13:06:30.727-07:00Another Food Article Uncle Lester says, get Organic Whole Grain Foods.<br />Order 50lb bags of these from your healthfood store:<br /><br />Lundberg Short grain Brown Rice, 400lbs or more.<br />Arrowhead Mills assorted beans: Anasazi, Black, Red, Navy, Garbanzo, Adzuki. Get 100lbs ea.<br />Rolled Oats: 100lbs<br />Hard Red Winter Wheat 600-800lbs<br />Split peas and Green/Red Lentils<br /><br />Buy honey, local from a beekeeper if you can find one, call your County Ag Agent. Get a bucket or two.<br /><br />50lb bag of Sea Salt<br /><br />about 30gals of olive oil, regular, not extra virgin<br /><br /><br />From
Costco or Sams, load up on canned foods in #10 cans and couple 4# pkgs
of yeast. Buy some flour, but you also want an electric mill for your
Wheatberries and to make flour sometimes from your beans.<br /><br /><br />You got solar/electric/generator system right?<br /><br />Buy another freezer and load up on meats and frozen Veges. <br /><br />Got gardening gear? If not, get it.<br /><br />Got Carla Emory Encyclopedia of Country Living? If not....<br />Got Mother EArth News #1-100 on CDrom?<br /><br /><br />Anyway,
you get your food together, order the stuff at healthfood store and get
your 10% off special order discount, or order where you can get it.
Ask the Ag agent if any Certified Organic farmers around and call and
ask at Farmer's Co-op.<br /><br />Get your whole grains, then buy new 5gal
paint buckets with gasket lids. You're gonna buy blocks of CO-2 Dry Ice
at the grocers and make your own food storage. Wipe out the buckets
with mild vinegar or water & bleach solution, maybe just rinse with
soap and water. Ea bucket will hold about 35lbs of grain, 25 of oats.
Need about 1 two pound CO-2 brick per 6 buckets. <br /><br />Fill bucket
about 1/3 with grain, wrap dry ice in towel or fine fabric and smash
with hammer until you get chips size of your fingernail. Layer about 9
chips on top of the first 1/3 and repeat twice until bucket is full.
Lay lid loosely over the grain and in 40 mins the chips will have
gassified and driven out the 02, then you hammer down the lid firmly and
apply your label. Easy to store, easy to move. Have eaten Brown Rice
stored this way that was 14yrs old and it tasted Perfect and Fresh...<br /><br /><br />Buy some good quality vitamins also, not cheap sinthesized crap.<br /><br /><br />May
as well build your health and use your time to cook and enjoy your
life. See my other archived survivalism articles for more on food.<br /><br />Wish you The Best!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-58478424906766469422014-10-18T21:26:00.000-07:002014-10-18T21:26:06.900-07:00Food Basics, or Eating To LiveSo, sheltering in-place or self-quarantine means life goes on but no takeout or restaurants. Can sure stock-up on freeze-dried meals and all the frozen foods and TV dinners your grocer or "prep supply" vendor offers. Yet, if you do so, you miss the opportunity to cook your own meals with superior ingredients and build-up your immune system.<br />
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Don't know how to cook? Might go visit your local thrift shop and head to their book section and buy whatever cookbooks and how-tos on cooking you find. Where we live, it's 80mi to the 2 restaurants we like. Have lived this way for the last 24 years. We learned to cook our ethnic favorites at home. We also practiced Macrobiotics pretty strictly for a year. That is a diet with special regimen of superfoods which enable the body to heal itself and build very strong immune system along with mental clarity. Lots of anecdotal books regarding Macrobiotics including Recalled By Life, the story of physician who cured his late stage cancer with the diet. NOT Giving Health Advice Here... But incorporating some of th dietary mainstays in your routine diet can produce great results. Check your library and online resources for Macrobiotic titles and cookbooks.<br />
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Cooking from scratch is The Way... You're gonna have time, so take time to learn to cook and use quality ingredients. We store what we eat and are experienced in cooking. If you have a small generator, or better, a solar/inverter/battery standby electric resource, you have frozen food and refrigeration at your command. Mostly we keep meat, cheese, frozen vegetables, and butter in our freeaers. We use chest freezers for longterm storage. These can be run for a couple hours a day if on genset and if they were on grid power and are fully packed, one or two hours will keep everything solidly frozen. We run ours for 6hrs a day when cool and 8 or more in Summer, but we are on battery/inverter... An upright freezer makes a good refirgerator. The absence of defrost cycle and better insulation of a freezer means the box stays cool longer w/o continually consuming electricity. A thermometer will aid you to keep 50deg or cooler. You can even use ice-chest freezer bricks in your fridge and swap bricks between the freezer and fridge. While one set is freezing, the other set is cooling your eggs and produce... You don't need to run freezers or refrigerators continually to keep your food safe.<br />
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Pretty hard to beat the protein of meat or fish. Rice and beans though, in combination do make a complete protein. Not really too wild about Pinto beans, but... Bl;ack, Soy, Navy, Red, Adzuki, Anasazi, and Garbanzo are bean varieties with varied flavors and textures. Pinto beans for sure for Mexican dishes and Tx BBQ classics. I recommend that the mainstay of your diet include Short Grain Organic Brown Rice, for it is The True SuperFood. This is the mainstay of Macrobiotics and peasant food world over that keeps those who eat it in good health. White rice is void of nutrition, just a starch. Might taste good, and be cheap, but it does your system no good and likely consumes nutrients you otherwise could add to when your body processes and eliminates it.<br />
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Brown Rice, Rolled Oats, Hard Red Winter Wheat, Lentils, Split Peas, and other Whole Grains, organics preferred are longterm food storage mainstays. These can be packed at home using CO-2 bought in brick form at your grocer, in new 5gal paint buckets with gasket top lids. Wipe the bucket out with a mild bleach solution or vinegar and once dry, fill all your buckets 1/3 full with your whole grains. Each bucket will hold about 35 pounds of dried grain, oats being very bulky go about 25lbs. So, you get all your grains together. Most come in 50lb or 25lb bags. Where to buy in a moment, but you have all your food in the paper bags it shipped in and your clean buckets; then you get your CO-2 Dry-Ice bricks and bring them home immediately. Fill each bucket and affix a label to the lid noting date and contents. You then take a towel or heavy linen and wrap the Dry Ice Brick(s) and beat them with a hammer or club until you have chips that are fingernail size. Put about 8 chips on the top of the grain, then cover with another 1/3 layer. Add more chips, Another final layer and more chips. Place the gasket lids on their correct buckets LOOSELY; wait 40 mins for the chips to gassify and drive all oxygen out of the bucket. CO-2 being heavier than air. Once the time has passed, hammer-down the gasket lids and you are done.<br />
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Pretty easy to lose grain to vermin, rot, humidity-mold and temperature change sweat. Grain etc stored as above will last many, many years. In 2009, we opened one bucket of Brown Rice which according to Internet Wisdom, is disposed to rancidness in short order. The rice was put-up in 1995 and was Perfect!<br />
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If you store whole grains, best have a grain mill. Corona is inexpensive and works but is slow. There are some good hand mills, but nothing beats an electric mill. I adapted a bucket lid to our mill and it takes about 30mins to grind a full 5gal bucket of flour. Best to leave your Wheatberries as grain until ready to make flour. Real perfectionists grind only what they use right then/there, 5gal bucket lasts us maybe couple months when making bread, pizza and other pastries. To save yourself work, get a couple of breadmaking machines at a resale shop and use them to mix dough. We only need run the machines seven or eight minutes to get a great ball of dough without kneading and spending lots of time and muscle getting to the same point.<br />
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Canned goods are certainly essential, especially tomato products. When cooking, we tend to make a big batch and freeze another meal or two. If you have a bakery thrift store that sells out of date bread, buy their organics for a dollar or two a loaf and freeze them. Nice to have bread ready to go, and if your climate is one that leads to mold in a day or two; keep your bread in the freezer.<br />
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We have lots of old canned meat. Lots of Spam and generic knockoffs. Lasts for years, unlike the nutrition value of canned vegetables which after a year begin to lose their zip although they will still taste good. Canned fruits area nice treat. If you have access to a farmer's market you can for sure can your own. The Ball Blue Book is a good how to. Might find canning jars for .25ea or less at thrift stores. Anyway you can save money, you have more funds for other items you have to pay full price for. Need a pressure cooker or two? At $10ea or less at thrift shop, you save mucho and can likely find gasket kit at Ace hardware or online for minimal amount. Pressure cooking keeps all the nutrients in your food, and also is a must for canning. Great tool to have and saves energy by cooking food quicker.<br />
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Powdered milk, whole milk if you can find it is versatile for yogurt making etc. Hard to find or expensive though. We began using Rice Milk about 20yrs ago with Macrobiotics. Rice Milk stores for many years and is tasty, and has no dairy allergen or other issues. More expensive than cow's milk, but packiaging and longevity as well as taste and absence of lactose makes it a bargain in our eyes. Never much cared for Soy Milk, but it might be to your liking.<br />
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Costco and Sam's are just a couple of resources for Institutional pack #10 cans and case quantities and large pack bags of staples like sugar, salt, and cooking oils, as well as large restaurant pack spices and herbs. Save money with these items and repack them. 10 lb bags of sugar store just as easily as 25 pounders but can be more versatile and less expensive. The only cooking oil we use these days is Olive oil and tend to go for the basic press variety rather than extra-virgin. Honey and Coconut oils are other ancillary foods we use a lot of, also molasses.<br />
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As far as fresh vegetables go, sprout seed like Alfalfa and Mung beans are traditional and have great nutrition. You can sprout any seed that is alive. Wheatgrass can be juiced and is an other SuperFood when done so. Buy a good batch of sprouting seed and learn to do it. <br />
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Just touched the tip of the possibilities here. Your food can do more than just fill your stomach if you plan for it to...Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-20850429115192200202014-10-18T14:44:00.001-07:002014-10-18T20:08:32.758-07:00Some Efforts That Might Make Your Suburban Home A Refuge...Live in a row house or town house with adjoining walls? Probably too close for comfort. These ideas might prove worthwhile to the detached homeowner with a yard and fence.<br />
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If you house is so tightly built on your lot that you are shoulder width or maybe two in width between neighbors, then you are stuck with the weak-link scenario. If everyone on your side of the street gets together and follows the same basic guidelines, well; there's always one or more who won't get on the bandwagon. That said...<br />
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Older suburbia was big lot planned living. Many of those old houses were torn-down and McMansions put up in their place. Usually McManses are built to the very edge of the property line allowance and right to the street setback. Probably have a concrete parking pad and garage instead of a front yard. Many will have a swimming pool, maybe even an indoor lap pool which is a plus!<br />
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Water is a BIG Concern. Don't got a pool? Buy one! Wallyworld and toy stores may still have a basic Above Ground pool you can erect in an afternoon. Need a level spot in your yard, or cover a concrete pad/patio with 6mil plastic sheeting and then cover w/sand or clean dirt. The pool frame erects on a circular frame which the 4' tall pool wall slides in. The frame is supported w/vertical stays and lots of playground or other fine sand keeps it all erect when filled with water. Talking 3000 gals or more and the pool with cheap electric pump/filter will be around $100/$150. <br />
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Pool supply store has more upscale kits and custom sized liners. The liners are much more longlasting and made of better materials. A good pool pump and filter with pool scour attachment may be worth the investment. Admit it! You always wanted a pool. Now you have reason to buy one. May as well get one you will enjoy and maybe build a deck framework so your family can enjoy it come next Spring. In the meantime you got a supply of water. Good idea to own a quality drinking water drip/candle filter and/or a distiller to make the HD Chlorinated pool water safe to drink.<br />
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Sewage is going to be a huge problem. Most persons sick with the disease will discharge virus laden sewage. Will your town, municipality, MUD have sewage incinerators in time, or ever to handle this concern? Probably not.<br />
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If you know where your water meter and sewer lines come into your house, you can dig around the sewerline, cut the pipe and cap it. Might seem extreme, but should be easy to pull the cap and restore the line once any concern for present or future threat is gone... Not like you need do this today. Concern is that in a pandemic, most utilities will be down, unattended or at least understaffed. If such situations begin to occur in your town, you can at least be sure no contagion will back up into your house through the sewer pipe. Might want to search for these problems happening in flooding situations. At best case secnario, if the sewage treatment plant(s) are down your own effluent will not back up and pollute your home. <br />
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Pretty easy to attend to the other daily living necessities if you have these taken care of. Plenty of quiet inverter generators on the market. Might find one now on Craigslist.com. See the earlier article on electrical generation. Gas appliances, as mentioned before, can be converted to propane with an orifice kit. Really NEED that water filter with 3 gal reservoir like the Katadyn or Berkey. No charcoal filters, because they last only a few months vs many years for the standard non-charcoal element ceramic filters.<br />
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Got a fence? Probably worth keeping your front gate locked with a good padlock. Maybe a quarantine sign and a note advising to call and state business before expecting admission. No stranger comes into your house. No one. On same notion, you do NOT go out either. Probably much more information to come from other sources about self-quarantining or sheletering in-place.<br />
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Should the contagion be proven to be air transmissable, then you need to do all you can to seal your home and make a positive pressure within the house. Positive pressure will carry inside air out, whenever a door or window is opened. You don't want outside, non-filtered air entering your home in that situation...<br />
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Another thought: When driving if your area has experienced an outbreak, use your Air Conditioner even if on warm/hot settings in Winter. A/C in vehicle will circulate interior air without blending air from outside. With good window gaskets and tight interior you should have positive air pressure working for you. Not like your too likely to be out driving around in such times, but if you are; use your air-conditioner rather than just the vent. Might also treat your window gaskets with armor-all or other silicon rubber/vinyl conditioner. Older vehicle, like an older house might benefit from some silicon caulk applied around door edges and to seal any wiring push-throughs in the firewall under the hood. Worth getting a new set of hinge pins for any doors that don't close tight. And for sure, get new tires if you might need them, change oil and filters and keep vehicle in good repair for dependability and to avoid a breakdown.Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-41615446602680752432014-10-18T10:50:00.003-07:002014-10-18T10:50:58.408-07:00African/Dallas Disease: RamificationsProbably already occurred to you, if this disease manifests as a pandemic with its 70% death rate, nothing will be the same; not for a long while, if ever...<br />
<br />
With some luck and great effort, perhaps the social utilities will remain up and functioning? Would be a Great Blessing if so. Perhaps refineries and pipeline delivery systems are automated to the degree that they can be kept functional with minimal man-power and attendance? I don't know, But I do know people who do. Will try and find out. Still, in the midst of pandemic, fuel for personal transport will be the least of worries. Natural gas and propane though would still be in demand,<br />
<br />
The sanitation services look most likely to be lost. There is no means to incinerate sewage. That, or some chemical treatment to destroy live virus which is spread through diarrhea and vomitus is just an unforeseen problem that requires solution Right Now; but there is none. Burial or disposal of the dead is similarly a large concern. Have seen some discussion on guidelines for funeral homes. Bodies to be transported in 2 body bags, and loaded into a third before removal. Not really a contingency though as the supply of bags must be finite and not like they are reusable...<br />
<br />
Will residential electric, gas, & water services remain functional? Really looks like it depends on depth of trained personnel and the inventory of commonly replaced equipment to allow for routine failure and breakage. Will persons unable to work, businesses unable to function continue to have cash-flow? Probably not. How could they. Huge #s of Americans out of work already, or working two or more jobs to bring-in what one decent occupation used to pay. Most Americans unable to raise even one thousand dollars from their resources in 3 or 4 days in an emergency.<br />
<br />
Even before this disease manifests in a numerically meaningful way there are going to be breakdowns. Not in the basic societal mechanisms discussed above, but in the medical field as we have already seen this week at Dallas Presbyterian Hospital, where of 90 surgeries scheduled for Thursday, only 3 patients came in for their procedures. Article today about the hospital being a "ghost town". If anything, this is a harbinger for the immediate future. Doctors and nurses, other caregivers and administrators cannot be required to risk their lives in a facility unequipped and unprepared to cope with, much less deal directly with bio-level 4 hazards. This will effect and affect all other healthcare delivery, especially "normal" and emergency care situations.<br />
<br />
Just In Time Inventory systems which meant efficiently matched supply to demand are worthless in unprecedented demand situations. Manufacturing stocks and raw materials take months if not longer to acquire under normal conditions. How will their acquisition be slowed or not available during this pandemic? Food and other Basics may very well be The New Wealth. The old wealth came about in the latter part of the 1880s. Stable population health, growth of cities, growth of industrial capability to meet new and growing demand..... All changes in a matter of months if/should/when this pandemic manifests and death rate cannot be stemmed.<br />
<br />
JIT is your enemy. Got money? Probably won't be able to buy your way out of this situation. Who will risk their life to enable your security if the money you can offer isn't buying what you and they expect? You and your family need Food and The Basics. You would likely also benefit strongly from other gear and supplies. Time to get them is NOW before they are n/a, not available.<br />
<br />
Wealth will revert from paper and paper-promises to actual physical goods, real property, and gear, supplies, and equipment. Nice house in the suburbia or city high-rise condo will be give-aways. Stocks and bonds will crap-out as force-majeur is declared. Insurers have their "act of God" and other "war clause" mechanisms which will deny claims. Not like most don't rely on reinsurance anyway... There are only a handful of reinsurance companies worldwide. Most are already in some form of financial distress. Article I saw this week, maybe last about how a number of medical insurers or plans will not pay the $1000/hr which was the number bandied about for Dallas Presbyterian's services to Mr. Duncan.<br />
<br />
Ramifications. Cause of Effect... How they gonna affect you and yours?<br />
<br />
At what point do credit card companies shutdown credit? Got money in the bank? You're okay, at least until your bank closes its doors. But most Americans live on credit in some fashion. Some pay their balances in full every month, but there are fewer of them as the last 7yrs have primarily seen layoffs and income reductions for those still employed. Can you depend on your credit cards to provide the funding you need for your family's survival? How long will they continue to function? Real estate values are already way down. You have your home and retirement accounts, maybe even a hefty brokerage account? But you don't have any New Wealth...<br />
<br />
As you deal with all this, you either consider the ramifications and take whatever prudent action you decide or you roll the dice that it is not going to affect you. <br />
<br />
FDR said, "Nothing in the political world happens by accident". The failures of Government and Government Health Agencies to take prudent steps to prevent this disease from reaching our shores is beyond treasonous and criminal. Perhaps it is welcomed as the means to crash the system, which was already ruined and looted financially beyond any hope of restoration or renewal? What better scapegoat to cover the tracks of deliberate betrayal than a medical devastation that seemingly no one could have prevented? Except it could have been prevented, and could still be prevented from further manifestation and dispersal. The inane stupidity employed by Those Entrusted With Public Health Guardianship is so broad and witless as to be impossible to confuse with professional error or accident. So, we conclude this is the plan, the goal. Prince Phillip gets his wish without having to even drop dead first! (Might want to review his remarks about desiring to be reincarnated as a virus to reduce the world's population.) <br />
<br />
Lots more depth to this subject than I can come up with off the top of my head. Yet, what matters is you and your family. Only you can take action for your own. If you have resources, deploying them now may mean the continuation of your line. Many fine families did not come through the plague years. Might read Albert Camus Journal of The Plague Years and The Stranger to get an idea of the daily physical and spiritual stresses. "Mother died today; or was it yesterday?" Dear God! Consider that sentence and the impact of stress to create such disconnect. Camus, the essential existentialist had his own agenda, but the real essence is there. Like the daily lives of the physicians in the Doctors Without Borders treatment camps. Read Richard Preston's The Hot Zone, if only to see how ebola-Zaire has morphed into maybe several contagions in the past year...<br />
<br />
All the time you spend "deciding", there are others who are already decided. There are those who control our societal fabric and they have already decided. You are on your own, whether you recognize this or not. Ramifications... They just keep happening. Every right decision takes you further, every wrong decision may hold you back. You do the best you can and try to stay flexible. You concentrate on the basics and as you come across other ancillary opportunities you grab them if you can. Like in Poker, you have to stay in the game to see the hand through. Even if money is tight, you can find a way... If you can put your Trust Fully In God; tell HIM so. HE Will Make your way when you are unable to do so. Such has been our experience.Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-63350386736743990702014-10-17T10:02:00.001-07:002014-10-17T10:38:05.483-07:00Dallas Presbyterian Whistleblower Nurses Statement.... Please Read & Understand!http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/blog/entry/statement-by-registered-nurses-at-texas-health-presbyterian-hospital-in-dal/<br />
<br />
Fair Use Cited:<br />
<br />
<br />
This is an inside story from some registered nurses at Texas Health
Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas who have familiarity with what occurred
at the hospital following the positive Ebola infection of first the late
Thomas Eric Duncan and then a registered nurse who cared for him Nina
Pham.<br />
<br />
The RNs contacted National Nurses United out of frustration with a
lack of training and preparation. They are choosing to remain anonymous
out of fear of retaliation.<br />
<br />
The RNs who have spoken to us from Texas Health Presbyterian are
listening in on this call and this is their report based on their
experiences and what other nurses are sharing with them. When we have
finished with our statement, we will have time for several questions.
The nurses will have the opportunity to respond to your questions via
email that they will send to us, that we will read to you.<br />
We are not identifying the nurses for their protection, but they work
at Texas Health Presbyterian and have knowledge of what occurred at the
hospital.<br />
<br />
They feel a duty to speak out about the concerns that they say are
shared by many in the hospital who are concerned about the protocols
that were followed and what they view were confusion and frequently
changing policies and protocols that are of concern to them, and to our
organization as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
When Thomas Eric Duncan first came into the hospital, he arrived with an elevated temperature, but was sent home.<br />
<br />
On his return visit to the hospital, he was brought in by ambulance
under the suspicion from him and family members that he may have Ebola.<br />
<br />
Mr. Duncan was left for several hours, not in isolation, in an area where other patients were present.<br />
No one knew what the protocols were or were able to verify what kind
of personal protective equipment should be worn and there was no
training.<br />
<br />
Subsequently a nurse supervisor arrived and demanded that he be moved
to an isolation unit– yet faced resistance from other hospital
authorities.<br />
<br />
Lab specimens from Mr. Duncan were sent through the hospital tube
system without being specially sealed and hand delivered. The result is
that the entire tube system by which all lab specimens are sent was
potentially contaminated.<br />
<br />
There was no advance preparedness on what to do with the patient,
there was no protocol, there was no system. The nurses were asked to
call the Infectious Disease Department. The Infectious Disease
Department did not have clear policies to provide either.<br />
<br />
Initial nurses who interacted with Mr. Duncan nurses wore a
non-impermeable gown front and back, three pairs of gloves, with no
taping around wrists, surgical masks, with the <b><i>option</i></b> of N-95s, and face shields. Some supervisors said that even the N-95 masks were not necessary.<br />
<br />
The suits they were given still exposed their necks, the part closest
to their face and mouth. They had suits with booties and hoods, three
pairs of gloves, no tape.<br />
<br />
For their necks, nurses had to use medical tape, that is not
impermeable and has permeable seams, to wrap around their necks in order
to protect themselves, and had to put on the tape and take it off on
their own.<br />
<br />
Nurses had to interact with Mr. Duncan with whatever protective
equipment was available, at a time when he had copious amounts of
diarrhea and vomiting which produces a lot of contagious fluids.<br />
Hospital officials allowed nurses who had interacted with Mr. Duncan
to then continue normal patient care duties, taking care of other
patients, even though they had not had the proper personal protective
equipment while caring for Mr. Duncan.<br />
<br />
Patients who may have been exposed were one day kept in strict
isolation units. On the next day were ordered to be transferred out of
strict isolation into areas where there were other patients, even those
with low-grade fevers who could potentially be contagious.<br />
<br />
Were protocols breached? The nurses say there were no protocols.<br />
<br />
Some hospital personnel were coming in and out of those isolation
areas in the Emergency Department without having worn the proper
protective equipment.<br />
<br />
CDC officials who are in the hospital and Infectious Disease
personnel have not kept hallways clean; they were going back and forth
between the Isolation Pod and back into the hallways that were not
properly cleaned, even after CDC, infectious control personnel, and
doctors who exited into those hallways after being in the isolation
pods.<br />
<h3>
<b>Advance preparation</b></h3>
Advance preparation that had been done by the hospital primarily
consisted of emailing us about one optional lecture/seminar on Ebola.
There was no mandate for nurses to attend trainings, or what nurses had
to do in the event of the arrival of a patient with Ebola-like
symptoms.<br />
<br />
This is a very large hospital. To be effective, any classes would
have to offered repeatedly, covering all times when nurses work; instead
this was treated like the hundreds of other seminars that are routinely
offered to staff.<br />
<br />
There was no advance hands-on training on the use of personal
protective equipment for Ebola. No training on what symptoms to look
for. No training on what questions to ask.<br />
<br />
Even when some trainings did occur, after Mr. Duncan had tested
positive for Ebola, they were limited, and they did not include having
every nurse in the training practicing the proper way to don and doff,
put on and take off, the appropriate personal protective equipment to
assure that they would not be infected or spread an infection to anyone
else.<br />
<br />
Guidelines have now been changed, but it is not clear what version Nina Pham had available.<br />
<br />
The hospital later said that their guidelines had changed and that
the nurses needed to adhere to them. What has caused confusion is that
the guidelines were constantly changing. It was later asked which
guidelines should we follow? The message to the nurses was it’s up to
you.<br />
<br />
It is not up to the nurses to be setting the policy, nurses say, in
the face of such a virulent disease. They needed to be trained optimally
and correctly in how to deal with Ebola and the proper PPE doffing, as
well as how to dispose of the waste.<br />
<br />
In summary, the nurses state there have been no policies in cleaning
or bleaching the premises without housekeeping services. There was no
one to pick up hazardous waste as it piled to the ceiling.<br />
<br />
They did not
have access to proper supplies and observed the Infectious Disease
Department and CDC themselves violate basic principles of infection
control, including cross contaminating between patients. In the end, the
nurses strongly feel unsupported, unprepared, lied to, and deserted to
handle the situation on their own.<br />
<br />
<br />
We want our facility to be recognized as a leader in responding to
this crisis. We also want to recognize the other nurses as heroes who
put their lives on the line for their patients every day when they walk
in the door.<br />
====================================================================<br />
<br />
<br />
Lester Commentary:<br />
<br />
There were 77 hospital workers who came into direct contact with Mr. Duncan. Protocol would have minimized this number to an effective minimum so as to put fewer Medical Professionals at risk. Yet, as stated above (maybe you think they are merely "claims"?), there was No Plan Or Strategy, and no Effective Guidance. Look at the Nurse's Statement section above once more. Let it sink in how much DENIAL is at evidence here and throughout the American Healthcare System.<br />
<br />
Previous article posted cites the Fact that there are only 3 private hospitals in the entire Nation which have any Level 4 Bio-Hazard patient facilities and that the total number of beds in these facilities is 13 or 14. Add National Inst. Of Health in MD, and the total comes up to 19 beds. Frontier Airlines is now seeking to contact 750 passengers (Now Updated to 900) who may have been exposed to Nurse Vinson's contagion. This would seem to indicate that the contagion remain active even after carrier or infected person has moved on.<br />
<br />
CDC says hospitals in America are ready and every hospital can treat this disease. Read the statement of conditions and circumstances and consider if the CDC even understands the facility resources our Nation has to work with or the actual virulence of the virus/disease.<br />
<br />
<br />
WE ARE ON OUR OWN! The only effective plan of action is self-quarantine, effort for avoidance.<br />
Want to understand what we face? Read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Read the previously cited Flu Forums for discussion of news and commentaries.<br />
<br />
Panic is not a solution. Consider what the African/Dallas Disease (you know its real name) will do to normal healthcare and all other forms of social interaction like business, shopping, manufacturing, education, I have previously discussed Just In Time Inventory plans placing obtainment of supplies, food, and equipment at risk. Since the middle-80s, American Medical Practice has been similarly "tuned" to try and maximize the value of the physician and support staff. Largely, this has not worked, and this comes from one who worked with several world-class medical practices and their administrators and lead physicians. American Medicine has no capacity to absorb this threat.<br />
<br />
WE ARE LOOKING AT A SOCIAL BREAKDOWN POTENTIAL HERE. Haven't even addressed the lack of depth within the Utility Structure of our cities. All hands-on positions are very specialized technical occupations and there just aren't trained persons in reserve to step-in to do the work if more than a few of these personnel are out of the picture due to whatever reason.<br />
<br />
I can only urge that you take all possible action for preservation of self and family. Self-quarantine, a voluntary isolation will require preparation and supply. The Time Is Now to acquire foodstuffs and some basic health supplies as well as assuring supplies for other basic home functioning needs are met. There will be a much greater emphasis on germ killing and prevention of infection. Lots to consider and plan for. May God Bless Your Efforts!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-10185151348823673692014-10-16T21:16:00.000-07:002014-10-16T21:16:12.157-07:00re: African/Dallas Disease The African/Dallas Disease seems to have come to the fore of American Consciousness this week. Pity that the info still promulgated by CDC and other Public Service Resources is so erroneous.<br />
<br />
Ms. Vinson, the 2nd RN from Dallas Presbyterian who has manifested symptoms of the illness actually phoned the CDC to inquire if she would be okay to fly. (Not like I was there when she called, but this is being reported...) CDC gave her word she was clear to proceed. Later in the day, we learn she was feeling ill, maybe symptomatic when she flew out of Dallas to Cleveland, not just feeling bad on the journey back... So not only is there a Frontier Airliner with 5 other stops after her Dallas departure, with 141 other persons on-board, there is the first plane she flew on Fri/Sat which until now, nobody had an iota of concern about...<br />
<br />
CDC tells us "every hospital in America ought be able to handle E(-word) patients", Yet there are only 3 private hospitals that have Bio-Hazard 4 isolation rooms. None of these facilities has more than a handful of rooms. Understand that to contain the viral agent, these facilities must have Pressurized rooms or airlock doors so nothing escapes when patient is tended to. The room must have its own, filtered and non-recirculative air supply. The ward must be similarly isolated from the rest of the hospital, and all patient attendees must wear maximum Prophylactic Preventative Eqpt.<br />
<br />
In Dallas, CDC said it was okay for care-givers to wear simple gown and mask with gloves. Not even as much PPE as your dentist likely wears. No face shield, no impermeable garment, no double layer of gloves. But who wants to arouse anxiety? Those West Africans, Dr. Frieden has stated, "Have a right to enter the USA" because they have a visa...<br />
<br />
Americans, evidently, don't have the "right" to an accurate portrayal of the risk they face. Andrew Cuomo, Gov. of New York has declared that there will be 8 hospitals that will take E-word patients. Of course, Andy seems to think he is god and that his word will make it so. No hospital in NY has even one bed much less a ward or room which will contain the contagion an E-word patient will be sloughing-off (the actual term) once manifested with the disease. In fact, it appears this disease, being a virus may actually have already mutated or be in process of mutating to become more resistant to eradication. Might be that the virus is communicable before symptoms manifest...<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ebola survivor I, Senga Omeonga: 'Every day I’m still thinking: When was I contaminated?'</span><br />
<span class="postbody">By Jon Cohen 2 October 2014 4:00 pm
<br />
Jon is a staff writer for Science.
<br />
<a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/africa/2014/10/ebola-survivor-i-senga-omeonga-every-day-i-m-still-thinking-when-was-i-contaminated" target="_blank">http://news.sciencemag.org/africa/2014/10/ebola-survivor-i-senga-omeonga-every-day-i-m-still-thinking-when-was-i-contaminated</a>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Senga Omeonga comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),</span>
the country that had the first recognized Ebola outbreak in 1976 and
where the virus was discovered. Omeonga, a medical doctor, also received
Ebola training in DRC, but he saw his first case this summer in
Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, where he has lived for the past 3
years.
<br />
<br />
And then <span style="font-weight: bold;">Omeonga, who worked at St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital—not a specialized Ebola treatment center—contracted the disease himself.</span> He was one of a handful of people worldwide to receive ZMapp, an experimental antibody cocktail. (full article at link)</span><br />
<span class="postbody"><br /></span>
<span class="postbody">Bascally, Dr. Omeonga was nowhere near any E-word contamination, but still he got it... Not like there was body fluid transmission as CDC maintains is necessary for the virus to attach to a new host. Saw some headlines this week that now authorities admit airborne transmission may be possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
Some cynics are in denial and conclude this is another false-flag hoax... Is it worth betting your life that it isn't real? Of course, CDC et al are betting our lives that we aren't knowledgeable enough to make informed decisions if given The Truth... But, hey! If you want to presume that Frieden is giving you the straight-skinny, it is your funeral (literally)...<br />
<br />
For more up-to-date reporting of news and commentary by medical professionals or insiders, see:<br />
Pandemic Flu Information forum<br />
http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=5725&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=3690<br />
and<br />
Rhiza Labs Flu Tracker Forum<br />
http://fluboard.rhizalabs.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=af1a36a0cd109d2c7f0238da610a76ad<br />
<br />
I monitor the PFI forum routinely. Read the posted commentary and news articles from page 235 to current to get the flavor of the circumstance continuing to develop in America. Read the early threads to see how we got from Dec `13 emergence to present. <br />
<br />
Very difficult to consider that the incompetence continually exhibited by WHO, CDC and other Public Service Agencies is just bad luck.<br />
<br />
<br />
You come to your own conclusions. <br />
<br />
My perspective is self-quarantine in a remote location with self-contained water well and septic are of primary importance. You arrange all your variables as favorably as possible and then basically don't put yourself in a position to be hurt/infected by interaction with others. This isn't the German Measles which you want your kid to catch. This is the real deal which 1348 Plague only aspired to...<br />
<br />
All the basics discussed here apply. The basic needs are the same. You just have one more Basic Need: The Need Not To Be Exposed.... I am no virologist or microbiologist. I can understand the need to begin wiping every surface you contact bare-handed with a strong bleach solution. Cleaning shoes and using a Mudroom for changing from street clothes. Where I live, we got no streets. Not much interaction. We do for ourselves, or do without. Not much longer might it be safe to be in general circulation among the public. My Feeling ONLY. Our Plan is to self-quarantine and stay busy. I'm just giving you the Tip Of The Iceberg, but it is time to be formulating your own plan and working it. If you can remove you and yours from exposure, you are back to square one, which is to say your work is just beginning. Life isn't fair, but God Is There if you choose to allow HIM To Guide your life. No atheists in foxholes...<br />
<br />
Have not even touched on the social and business implications of a widespread outbreak or even just a panic. Just In Time Inventory systems are your enemy. Takes months for business to gear up production if not anticipated. Demand for staple cleansers and all other goods that may be now appreciated more widely by the public will not be met. Panic Early, Avoid The Rush! Get what you want to have NOW or you may not have it. Living in Alaska, we buy whatever we see when we see it. Next week it may not be available... Need to project and plan for contingencies and expected usage of food, supplies, and obtain an extra margin for safety. You need everything for your daily living, except maybe all that involved out & about travel. NOT going to be doing much of that, not if you value your heath. If you are in a populated area, you might face mandatory quarantine and curfews. Best to be out of the line of fire...<br />
<br />
The ideal place to ride this out is basically a homestead or country retreat, 30 mi from nearest major US or Interstate hiway, a couple miles off the secondary road that leads to a private or non-improved roadway to your home. Your home will have its own well and septic, propane appliances where possible, and a generator/solar panel/inverter/battery electric production which powers all your homes outlets and functions. Central Air Conditioning and Electric Heat are not feasible for whole house climate control using this system, but might function by separate generator. Better to make other plans for those functions. You need an organic garden area, room for chickens, and small livestock or even cattle if you have the facility and persons to tend them. A security fence and watchdogs is also critical if you are within 50mi of a populated area. Might get The Mother Earth News Archive on CDrom and other Homesteading books like The Encyclopedia Of Country Living By Carla Emory. Lots of interesting survival reading in Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson Kearny (oakridge national laboratory) go to www.ki4u.com for free download of this public domain book. <br />
<br />
There will be more postings with greater regularity.<br />
Biggest effort at this time that I can see should be focused on eating well and taking quality vitamins to build your immune system and develop all the resistance strength you can...<br />
<br />
Once you can isolate yourself from potential infection, all the basics discussed previously in this blog apply.<br />
<br />
God Be With You!<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-33705025176602899792014-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:002014-10-12T13:34:02.249-07:00Mobile Retreating<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Motorhome or RV, Camper Trailer makes a pretty good base of operations. Got one that can pull a trailer of some capacity and your needs might be met.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Bugging-out with gear and supplies to enable self-sufficiency is a real option if you have the transportation, the gear, or the skill...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">RV is very worthy option as it is self-contained and mobile in the extreme. Not really as versatile as a 4x4 with a camper but very able to go many remote places if you know your vehicle and observe clearances and have tools to move blockages like downed trees and maybe a chainsaw to enable passage...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">An RV can be connected to large portable propane tanks or even a stationary one. Would be pretty ideal to have a land parcel with septic, well, and electric access, plus large propane tank. Even better, were there a barn or steel building on the site, you park inside and run your connections from there. Not a big deal to lay some plastic pipe for water and waste, and pretty easy to add a 40/60amp breaker to an existing box and route UG (underground rated) sheathed 6awg wire w/3 conductors and ground to a new box linked to your RV input cable. Live water source is easily connected and you also have water tank on-board storage. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Got some of these options? Pretty easy to make them work for you...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">No such facility? Not to worry....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Cresson Kearny's book has some great ideas for bug-out living. Expedient sheltering info there is unique and very doable. Ground not yet frozen where you are? You're in business. Read the chapter. Family w/2 teenage girls built their shelter in 14hrs. The over-pressure protections will also serve to keep warmth in and rain/elements out.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">This shelter could be dug in some back acreage of a national forest or BLM/Public land. Would sure not be too visible unless you took no effort to make it very noticeable. Probably not in your interest to do so. In Kearny's book, the family brought tools and an exterior door from their home, in no solid interior door available. Plywood would also serve with some 2x4 or heavier reinforcing. A sedan size auto can carry plywood strapped to the roof, or in a trailer. Truck, of course is no problem...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Kurt Saxon had basic plans for a earth-insulated cabin. Dig a pit in footprint of your desired cabin, about 5' deep. Erect a side pony wall or notch and scribe logs to fit. Make some basic trusses or a cabin roof and use treated plywood, and 6mil plastic sheeting overlapping seams if have any and then cover with the dirt you removed, or use real roofing. Put together w/screws or bolt together the 4x8 sections and you have a portable shelter. Build a wall frameworkand wrap with 6mil plastic on sides and floor and you have a pretty strong weather-tight shelter that has earth insulation and warming effects.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Pit toilet with lime for bio degradation will work. 5gal paint bucket w/kitty litter (clay type) will serve also. Need to observe all sanitation practices and be able to filter your water. A drip reservoir filter with candle elements like Berkey or Katadyn is a fine gravity powered asset to have. Might be able to use a Water Bed Mattress as a bladder and a small electric pump to draw water from lake or stream. Cleaner water source the better, of course. 5 gal paint bucket w/lid is also good for manual transport if don't have a water jug or other plastic tank to use.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Got a Yurt or GI type wall tent? With a liner and wood stove or fuel heater, these can be as warm as most houses. Yet you are still able to move camp when necessary.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">I have a large military surplus tent, 32 ft oal and with liner it weighs about 300lbs. Poles and stakes add more weight of course, but this tent has been transported by ATV into wilderness and sets up in several hours once all laid out and ready. Very compact and fast to assemble. If you were truck camping, maybe you carry pallets and plywood to have a real floor? Woodstove for cooking and heat would give you a secure and comfortable home. A few other smaller tents like you find at a resale shop or on-sale closeout at Target will shelter your gear and supplies. Maybe you are using a fairly large trailer to bring supplies onto your land? Convert your trailer to living quarters after you get situated and you have great potential for another comfortable living quarters. There are small woodburning stoves for tenters that will work for small enclosedd structures. With electric system you have many more choices. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">See previous article of Sep `14 for overview of Alternative Electric, off-grid resources.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">As far as portable AE systems go, 250w solar panels can be mounted on motorhome or trailer roof. Battery amp hours is the determining factor, but can be managed with efficient generator that teams with your inverter, like the Magnum Hybrid or Schneider Xantrex units. Honda or Yamaha inverter gensets offer some very good flexibility and fuel efficiency, not to mention are Relatively Quiet. Probably have a factory original Onan or Kohler genset if you own a motorhome or Class C RV. Even if you have one of these long-lived durable gensets, there are good reasons to own a smaller, portable and fuel efficient unit like the Honda/Yamaha 1000 & 2000w units. Also a good reason to own a high power battery charger like the Iota Charger/Converter series.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">Point of all this is, like Gypsies who were the first caravanner/RVers, being able to move at a moments notice and not lose all you have is a great resource to make available. </span>Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-42067848195595965942014-10-12T09:30:00.001-07:002014-10-12T09:30:52.099-07:00Survival Retreat or Homestead? A Rose By Any Other Name...Ever watch Chris Carter's finest effort, Millennium? Season two was exceptional, chiefly because Carter was so busy with other projects that his writing team produced and directed the show that season. Long intro here, but the Season 2 two-part finale episode plot concerned a Marburg Virus outbreak... Frank Black and formerly estranged wife and child head to an almost fallen down cabin in the woods, mountain foothills that his father left him...<br /><br />The Blacks show up with whatever gear & supplies they could bring in their small Jeep wagon and mid-size Taurus or whatever the wife drove. Not much stuff. But the house and gear was not central to the plot. <br /><br /><br />The basic thought of removing the family out of the line of fire, hunkering down with food and supplies to ride out the epidemic was discussed in the episode as regarding the efforts Europeans of means made to avoid contact with Plague.<br /><br /><br />Lots more to it than this, but the concept is valid. If you are self-sufficient and able to meet your daily needs for living under the worst circumstances you at least stand a chance.<br /><br /><br /><br />In Nuclear War Survival Skills, Cresson Kearny and his staff researched the minimalist approach to quick and hand tool constructed shelter. Lots of interesting concepts in that book (free download at ki4u.com), but the idea was to survive the over pressure and fallout of nuclear blast in proximity to the edge of the survival zone. Survival zone being outside the approx 5mi diameter fireball and total wreckage zone. Not really such a quick even here in terms of the death being manifest in seconds and having fast decay within 2 weeks.<br /><br /><br />Really concerned about the global pandemic that is manifesting on a reported basis so far in Africa, Europe, and the Americas? If you have money, you might find a suitable property to buy for self-sufficient living with some degree of security and remoteness. If you have money and already own or your family owns land with a cottage or even just raw land, you might shelter in-place there and ride this out. Maybe even a lake house if there is a fairly large plot of land and your own sewage, and water utilities already in place. Talking about a Septic Tank or other self-contained waste disposal and a well.<br /><br />Food is not yet a problem. Can probably buy a large order from a food wholesaler, or do Costco, Sam's etc. Take a truck to haul what you need and buy it. Ice chests to keep frozen meat and dairy etc. Got a motorhome or RV with lots of storage and weight capacity? Take that and you won't need to have someone guarding your supplies while you make 2nd or more subsequent trips to fill your list.<br /><br /><br />So, if we have the remote location in hand, and septic tank and well, food is the last major concern. Presumably you know you will need to stay Warm, Dry, Hydrated, Fed, and Able To Mount Self and Property Defense. <br /><br />But day to day living off the grid is what we are talking about. Even if your property has electric service, it may not be reliable, so you need backup or run the risk of no electric at all. Backup is what is going to run your well pump, and maybe your water distiller. Backup electric will run the super efficient heating systems that will heat a 1500sq ft home on a gallon of heating oil a day. Backup is what will power grow lights for indoor food production. Backup electric is what keeps some semblance of life as we used to know it and refrigeration and freezing of food...<br /><br /><br />Location. Couple miles off the nearest paved county road and 20mi or more from any US highway or interstate. Just as rule of thumb. Got your place now? Maybe right off an exit from some traveled road? Just take extra precautions and know they will be necessary. Yet, ideally, you will be several hundred yards from nearest neighbor who isn't a relative and your property access to those traveling will be minimal. Anybody coming out a dead-end, private road had better own property there or know somebody...<br /><br /><br />Plenty of food and gear tips contained in other articles on this blog.<br /><br />Got money? This may very well be the time to deploy it or find you have saved it only to die with a big bank or brokerage balance, but w/o the daily necessities. Some will be unable to take action, and unwilling to grasp that if they cant help themselves they may not have circumstances which enable their survival should life as we know it change in a matter of days.<br /><br /><br />Just In Time inventory practices and deliveries mean limited supplies. When the trucks stop rolling, the food and other gear will no longer be widely available. If you have seen the news in the past week, some suppliers are no longer shipping to Sears on credit... Sears, for first time in over a hundred years, may not be a viable resource. Might want to consider any parts you need or expect to need if you own any of their equipment...<br /><br /><br />Just as you probably need a backup electrical power source, and there was a recent blog entry about this, you will also want to be sure you have backup cookstove and fuel. Propane makes a very fine fuel for cooking and is very efficient and widely available. A number of 5gal bulk tanks with a couple of dual burner campstoves may be all you need. Propane has indefinite life when stored in a clean vessel w/o contaminants. New tanks of 25gal size or larger ought be vacuum pumped to remove oil and preservative liquids inserted at the factory.<br />
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There has been no discussion of viral infection avoidance in this article. Maybe later, but maybe not... If you are <br />out of the line of fire, not really any valid reason to put yourself and those who depend on you at risk. Going from your refuge into the fray makes little sense. But we will all have to do what we have to do...<br />
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God Bless you all and best of luck!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-51080648254495566682014-09-13T15:58:00.001-07:002014-09-13T17:12:29.061-07:00Alternative Electricity SolutionsAlternative Electricity Solutions<br />
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No theory here. In early 2000 I converted our home to grid-intertie electric using Trace Inverters, 16 Siemens solar panels and twelve L-16 six volt batteries. Probably could have used more solar panels but it worked satisfactorily.<br />
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Have reinstalled the gear we had with generators as main power source. Eight new L-16 batteries for storage. Did the conversion mid-Winter so it was "interesting" and mildly stressful. Thought would share some of the new info have learned.<br />
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Current system is not an intertie. I did the intertie in 2000 but we chose to eliminate the smart meter situation. We were running electric hotwater with 8kw generator but moved on to propane for hotwater, and a 2500w generator. We had been using electric clothes dryer, soon will be installing a propane dryer. Have done real well with interior clothesline on wet days and outdoor lines when sun shines.<br />
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Still using the Trace 4024 units, although no longer "stacked". Had some interface difficulty and the units are long obsolete, so have actually no need for the stacked 8kw load capability so we have one online and the other as backup. We also bought another stand-alone inverter. More on that later.<br />
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The inverters, system disconnect, and batteries are all located in our garage which was too valuable in Alaska to use as vehicle housing. The simple 6 breaker box which controlled electric service in the garage was converted to a full 125A service box and fed power from the inverter(s). A 6awg three lead conductor on a 60amp breaker now feeds the breaker box in the house. Meters are gone and feeds from meter disconnected and insulated. Both breaker boxes have main breakers to terminate power. Redundancy is always good when it comes to controlling live conductors. The main disconnect is a 300amp fused pull-out which immediately removes inverter, battery, and solar panel input from the system.<br />
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Not really going to discuss ampacity, wire sizing, or wiring basics and how-to details here. Homepower.com is a good resource for learning the basics, if you can do your own work based on code or regulation where you live.<br />
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Everything worked when put together, just like last time. Very blessed to have no false-starts with the wiring and power input. Basically used a 230v NEMA receptacle and 40' extension cord w/outdoor rated sheathing to deliver power from the generator to the inverter. The 4024 inverter(s) have built-in battery charger function, but are too old to do battery equalization. The Trace (later Xantrex, Schneider) inverters will intertie with generator to deliver a load in excess of the battery capacity in amperes. This worked great with our electric hot water heater, but wow the power required!<br />
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Propane is more user friendly for hotwater, unless you have a boiler fueled by woodstove. Everything is a compromise though. No free lunch in the energy arena when you have 3hrs real sun per day at height of Winter and temps below -20f at night...<br />
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The 8kw Generac electric start genset was retired to backup duty at about 800hrs of runtime. It has a spin-off oil filter and seems very well made. Bought it before really studied the whole AE power generation equation. Bought a Yamaha EF2000IS inverter genset and made a dual plug tie-in power cord to mate to the NEMA 230v power cord. Runs about 4hrs on one gallon and puts out 14amps or 1600 watts. The 4x larger Generac delivered about 3/4 hour runtime per gallon. With one inverter delivering 4kw max continuous, but really only delivering about 1200w most of the day, the Yamaha worked fine and saved a lot of fuel.<br />
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For really cold climate, nothing really delivers the power as well as a gasoline fueled generator. At -40F, nothing really wants to start. The Yamaha could be kept inside easily as it weighs only about 50lbs with one gal of fuel. Sometimes had to wheel the Generac inside to warm it enough to start and run easily. The generators were run under cover, but not in an insulated or heated shed. Intend to move them to a dedicated generator shed this year.<br />
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Generator is run when battery voltage drops to about 50% of full charge, or 24.2 volts. We run the genset manually, turning off the generator when the batter reaches float stage charging per the Trace LED display. Float occurs at about 85% of full charge. Trojan Batteries has a pretty good faq for battery maintenance and their batteries are good value.<br />
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Bought a 2nd Yamaha EF2000IS to run them in parallel. Has not been totally satisfactory but does work. Redundant backup. Converted a Honda 50amp inverter genset jumper set to NEMA 230 plug to use w/our extension. Works, but..<br />
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Found another genset at a pawnshop that became our daily workhorse. A Honda 2500w basic machine which puts out 20a continuously and runs 3+hrs per gallon. Had a decent condition 12awg grounded extension which I cut into two short pieces and made another dual 120 plug to NEMA 230 extension. This machine runs maybe 4hrs a day and is very fine.<br />
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The generator saga does not end there... Found a Honda 5500w basic set at another pawn shop, and an electric start Honda 5500 on craigs which needed a new generator head. Scavenged parts from the pawnshop set and now we have an electric start Honda in good condition. Invaluable was the learning to diagnose bad rotor stator and doing the parts replacement. For $300tot for both machines, it was a great project.<br />
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May still purchase a new Honda electric start genset. Unfortunately, their inverter models, even the electric start jobs, do NOT have the automatic choke of the basic models. Ideally, the 4500w machine delivers best economy at half load at about .6gal per hour and will do 4000w (iirc) at full load on about .8gal/hr. For our not too intensive electric needs, it would be perfect. Nobody stocks these in Alaska, though, because most buyers would go for the 5500 genset for about $300 extra bucks. So we're told...<br />
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We did buy another inverter, a basic no-frills Pure Sine Wave Cotek SK 3000 24v device that delivers 3000w continuous and surges to 6kw. Basic, almost bombproof machine, hopefully. have not installed it yet but did test it. With this we bought an IOTA 40kw 24v battery charger power supply as an outboard battery charger. The draw at max charge is just under the max of the Yamaha EF2000IS. The IOTA works with the Trace inverter charger and when run together with the 2500w Honda they deliver about 75amps of charge at 29.6 volts. When the Honda runs the Trace will send genset power plus whatever is needed from the battery to match powerdraw until draw from inverter exceeds 10kw surge or 4kw continuous. This gives us about 6200watts max usable power w/genset running. More if we are running the 5500w Honda or 8kw Generac.<br />
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The IOTA charger can be teamed with another charger and deliver 80amps. Can't say enough good things about these tough and capable machines. Intend to get another one and the paralleling module for times we might have to do an equalizing charge.<br />
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Our Trace inverter(s) will do autostart with the Honda electric genset. Few newer inverters really are made to do all the supplemental work with a generator as the original Trace designs. Magnum has one hybrid inverter that will allow additive current and autostart. Lots of info on all the possiblities on the Arizona Wind and Sun forums, and o the Homepower archives disc.<br />
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Gasoline storage? We ran some fuel that was at least 5yrs old w/o a problem or need to clean a carburetor. I did add some acetone, about 1oz to 5gals and also used SeaFoam and began treating any new fuel stored with StaBil. The marine formula StaBil looks to be the best value so now buy only that. There is also PRI-D and PRI-G for diesel and gasoline renovation. Might be great to have if you have some old fuel stashed away...<br />
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Probably most essential tools for diy power conversion and installation is a digital voltmeter, like a Fluke and a good set of cable cutters for making HD copper cables.<br />
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More to come if I think of other details that are important. Probably most critical is sizing your system to meet your needs. Have to look at start-up current requirements for machines with motors and compressors. Often takes 3x the current to actuate the motor to operating speed as it takes to maintain the rpms. LED or other energy saving lighting helps a lot. Where we live, no need for air conditioning and we use very efficient Toyotomi fuel oil heaters. Many things are just energy hogs like vacuum cleaners, dishwasher, Jenn-Air electric stove... Look at all your electric devices and their draw rates. Might get a Kill-A-Watt meter and monitor what you are using. Add up all your daily constantly in-use electric devices and tools and add maybe 25% more for extra capacity. Then buy your inverter and battery and charging gear accordingly...<br />
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Pretty wonderful to be self-sufficient to some degree on the electric. Really great to be able to put it all together and know the inner workings and be able to diagnose trouble sources and fix them. Really something every Survivalist ought be able to do.<br />
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Edited To Add: Oil for gensets. Since reading Chris Olson's posts on AZ Wind/Sun forum have been using Diesel rated motoroils in our air-cooled gensets. The Rotella 10-30 synthetic is the favorite. We use Rotella and Delo 5-40 year round in our diesel vehicles. Chris' posts on that forum are uniformly highly informative, objective, and written with an engineer's background and insight. He now has his own website: http://dairylandwindpower.us<br />
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The reason to use diesel rated oil is its superior ability to take the much greater pressures of diesel combustion and thereby deliver longer piston life in air-cooled motors. I change the oil about every 10 days to 2weeks as it strikes me to do so. This works about to about every 50 or 60hrs versus the every 100hrs Honda and Yamaha recommend. The Rotella 10-30 diesel oil has been priced at about $16/gal at WallyWorld so has been a good value. I try to keep about 8gals on hand. Also keep about 8 or 10 spare NGK spark plugs for each machine and mix-in some SeaFoam once a month or so just for VooDoo JuJu good luck...Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-64467093929230294802014-03-23T16:20:00.004-07:002014-03-23T16:20:41.834-07:00Been A Year, Have YOU Taken Action???Was going to comment here on the world situations that have transpired in the past 12 mos; but really there's no point.... Nothing any of us/US say or do will change the course set by those who've piloted our Ship Of State for the past 30yrs...<br />
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What matters is YOU and YOURS...<br />
Have you taken action, made some progress in becoming self-sufficient in a meaningful way?<br />
Takes a braveheart to take action, rather than simply watching, observing and waiting.<br />
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Waiting to take action though is going to prove problematic.<br />
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The problems manifesting will be yours and yours alone... <br />
Taking action gives you options and opportunities.<br />
The more you did, the more you acclimated yourself to what will likely prove to be rapidly changing events and situations.<br />
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Have you defined your areas of interest and made a subset of those that are of Vital Interest?<br />Short-term and Long-term goals defined?<br />
Got a budget for items and priorities established for moving into the realm of further self-sufficiency?<br />
It Does Take Commitment and Confidence to go all the way....<br />
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Inflation in the US continues to creep steadily. Shortfalls due to Just-(not)-In-Time failures, like this year's propane snafu are widespread. Didja buy ammunition or components when I discussed those, way back when? Nothing is going to get "better":. Your own experience confirms this. <br />
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Own gear you need maintenance items to operate? Best have your own inventory and supply to assure your ability to use and keep vital gear working. Things like tune-up parts, oil, filters, fuel stabilizers and treatments. That ethanol-laced fuel is really some bad ju-ju if you let it sit in carb bowls and fuel tanks.<br />
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How's your food situation and how're you setup for gardening and food processing/storage?<br />
Might try eating a steady ration of "survival food" for a week or two before you spend several or many thousands on it... Better to have food you eat all the time and food that has high nutrition factors and flexibility for preparation. If you are doing the freeze-dried route as a turn-key solution, do you have the water storage too to enable cooking that stuff?<br />
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Got to have options, and mostly these begin in your head; searching for a better way. Tools to modify and fabricate, raw materials to work from. Lots of usable stuff for cheap out there if you can modify or repair it.<br />
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Nothing you need is going to get any cheaper.<br />
Nothing you need is going to become available in wider amounts.<br />
Nothing you want is going to be easy.<br />
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Doing something is better than doing nothing...<br />
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Hope you have been making lots of progress over the last 12 mos and 4 days.<br />
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Personally, if you need some impetus to get in gear and kick it in, I think Now Is The Time...<br />
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Best of luck, but remember "Fortune Favors The Brave"... those who take action...<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-60785239795719449792013-03-19T12:45:00.003-07:002013-03-19T12:45:55.569-07:00More Observations...Cyprus looks to be a Watershed Event. Depositor funds seized to render bank solvency. Casinos wish they could get house odds like that. Got money at risk? Been thinking about relocation or funding some equipment that would enable a greater mode of self-sufficiency? Not really a lot to think about, if you ask me. Figure your job is solid and your 401(k) and profit-sharing will be there for you? Best think again...<br />
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Lots of people have missed the ammunition train. That same train has made Handloading Components very scarce and desirable. Looking for a place to park some money? Looking for ammunition? If you can obtain PRIMERS and POWDER (smokeless propellant, not black powder) there are cartridge cases and bullets to be found; albeit on internet gun-board forums, in the classified sections. Some high quality gear often sells there for way under current values. Ebay is also a venue for Handloading Tools and other gear. Using paypal means you get your stuff in 3-4 days. <br />
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Would be hard to get hurt if you found some brass and bullets in sizes that are common or are specific to your own weapons. Jeff Cooper in the late 70s wrote a column for Mel Tappan's Personal Survival Letter. In Ballistic Wampum Col. Cooper advised buying ammo to store and have for trade/investment. Most popular centerfire (reload capable) cartridges are these basics: .308win, .223rem, .30-30win, .30-06, .270win, .243win, .38sp, .357mag, 9mm Para, .44mag, & .45acp. The .300win mag and 7mm rem mag are also very popular. Basic .30-06, .308win, and .22-250 are used in many different bore sizes and can be necked up or down. A basic loading manual will give cartridge case dimensions. With the above 3 rifle casings about 20 different common cartridges can be handloaded, not to mention wildcatted. Got other handguns and rifles that use other specific cases? Buy empty brass and whatever you can find. Components can also be scrounged or salvaged if you have a bullet puller.<br />
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The .177 lever-cocking pellet rifle is a decent substitute for a .22lr. For anywhere from $70 to $200 you can buy a new (always want new) spring piston .177 rifle that will deliver pellets at 1000fps. Quality pellets cost about $10 per 500, cheaper ones much less. These rifles really work effectively within 25yds and with a scope can be super-precise if your rifle is capable of fine accuracy. RWS/Diana offers the model 34 as a basic fine-accuracy entry rifle. Cheaper if buy w/synthetic stock. For what .22lr is selling for, you can buy several thousand pellets and a rifle. Pellet rifles have different report than a rimfire so offer opportunities for city-dwellers. NEVER fire a piston pellet gun w/o either a pellet or cleaning felt pellet in the barrel; to do so will ruin the leather gasket which requires resistant pressure to retain function.<br />
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Money being removed from bank accounts in Cyprus. English minister Daniel Hannan calls this event "precedent setting", So, now government honchos have a precedent for looting deposits from private banks... <br />
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How're you set for food? Got food that will keep? A place that is cool and out of the sun to store foodstuffs? Got a means for cooking should the grid go down or the natural gas be unavailable? Got water in storage or access to a source? Something like your own well or a freshwater lake? Got a Berkey or Katadyn DRIP Filter?<br />
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The archives here have posts on how to put-up whole grains using 5gal buckets and Dry Ice. Got any food reserves that you put-up? No other way to KNOW What You Have for sure, unless you do it yourself. Cooking is likely to be a once-a-day thing. If you cook big batches of soup, stew, beans, sauces and make jerky and dehydrate fruits and vegetables, you are getting best value from your food, energy used to cook & prepare it, and your time involved doing so.<br />
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A couple decent quality solar panels can keep a couple of 12v deep cycle batteries going. Interstate deep cycles are very high quality. Trojan 6v golfcart batteries are the best entry-level battery for a solar array, inverter system. Still a decent 2500w inverter, 300w of solar charging or a wind generator, and several Interstate Deep Cycles would enable you to keep a chest freezer running, especially if the freezer were out of the sun and in coolest location in house, often on concrete slab in garage.<br />
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If you have a freezer, you can make ice and store food at its most nutritious. If you have a generator, can charge your battery while you run washing machine or run your well pump. A 2100 gal cistern would be great to have if you've got a well. Run that pump for an hour or two and fill the cistern. Run high efficiency battery charger once pump is fully actuated, if you have the excess capacity. We chose a 2.25hp deep well pump because it could be actuated by our 5kw genset and once running only needed about 2.5kw to work at full capacity. This left 2kw or more to do other work.<br />
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Canned food stores really well for longterm IF can keep it from freezing and in moderate temp environment. Food storage can be packed in Rubbermaid Totes and stacked in an empty closet or basement area. Canned vegetables are packed in water and don't need valuable water to cook them. Can heat and eat direct from the can if need be. Empty cans are a side bonus and have many uses.<br />
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Resale and Thrift shops are a great resource. If you need extra clothes, shoes, linens, cook-gear; really ought visit your local thrift resources and buy there. Shoes are the real biggie. Good ones cost real money these days. If you routinely shop your resources, you will find really good deals. Just like pawnshops for tools, camping & fishing gear, and electronics. Always offer 30% less at a pawnshop. Great places to find & make deals. Used bookstores and Thrifts will also have resource books on many subjects, including cookbooks, first-aid and medical resources, technical and professional guides and books on gardening, carpentry and auto repair, plus outdoor themes. Might also make room for an older set of encyclopedias. Shouldn't have to pay much over a buck for a hardcover book, or quarter for softcover. Lots of novels and other recreational reading matter at the thrifts. Often 10 for a buck. People will rediscover reading when the grid goes. Having some paperbacks to trade might be just what you need to make a friend or clinch a deal.<br />
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How're you set for medical supplies? Band-aids, tape, gauze, pads, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, dental floss, toothpaste? Suture kit and some hemostats might be a great thing to have...<br />
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Just some last minute ideas from Lester...<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-68551294494603717492013-02-04T00:58:00.002-08:002013-02-04T00:58:35.065-08:00More Ruminations....Ammunition, again...<br />
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Not like we go to town frequently in Winter. Haven't really paid much attention to the local availability, but aside from Anchorage having a really Large Stocking Wholesaler that most dealers use for Components, Firearms and other outdoor gear, there isn't much common-use ammunition available. Did see some .30-06 round nose at Fred Meyer which is an upscale Wally superstore, only much better. But the .22LR and other generic centerfire rounds are N/A or in limited supply.<br />
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Some gun dealer types were remarking about conversations they'd had at the SHOT Show with those in the ammunition mfg and jobbing lines. Reportedly brass is in very short supply and Not Available for a variety of cartridges. Many of the ctgs of lesser popularities are Seasonal Run items, which means the mfr only makes so many cases one time a year... Lots of fine cartridges have only seasonal brass runs. Another concern the mfrs expressed was availability of smokeless powders... A lot of component powders favored by handloaders are imported. Perhaps the highest regarded imported powderline is VitaVourhi of Finland. That firm is up for sale by its conglomerate owner. If not sold, it will be reportedly shut-down...<br />
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Just In Time inventory practices were unable to predict or anticipate the run on ammunition and weapons. Some semi-auto riflemakers are reportedly waiting to see what happens on the legislative front before investing Big Money on parts for rifles they may be prohibited from assembling once parts are received.<br />
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Anyway.....<br />
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Survivalist should NOT be too exposed to these situations. You did choose your weapons so that their ammunition was either Common Military Usage or derived from same ctg case; didn't you? The .223, .308, and .30-06 along with basic belted magnum and common handgun ctgs are going to be much easier to keep supplied than other ammunition types.<br />
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Lots of handloading gear still available on Ebay at decent prices. Lots of bullets & brass on the equipment exchange at ar15.com...<br />
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Be sure you own a bullet puller of some type if you get into handloading. The ability to salvage bullets and possibly powder could be a real godsend for you. Not like you want to shoot unknown origin ammunition you find or buy second-hand. Buying that stuff to harvest the brass and bullets could really work to your favor. If you have the tools, you have the ability...<br />
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Lots and lots of new firearms sold in the past couple months. Look for accessories, scope mounts, slings, even buttpads and cleaning gear to be in limited supply. Scopes and other sighting equipment as well. Even gun cases. Think you will see the online forum classifieds turning more to WTB listings. The days of guys dumping stuff they've grown tired of for cheap will be long gone...<br />
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Just some ruminations on the current situation on a Winter's eve...Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-88072758371605229712013-01-14T20:45:00.001-08:002013-01-14T20:45:19.147-08:00Regarding Ammunition....In the context of Survivalism, your firearms constitute either Defensive or Working capabilities.<br />
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Presumably, any Survivalist has long been in a state of readiness as regards their firearms, ammunition, and gunsmithing needs. Handloading is the most reliable mode of control most of us have had to assure quality and accurate ammunition for our weapons. The Survivalist has most likely approached their firearms selection with most critical determination being the cartridge selection. Defensive Rifles being most critical, likely their choices have centered on the .223/5.56x45, .308/7.62x51, and .30-06 Springfield or variants based on those ctg cases.<br />
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Makes the most sense.<br />
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If you want an AR-15 that fires a hundred grain bullet, it makes sense to look at the benefits of the 6x45; a necked up .223 case firing 6mm/.243 diameter bullets. The variants based on the .308win and .30-06spg are about the most popular cartridges going. Surplus brass and case efficiencies are the main benefits. Sure, there are more effective cartridges to select, but most of these will require specific brass that can be hard to acquire. Not so with the 6mm-08 (.243win), 6.5-08 (.260rem), 7mm-08, .338-08, and .358win. Even longer established are the .25-06, .270win, .280rem, .8mm-06, .338-06, and .35Whelen.<br />
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Not like we are intending to shoot prairie dogs or rock squirrels with our defensive rifles. While they will work to take a ground hog or gopher that is raiding your vegetable plot, with exception of the .223, a .308 or .30-06 with 150 to 180gr bullet is way too much... A .243win or .260rem though is a fine tool for varminting. Neck down your .308 brass and you are in business.<br />
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Don't Handload? While times are tough in the acquisition of ammunition dept, and getting tough for handloading tools and components; you may still have time to setup an effective loading bench...<br />
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The Lee Loader is a basic tool that is self-contained and capable of slowly producing very fine precision ammunition. Cost is about .$30 for a Lee Loader in many popular chamberings. Get a Lee Loader for your most basic rifles and hanguns; some bullets of correct caliber (diameter), primers, and smokeless powder and you have an ability to recycle your empty ctg cases. Bullet casting can make you even further self-reliant by producing your own general purpose rifle bullets and exceptional handgun slugs.<br />
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Ebay, Gunbroker.com, numerous gun forums on the net are all great sources for locating handloading gear; often at large discount.<br />
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If you're going to load your own ammo, may as well make it the best you can. A handloader's scale will give you many more options than the dipper that Lee includes with the Lee Loader. A single-stage press or progressive loading machine costs anywhere from about $50 for a Lee press to over $1000 for an automated Dillon machine. The Lee Anniversary kit costs about $100 and provides the basic single-stage press, scale, powder measure, shellholders, their loading manual and a priming tool. This is about the best value for loading gear on the market.<br />
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With a scale, press and loading dies for each cartridge you need to make ammo for you can setup a real facility to make better ammunition than you can/could purchase from any of the commercial makers.<br />
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Sierra bullets, Hornady and Nosler are the primary bulletmakers for daily use with Sierra being most spendy. Boat Tail Soft Point hunting bullets will serve for longrange precision purposes. Berger and Lapua may be more highly esteemed, but try finding any these days...<br />
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Winchester brass or Lake City once-fired will perform superbly in any defensive rifle. Primer choice is critical for a semi-auto rifle. The Remington 7-1/2 benchrest primer works superbly in .223 loads, and Winchester Lg Rifle is the choice for .308win or .30-06 class cases.<br />
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As far as powder selection, semi-auto rifles aren't too tolerant of high pressures; so you don't load to get the most velocity; you load a mid-range load and go for accuracy. Varget and Reloader 15, along with IMR 4064 and many other powders are most suitable for defensive handloads in the AR-15, M1a, and M1 Garand.<br />
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Might begin asking guys for their empty brass when you're at the range. Probably won't be as many throw-aways as before, but scrounging for brass is a tradition for handloaders. Free brass is highly esteemed. Of course, if you're loading for match quality and not working on the cheap, a bulk pack or two of Winchester cases gives you a Known Quality Factor that aids your efforts.<br />
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Jeff Cooper wrote a column for Mel Tappan's Personal Survival Letter in the late 70s entitled, Ballistic Wampum. Cooper was prescient about the times we're now living and he foresaw a time when ammunition would have currency status; at least out West where men are still men (etc...). <br />
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My position is that if you need ammunition NOW, the best solution is to buy the components and tools to be able to make what you will need.<br />
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Components make a very good investment. Hollowpoint pistol bullets, match and BTSP rifle bullets will always be in demand and retain their value. Worth even more to you if you can use them to assemble your own rounds. Primers might be the golden-ticket. Pretty tiny, hard to remake or recycle. cheap enough to buy 1000 for under $40... Can't make a round go Bang wihout a primer... large pistol and large rifle primers are likely the most versatile. Small rifle necessary for .223 rounds.<br />
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As far as powders go... Unique is a standby for shotgun, handgun mild loads, and lead bullet low velocity loads for most rifles. Win 296, 2400 are great choices for heavy revolver loads. For rifles, Varget or Reloader 15 are very versatile. Heavy loads in .30-06 and some magnum ctgs will do great with IMR 4350 or IMR 4831, Remember that 4350 and slower powders are NOT for use in any defensive semi-auto.<br />
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Study a loading manual or go to hodgdon.com and study their data online. Powders that are versatile are what you want to consider unless you are committed to your .338 Lapua or .50BMG.<br />
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Gunbroker.com has a search-by-state feature that might help you meet local sellers. if you can't buy what you need today, but find versatile components at good price, you might think of acquiring goods for trade or outright sale.<br />
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Check the archived articles for more info on handloading.,,,<br />
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Til next time.Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-3201095916023022632013-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:002013-01-01T16:20:08.786-08:00Many STILL Don't GET IT....Read a quick New Year's Eve blurb written by a gunwriter located somewhere in WA. State. He was remarking about his morning walk home through his sleepy rural village and stop-in that he made to his local gunshop. His remark, which I consider notable, since so few gunwriters do anything but tout the crap they are sent to review, was (in summary); "The absence in their entirety of any military rifle and ammunition for these and most other common handgun and rifle chamberings is The Sign that Americans are preparing for war!"<br />
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Pretty profound statement coming from a magazine writer. Haven't really seen any others that would admit the truth of the situation we are now in. <br />
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Many STILL Don't GET IT... Most Americans are DGI's... <br />
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Most "shooters". At least those of the competitive sanctioned events, the High Power, Service Rifle, Tactical, F-Class, Palma, 3-Gun, and all Bullseye and other Pistol Events; in my estimation. They may have been prepared with handloading components for their Dasher's, XC's, .338 Edge and other super-special gear, but they have missed the boat in acquisition of Weaponry.<br />
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The Acquisition of Weaponry was the First Manifestation.<br />
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Foodstuffs will be the Most Critical; after you have water filtration needs met.<br />
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More and More Apparent that there ain't a lot of time remaining to make your acquisitions and verifiations. Buy what you need to enable the skills and abilities you have demonstrated capability of. Verification is really most critical.<br />
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Really Time To Understand that Frank Zappa was right when he wrote the lyric "Your cash ain't nothing but trash"... By the early 70s, it was nothing but paper, pure-fiat.... Now we are seeing that our money's absence of wealth preservation characteristic means its depreciation is even further accelerating. <br />
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The Acquisition of Goods will supersede the need to save money. Have written extensively for the past 9 years on the fraud perpetrated on The American People. If you can't acclaim that you likewise understand the manner in which we've been gamed, then you will likely remain a die-hard DGI.<br />
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Not really much point to holding "money" (especially fiat) when demand for goods is accelerating at same time trust in Government is rapidly declining. Middle America is preparing for war. Government has ordered nearly 2 Billion rounds of various ammunition for DHS and other non-military agencies. What are they preparing for? The DGI's won't know until it is too late...<br />
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You Need way more food and gear than has been touted in the media. Several year food supply would not be an extravagance. <br />
You Need to be in a location that is "Out Of The Line Of Fire".<br />
You Need ALL The Gear to enable a self-sufficient lifestyle, with enough supplies and consumables to see you through until you are producing to meet all your needs.<br />
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You Need weapons for self-defense and the means to hide and not be found when a matter comes to your door which you are unable to defend against....<br />
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All it will take is a few more of the DGI types to wake-up and realize they need stuff you had earmarked for purchase.... NOW is the time to be firming-up your plans into ACTION.<br />
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Don't have water filtering gear? There are few stores that sell quality product. You need cleanable filter units and effective filtration. Probably fewer than 10,000 suitable units for sale anywhere in the USA. if you plan to make your own, TIME Is Here to make a prototype and stock up on the materials you need to make and restore your units. Time to stockpile the daily-usage stuff you can't make yourself.<br />
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Lots of quality stuff to be had for minimal cash outlay. Yet as inflation and demand cause prices to rise, NOW is the time to be in acquisition mode for stuff you always use and that makes daily living easier.<br />
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Easy to make your own Food Storage with whole grains bought in bulk and 5gal paint/food buckets that have gasket seal lids. This has been covered here before. CO-2 blocks, sold as Dry-Ice by grocers, can preserve your grains 10 years or more. Get your grains, Get your containers and then plan your packaging day. Come home with the CO-2 and pack your foods. Store in a dry and cool place for longest life.<br />
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Canned foods, especially meats and beans are great values. You need spices and cooking gear, oils and fats, sweeteners. Dry cereals and powdered milk, peanut butter, jellies, bread machines to knead your dough and all the baking and food prep gear you can find. Lots of stuff on sale this time of year. Don't forget resaling and pawnshopping.<br />
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Soon, all will know their cash ain't nothing but trash...<br />
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Best have your paper converted to stuff you can use and rely on.<br />
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Hope you make the most out of the New Year and take all steps you can to secure all life has to offer. If you don't know what to do, turn to God for your answers. HE IS our Deliverance and Preservation...Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-77906919966799095372012-12-23T10:43:00.002-08:002012-12-23T10:43:24.915-08:00What The Run On Defensive Firearms, Ammunition, & Gear Tells US....Not a whole lot of Holiday or Christmas cheer out there this year, unless you're oblivious to the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting. Americans have seemingly bought-up every AR-15 and other "assault weapon" for sale at retail and those that were in-stock by wholesalers and other inventorying middle-men. Ammunition and magazines for same also now no longer available...<br />
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Politically this Run On Guns speaks volumes. Even as prices began to spike, demand never diminished. Much on the Internet about hundreds or thousands waiting to be admitted to local gunshows, not to mention the 10-deep or more waiting at gun store counters.<br />
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Too bad so many waited so long.<br />
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The theme here is N/A. NOT AVAILABLE....<br />Almost as good as a gun ban, isn't it? No "evil black rifle" merchandise remaining available for sale on a general basis.<br />
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Here is The Great Fact: The tools and supplies which generally work together to enable reasonably comfortable lifestyle of self-sufficiency are in limited supply. Always have been. Now more so than ever, thanks to Just In Time inventory & delivery practices. <br />
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Really need to have a comprehensive idea of what your needs are and the tools, gear, & supplies along with references and skills that you will need to make fulfilling those needs a reality. The Want Of A Horshoe Nail.... Recall the kid's story? Self-sufficiency largely entails an ability to create, fabricate, design, and utilize tools, technology, skills that make life easier, more comfortable and dependable.<br />
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Money is a reliable tool only as long as it is accepted and in some demand for use by others.<br />
Not much need to diatribe the fiat-money-fraud again. You either understand by now that modern "money" has no intrinsic value and loses purchasing power over time, or you're gonna be a monetary loser... <br />
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Not a great deal of inventory depth or production demand for many of the things you likely need for a Survivalist Lifestyle.. Not a lot of Ham Radio production out there anymore. Not a lot of companies making fabrication tools, pitcher pumps for wellhead operation, hacksaw blades, duct tape, camping gear, quality cookware and cutlery...<br />
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Tools are a BIG MUST. Mechanical repair gear, electrical diagnosis and parts to repair, carpentry and woodworking tools. Plumbing repair gear is a big essential. Water and waste system operation is a HUGE hygiene and health matter. Ability to fix/repair breaks is a must. Tap & die to chase or thread metal pipe might be critical. Valve rebuild kit to fix a faucet similarly important.<br />
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Hacksaw and variety of blades, metal shears, files, chisels, sharpening stones, grinder, tap & die sets, and I did forget to mention hammers in various weights and configurations, are the basics you need for Metal Fabrication. Being able to salvage steel and parts to use on other projects may be critical to you for some project. Just making do with what you have on-hand is so much easier when you have tools to modify or fashion raw materials.<br />
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Food Processing Gear is really critical. Figure to harvest your own? Rendering your harvest, Processing it for storage, Tools for cooking and storing it as you decide are all part of the equation. I'm writing this off top of my head so it ain't detailed as to each step; that is for you to understand and work out for your situation. The key is, do you have the gear to enable you to do this Very Necessary Work with efficiency, safety, and ability? Can't really can without a canner or supply of jars, lids, rims. Spare gasket seal kit in your stores? Can't keep the pressure cooker pressurizing reliably w/o gaskets....<br />
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How're you set for Medical Emergencies like wounds, severe cuts, limb breakage? Then there is day-to-day stuff and keeping your family tip-top... <br />
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Sewing for fabrication of clothing, household items and repairs? Got the machines, gear and fabric & other supplies that makes these capabilities work routinely?<br />
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Got the rudimentary auto maintenance supplies like correct oils to change crankcase and driveline components when needed w/o going to a service station? Drive your vehicle through a lot of standing water, you'll want to change all fluids in reservoirs the water might have infiltrated. Got filters, both fuel and oil? Sparkplugs? Glowplugs? All the normal maintenance items? Got a Haynes or factory manual for reference and the basic tools?<br />
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How're you fixed for basic clothing, outerwear, camping gear and special clothes for working? Probably not going to wear the clothes you use for active gardening, animal tending, butchering, cutting firewood, or working on mechanical eqpt out in public or around the house. Got a good supply of warm socks, all types of underwear, pants, shirts, belts? SHOES are Big Item since most can't fabricate boots or shoes.<br />
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Resale shops and Pawnshops are your friend... Resale for kitchen gear, clothing, linens, spare shoes, and any other good serviceable gear you see. Pawnshops have the Tools and outdoor gear. May as well save money where you can. For sure you will spend it elsewhere.<br />
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How're you set for a Pantry and properly provisioned Kitchen? Got a stove that will work when the power is down? Got other ways to cook?<br />
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Whatever you need to more self-sufficient; NOW Is The Time to be adding to your skills and gear.<br />
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Can't cook from scratch? Take time to cook several simple meals and learn. <br />
Don't know anything about construction? Maybe you build your kids a playhouse? Learn to cut wood and nail, sheath walls and make a roof that keeps our the rain...<br />
If you own a Newish auto, my condolences. Likely there's not much you can do for maintenance. Be sure your maintenance is up to date and you have some fuel cans you can fill.<br />
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Lots of items you can find used and buy very cheap. Many of these items are better than those made now. Others like metal fabrication gear and edged tools are rarely in serviceable condition when found used. Files, hacksaw blades, chisels and other cutting tools except scissors and kitchen cutlery, typically are too long-gone to be worth much, unless you want them to make something. Tool steel is great stuff, no matter the condition; just don't pay more than scrap prices for anything needs a restoration or for a project.<br />
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The Gun-Run points out ONE BIG THING: The tools you need are in short supply. There are not enough in the system to meet demand should demand increase overnite.<br />
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Hope you have some time in these often quiet weeks to reflect on your family's needs and prioritize them so you have what you need when you need it. Unless you Take Action Now, your options will likely be curtailed on many items, in many categories in the weeks ahead.<br />
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God Bless!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-47210242843354707882012-12-20T08:36:00.001-08:002012-12-20T08:36:54.709-08:00PrioritiesWarm, Dry, Hydrated, Fed, & Capable of Self-Defense. The Basics.<br />
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Hope you have sought your Defensive Weapons on a priority basis. Survival Guns by Mel Tappan is such a seminal work; none other like it before or after. Tappan's ability to differentiate between Working and Defense weapons and give straightforward advice that acquisition of such pistols and rifles was a Definite Priority for a "survivalist" was and remains The Prime Firearms Adviso of the past 100 years.<br />
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These firearms have "special" abilities and only those of their type will fill the bill should you ever need their extended functioning and longterm accuracy retention. All feature mil-spec parts, fast magazine change facility, chrome-lined barrels (rifles, mainly), and ease of gunsmithing and wide-availability of spare parts. The ability of these Defense weapons to fire w/o degradation of performance as long as you have loaded magazines at the ready IS The Issue! Most sporting arms are not designed to such capabilities. YOU NEED THESE CAPABILITIES IF EVER YOU MIGHT HAVE OCCASION TO DEFEND LIFE OR PROPERTY.<br />
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The limited supply of proper defensive weapons is by now, extremely apparent. Hope you got yours while the getting was good & easy.... Ammunition for these and firearms are presently undergoing a "strong upswing in demand" as previously discussed here. The Just-In-Time production and distribution models have already failed. Perhaps smalltown gunshops or private sellers have something to offer, but reports are widespread that most suitable Defensive Guns and ammunition have been sold-out over the events of the past week or so.<br />
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Kind of like waiting till hurricane warnings are issued to buy a generator, or until the power grid is down to go the fuel depot to fill your storage cans... IF you intended to acquire a Defense-worthy weapon, but haven't yet; you may still find your way, but the effort required will likely be much more lengthly and costly. That supply & demand thing, again. You are now competing with all the others who were blind to the situation, but now can see. That they are taking action where you haven't.... Well, as they say: Fortune Favors The Bold.<br />
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Tappan advised purchase of a proper Fighting Pistol as primary or first aquisition. There had been no "assault rifle" crimes when Survival Guns was written in the late-70s. Gun-grabbers then were mostly concerned about handguns, so seemed most likely that a handgun ban would happen first... Times changed, though; didn't they? We saw the Clinton-era AWB (asault weapon ban) and The Gun-Buying Public is voting with their wallets that they expect similar or worse legislation to be forthcoming. Likely, many are "investing" in weapons and accoutrement with eye to resale at profit even though such activities are likely at odds with Firearms Law & Code.<br />
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Point is, IF You Need one or more specific weapons; guns you have identified and intended to acquire. NOW Is The Time to find them and buy.<br />
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NOW is also the time to own spare magazines. Something like 2-4 for each defensive pistol, and 4-6 for each defense rifle. You need magazine pouches or carriers, cleaning gear, spare parts (see archives list) and plenty ammunition. Best to buy one firearm with ammunition, that 2 guns and no ammo. Need that ammunition. 250rds as minimum per pistol and 500rds minimum per defensive rifle; IF you are an experienced shooter and are capable shooter. If you are inexperienced, probably will need 2x or 3x the ammunition recommended with the extra to be shot at gun range, on targets to learn trigger control and sight adjustment and become confident with your piece.<br />
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Ammunition may be the greater difficulty. If can't buy it ready-made, the HANDLOADING Option remains.... It is very cost effective to make your own ammunition, especially if you desire match quality rifle ammo or self-defense rounds for pistol.<br />
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Here's the deal about ammunition: Pistols of smaller caliber than 10mm or .45 caliber (not talking revolvers here, talking semi-auto pistols) touted for defense purposes are wholly reliable upon "special" ammunition loaded mainly with Hollowpoint bullets. Rifles deliver much greater power so need no "special" bullets unless high degree of longrange accuracy or precision is the goal. The 10mm Auto and .45acp are the primary defensive pistol chamberings. Only these cartridges offer large enough bullet diameter, heavy enough bullet weight, and sufficient velocity to serve as Primary Self-Defense handguns WITHOUT Necessitating "special" hollowpoint or slugs.<br />
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Can't get ammunition, but can buy handloading gear & components? If you can follow simple instructions and formulas enough to cook a meal from scratch, you can likely handload your own ammunition. See the archives here on handloading.<br />
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With a Dillon 550b or Lee progressive loading machine, you can assemble several hundred rounds of ammunition per hour; once you get the hang of the process. I would buy loading gear and components if ammunition was not available. Many online vendors of loading gear and components. Nosler is a bulletmaker that has an online store. Their match rifle bullets and their handgun bullets are priced right and typically available. Midway-USA, Graf & Son, Sinclair, Mid-South Shooter Supply, Wideners, Natchez Shooter Supply, and many other online vendors may have the equipment you need, bullets, and brass ctg cases. For primers and smokeless powder you want to buy locally to save on hazmat and other delivery costs. Primers are often a short supply item. <br />
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One pound of powder loads about 1000 pistol cartridges. The assembled round is a Cartridge, not a bullet. Bullets are a component. You can make cast bullets from raw lead or melted wheelweights or buy Jacketed bullets from a bullet maker. Round or pointed nose cast bullets or swaged bullets will generally function well in the .45acp. I don't own a 10mm Auto, but likely hardcast etc will be fine. Berry's Bullets, Meister Cast, and other brands are often in-stock at retailers or can be bought online.<br />
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Powdercharges of ammunition are measured in Grains. There are 7000 grains per pound. Like Grams, Grains are a weight measurement that is a fraction of an ounce.. In loading .223 ammunition, you get about 300 loads per pound of powder. With .308win you get about 175 loads. <br />
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Lee Reloading offers the lowest priced tools for handloading. Their dies and machines are excellent. Dillon offers the finest affordable progressive and automatic loading machines. RCBS and Redding offer about the finest in tools and dies. Not talking match-quality gear here, but Redding is about the finest in the 7/8x14 threaded die loading gear market.<br />
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Before you buy loading gear, you want to STUDY a loading manual. Sierra, Hornady, Lee, and the powder mfrs and other bulletmakers all publish Handloading Data. Hodgdon Powder company has extensive Online resources. <br />
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You want pistol bullet weights of 180gr or heavier, with a flatpoint bullet being most effective for energy transmission to your target. Hollowpoints are an option also, but I would avoid any such bullets with exposed lead anywhere on the bullet nose. For .223 rifle the 69gr and 75/77 gr match bullets are most effective for accuracy and knockdown power. For 308 rifle, 147/150gr are the military standard, but 168/175gr match bthp designs are better for longrange precision unless you choose a match design in a 150/155...<br />
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Lots to consider.<br />
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If you waited, you are behind the curve and the curve is rising every day.<br />
The weapons and ammunition you want to own are being bought-up and may soon no longer be available for sale due to legal constraint.<br />
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If you have assets to buy ammunition in quantity, I recommend you also buy loading gear and components. Brass, bullets, primers, and powder will only increase in value. Study a loading manual or two and then buy what you find that you can use.<br />
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Hope you are well out of the line of fire, but also ready and able to mount an effective defense should the need ever arise.<br />
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All the best from us this Holiday Season!<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-35307344321778581132012-12-11T14:08:00.000-08:002012-12-11T14:08:29.961-08:00Just Because You're Paranoid Don't Mean They Ain't Out To Getcha...Best TEOTWAWKI/SHTF novel I ever read was Niven & Pournelle's LUCIFER'S HAMMER.<br />
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The 12/21/12 stuff is more and more in the news. Supposedly the Australian PM has warned in public and quoted commentary, "the world is ending"; dear me...<br />
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HAMMER protagonist, Harve Randall, has been covering the comet-event in that story for many months before HAMMER-fever struck the population. A week before the forecasted HAMMER-fall, Randall has his epiphany: What If It Actually Happens! He realizes there is only so much elasticity in "the system", that the LA Basin only has so many resources and he needs to take some level of precaution, so for several pages of the book, the authors describe Randall's efforts to play "catch-up" and make-ready....<br />
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Nine days to go on this Mayan-fever. Much is going on at many levels. December 21 means nothing to me, but....<br />
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Consider the absence of Elasticity in The American Retail and Supply mechanism. If you have yet to acquire tools or other goods which are not in commodity availability, which is to say stocked deeply and sold widely at many outlets, then you may find those goods, once sold-out, will remain sold-out...<br />
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Not really going to cover the background as to how & why America dug a deeply troubling Just-In-Time Inventory scheme and dependency, but it is prevalent at every level of supply and distribution. Only so much is produced. When actual demand exceeds the projected need for production, goods are simply Not Available.<br />
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Firearms and ammunition are case in point. You've either acquired what you selected to own, or are having to scramble for available merchandise. The most desirable models in very limited supply for months or years to come. Always fun to blog about guns, but you'd best be in fine shape for your daily needs and resources as well. <br />
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Reason for this post is to advise that between the Mayan-thing, and the "Fiscal Cliff" being touted as a Jan 1, 13 situation; there are likely to be Much More Demand For Goods that are in limited supply. <br />
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Perhaps you saw that Blitz, Inc., the maker of steel jerry cans and plastic fuel containers, sold more widely than any other brand, has gone out of business. Apparently too many people disregarded the warnings imprinted on the gasoline carriers and poured fuel directly onto open flame sources and were burned. Their attorneys got judgments against Blitz and now Blitz is gone... Fuel containers have gone from $10 to about $18 from what I can tell. Not as many out there to choose from.<br />
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Won't take much for the limited inventory of common goods & supplies which you might be likely to desire to be bought-out. The stuff will be there on the shelves, like it has been for months or years, but gone next time you're looking to buy said merchandise. Like Johnny Carson joking about a toiletpaper shortage. His remarks actually caused one as viewers responded and bought-up more than their usual quantity.<br />
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The American Distribution System is tuned to a very fine efficiency. Should greater demand than forecast materialize, it will take weeks or months to respond and build units to satisfy demand; possibly years. <br />
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Expect that you have many more months to fulfill your acquisition plans? Just be aware that the situation is fluid and subject to change. If the "greater-public" begins to take action, your plans and goals will be irrelevant.<br />
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If you aren't paranoid-level aware enough to consider the precarious nature of merchandise and commodity deliveries in America and how they can/might impact your planning; might want to be aware that water levels in The Mississippi River are so low that it is likely that barge traffic will be halted from running the full-length of the river by this week. A number of electric utilities along the river rely on barges to deliver coal and oil & gas they use to generate electricity. Not likely that these guys have acres of extra coal reserves that they had a decade or two ago.<br />
Just-In-Time theory will prove more disastrous than the benefits it availed, I think...<br />
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If you are giving gifts this season, might be a great time to give those gifts the whole family can use; like a quality generator, solar panels, quality inverter and 6v storage batteries. Maybe a good condition woodburning stove and stovepipe setup from craigslist? Personal water filters and camelback bladder systems... Wool socks and quality boots... Hope you get the idea. If you're paranoid enough to take action, think you'll see big dividends from your decisions in the near future...<br />
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Happy Holidays!<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-65134404789979705502012-12-01T08:06:00.004-08:002012-12-01T08:06:30.578-08:00More On Survival Guns....Have posted on this before. See the archive. Mel Tappan was a genius who saw the situation clearly. You NEED Defensive weapons most essentially and you need to differentiate between guns for day-to-day working/hunting situations and those for Defense.<br />
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Really IS Time To Have Your Defensive Weapons, Spare Parts, Ammunition, and Handloading Components & Tools Ready and Situated. NOW...<br />
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A defensive weapon can serve you in the field, but a working gun can't really do the job if that job entails a long defensive situation where much ammunition is expended in a short time or over extended hours or days. Many reasons... See The Archived Article. But in brief, only defensive pistols and rifles are made to hold up to sustained fire situations. Most hunting rifles don't have 10rd magazines with quick release levers and magazine wells designed for fast reloading. Revolvers are less capable of serving your defensive needs.<br />
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To recap: <br />
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I endorse only those semi-auto pistols chambered for 10mm Auto or .45acp ammunition. Glock and Springfield XD and other variants like S&W may be excellent, but what I KNOW and Trust is the Colt 1911 pistol in .45acp. Have owned a 1911 since the mid-70s and found the pistol and ammunition capable of exceptional accuracy (series 70 Colt) and the ammunition available in bullet weights from 185 to 230 grains or heavier. <br />
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If purchasing a 1911, I recommend only Colt, Kimber, Springfield Armory, and S&W manufactured pistols in full-size Government Model or Match configuration. Each handgun should have at least 3 spare magazines for a total of 4. Six would be better. For ammunition, any USA made generic 230gr Ball, roundnose ammunition like Winchester, Remington, Federal, or CCI will be fine. For concealed carry, maybe you want some 230gr Federal Hydra-shok or Winchester premium hollowpoints...<br />
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I endorse the 10mm Auto only if using 180gr or heavier ammunition. 200gr is better. Diameter, Weight, and Velocity are the major factors in STOPPING POWER. Heavy Bullets of Large Diameter at moderate velocity 850fps up to 1000fps is the ticket for control and stopping power.<br />
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You'll need cleaning gear, especially bronze brushes and quality handgun cleaning rod like the Dewey fixed 12" rod and correctly sized patch jag, and cleaners. Walmart carburetor cleaner in aersol can is good for brushing out lead and copper. Barnes C110 is best for copper removal. You want some decent oil like hoppes #9 bore solvent to clean bluing. Lots of homemade cleaner & oil recipes on the net...Why pay $3-$5 for a 2oz bottle of 10wt oil worth a dime???<br />
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Holsters. You need a couple. The newer military flap holster convertible L-R made of ballistic nylon is excellent for belt wear and protecting your weapon from abuse. It ain't a defense or concealment holster, for those, take your gun to the shop and try several.<br />
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Rifles. Your rifle is your life. If you handload for .223 the AR-15 loaded with 75/77gr match bullets is a superb Defense Weapon. The bullets are tougher than nails and never break apart. They penetrate or bend, but don't break apart. These match bullets also deliver more energy at 500yds than a 158gr .357mag bullet started at 1400fps will at 25yds. They are also capable of match accuracy at that distance and have been used in competition by the Army Marksmanship Unit for all Service Rifle distances. 200, 300 & 600yds. The AMU routinely wins their matches. The 77gr loaded to magazine length gives you 30rds of longrange or close-in power well in excess of the 55 or 62gr that most use in their .223 rifles.<br />
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Don't handload? Live in Alaska where Brown Bear grow extra large? Then you likely want a .308win chambered rifle. Figure to be elk hunting or killing cattle? While the 77gr .224 bullet will serve, it likely won't serve as well as the .308win loaded with 180gr or maybe a 200gr premium hunting bullet. The 5.56 has practical range of 600-700yds when loaded correctly. The 7.62x51 has an 800-1000 yd practical range with match ammunition.<br />
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I am a match ammunition devotee. Better bullets and precision loaded ammunition produce more hits at distance. Most .308win semi-auto battlerifles are 1:11 twist barreled. They will shoot 150 to 180gr bullets most optimally. To get best accuracy with 77gr match bullets in the AR-15, you need a 1:8 Or 1:7 twist barrel.<br />
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I do not advise any handloader use an H-K 91 or 93 rifle because the chambers are dimensioned such that they ruin brass upon firing. Maybe this special neck chambering technique is better? No other mfr does it. If you want to reuse your brass, buy other than Heckler-Koch rifles...<br />
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Best 5.56/.223 rifles: Mini-14 ranch rifle is good for its small size and Garand mechanism.<br />
For AR-15 the names to consider are Colt, ArmaLite, Rock River Arms, Older Bushmaster, and Lewis Machine & Tool<br />
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Best 7.62/.308 rifles: Springfield M1a full-size basic, Armalite AR-10, DPMS AR-10<br />
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Need 5 or more spare magazines per rifle. Quality scope mount gear like TPS, Leupold mk4, Warne Maxima, Badger Ord, Burris Tactical. 30mm tube scope will need a high height ring set with a 40mm objective. Larger objective will need extra-high. I use TPS and Leupold mk4.<br />
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I am NOT a fan of quick release risers or one piece mount gear. I have seen these units be made off-axis of the bore. A scope sighted-in using one particular brand was 8moa shifted to the right at muzzle. Too great an inaccuracy for me to tolerate. Might not worry you, but my ARs are longrange and setup to swap scopes. Scopes that are so far-off from bore are useless to me.<br />
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For spare parts for any weapon you want: firing pin, extractor, ejector, springs for each along with maybe a spare buffer spring and other parts to build or renew your lower and upper receiver. AR-10 and AR-15 share many common parts, only takedown pins and firing pin groups being different.<br />
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For every rifle you want to own a good sling for carrying the weapon and to use as a aid to aiming. 1.25" match slings, type 1917 are very good. <br />
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The A-2 rifles with carryhandle sights are excellent, even if not as popular as flat-tops. If you've shot an aperture sight equipped rifle before, an AR A-2 will be very fast and can be tuned front and rear sight for elevation to serve out to 500/600yds.<br />
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Scopes for AR rifles ought be fast reacting, light, and relatively compact. Leupold VX-II 1.25 to 4x is excellent for use in an A-2 carry handle mount or on a flat-top AR. These scopes are now offered with mil-dot reticle and tactical elevation/windage knobs. Very light & compact.<br />
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Scopes with long rear objectives, very wide turret housings and long tube lengths are not generally satisfactory on AR rifles. The leupold 3-9, 3.5-10, 4.5-14 are among the lightest and most compact scopes available. Burris compact scopes, Zeiss Conquest, and others are worth evaluating. Those that are too heavy, bulky, long, tall or have minimal rear tube mount area for ring location will severely limit your ability to employ them on an AR flat top and many other rifles.<br />
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I do not consider shotguns to be defensive weapons.<br />
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NOW is the time to be sure you have met all your goals and are well established in your defensive abilities. Got a digital rangefinder? Might want to plot the distances of objects and places an enemy might hide from your house. Write down those distances and memorize them. Make a range-card, a drawing and plot the distances on the drawing. That way you know it is 175yds to your neighbors gate or that sign down the street...<br />
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As one final note, be sure that you do not have flamable or combustible materials around your home or outbuildings. Your enemy may employ fire against you. A gravel perimeter won't burn, an enemy can't hide in ambush if you take away the hiding place(s). and make them carry whatever they might use to attempt to burn you and yours out of your home. Presumably, whoever carries tinder and flammables will be an easier target...<br />
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Practice dry firing your weapons and taking a variety of shooting stances. Always clear all weapons and magazines. Check them several times before commencing. Make sure that all members of your household expect and Know that every gun is always loaded. You may need a firearm in a heartbeat... When you reach for it, it better be loaded and ready to go. <br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-3432474130772605752012-11-21T11:04:00.002-08:002012-11-21T11:04:17.970-08:00Warm, Dry, Hydrated, Fed, & Capable of Self-DefenseThe Main Focus; at least, as I see it. The Five Basic Concerns. If you aren't warm & dry, hypothermia can set-in quickly. A cold wind will kill you damn quickly... Need potable water for drinking and cleaning. Supposedly you can live 3 days w/o water... Not like I want to try. Not like I want to be infested with Giardia or other parasites/bacteria either from questionable water. Eating. It's a real morale builder, if the food is hot and nourishing. You need to eat. Finally, you'd best be able to defend yourself as you go about these pursuits. No matter where you are or when you are about your business. <br />
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Plenty of ancillary critical areas that need your attention also, like First Aid/Medical, Food Cultivation, Trapping, Food Preparation & Preservation Skills & Tools, Alternative Energy & Power Generation...<br />
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The list goes on. Years ago, I identified a couple dozen distinct activities that our family would require to be Self-Sufficient and Self-Reliant. Radio Communications, Reference and Literary Libraries were forgotten in the prior paragraph... It is easy to overlook the real daily-living stuff and get absorbed by what you read on other blogs and in whatever news you follow.<br />
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Staying Warm & Dry is really The Biggie. Fire Prevention is a Major concern. Fire is a very effective weapon you must expect any determined enemy to employ should chaos rule. A grease or electrical fire, any accidental occurrence will still kill family members or make you homeless. Keeping the perimeter around wood frame housing free of tinder and flammable landscaping is a big plus if you are concerned about fire... Got a woodstove or other chimney that has never been cleaned? Creosote from burning green wood can ignite. Got lots of seasoned wood? Probably not... You might be sure you have a chimney brush and enough extensions to be sure you're not inadvertently the cause of your house-fire.<br />
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Trauma Kit is something most of us who aren't medically trained are likely to overlook. Where there is no doctor, there is unlikely to be EMT service either. A broken limb can be a killer. An accidental gunshot or severe knife injury, likewise. Maybe you live near a doctor or a clinic? If you're really rural, maybe they will remain staffed by volunteer and the doctor available? Worth finding out about NOW, for sure! Can you properly apply a tourniquet? Maybe set a bone, relocate a shoulder, disinfect and stitch a wound? When this stuff happens, it happens fast. Know where your kit is and are you sure it is complete and ready to go? Got the tools, supplies, and antibiotics to make a Best Effort and not lose the patient or their limb to gangrene should they survive their injury?<br />
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Lots more to Self-Reliance, aka Survivalism than firearms proficiency and ammunition stacks. <br />
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If you are banking on hunting game or foraging for your food needs; you may as well rely on Santa Claus, your expectations are similarly unreal. The food you have on hand will be the only food you have available once the stores go down, are looted and burned, or the highways are unsafe to travel. Lots of ways to produce food at home, gardening, greenhouse, sprouting, window-boxes. If you live remote, for sure you want to be able to harvest any food animal that comes your way, or maybe trap or corral them for domestication. Can't put your reliance upon events that may never occur, though. Starvation and hunger lie down that road. Gotta assure that you have supplies to meet your dietary needs.<br />
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Survivalism ain't about gathering gear and supplies "in preparation"; it's about becoming self-reliant and self-sufficient and removing self & loved ones to a safe(r) venue if your surroundings are likely untenable or indefensible. Much more than guns & ammo and fighting skills. Maybe I"ve misunderstood the whole equation, but we've not focused on running & gunning skills, or spent thousands on "gun schooling". We all know how to shoot and have the gear, but all our other efforts at self-reliance have proven way more critical and valuable. There just isn't time, funds, or rationale for becoming "professionally proficient" (or touted as such) with one or more type of firearm when so many other skills pay daily dividends and get us that much more able to live free of electric grid and what others see as essential modern living services....<br />
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More on this theme very soon...<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-32497159073518943892012-11-11T12:08:00.000-08:002012-11-11T12:08:18.403-08:00NO ILLUSIONSBy now your political illusions should be shattered.<br />
How many years, decades, generations have you voted, tried to make a difference, all the while hoping and praying "This Time, It'll Be Different"?<br />
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By now, unless you are hopelessly Dysfunctional on many levels, you have faced the Hard Truth... Namely, that The U.S.A. has been Totally Betrayed and Sold For Slaughter. Those who made this possible were fellow citizens; many touting all the pseudo-patriotic vitriol that has proven to be nothing more than affectation, a sheep's clothing the wolves could hide in while they profited from delivering U.S. to Our National Doom!<br />
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I am not here to convince you. The Fraud and Betrayal has been covered ad-nauseum. Most are just unable to conceive that they've been sold like beef entrails on the slaughterhouse floor. In 5th grade Social Studies, we learned about the Chicago Stockyards and their slogan that "every bit of a hog gets used, except the squeal". You either Know By Now that your leaders at every social level have hardened their hearts to your bleating, squealing, and loos, or you will believe that Arbeit Macht Frei as you past that signpost on your way down the chute.<br />
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Survivalism came about in the middle 70s because men like Kurt Saxon, Mel Tappan, Niven & Pournelle, Dr. Bruce Clayton and others could read the Writing On The Wall.<br />
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If you haven't been paying attention, the Abeit Macht Frei signpost is now far in your rear-view mirror...<br />
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Your future potentials, the potentials of your children and their progeny is dependent upon What You Decide To Do with the next few weeks. If you continue to watch the dog & pony show media serves-up, your time will have been wasted. If you decide that NOW IS THE TIME to assure that you have the means to stay: WARM, DRY, HYDRATED, FED, and Able To Mount Effective Defense, you may be responsible for the continuation of your line...<br />
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<br />Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-18304192315047884202012-11-03T12:11:00.002-07:002012-11-03T12:11:28.874-07:00The Aftermath Of Hurricane Sandy Will Affect All Americans....<br />
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Don't live anywhere near the path of Hurricane Sandy? Figure you dodged The Bullet? Maybe, but most likely not. Sandy has taken out key and vital infrastructure especially New Jersey shipping ports, trucking terminals and refining infrastructure. Not like the tonnage and container cargoes processed there will easily be diverted elsewhere on the Atlantic Seaboard. What's the nautical steaming distance to New Orleans or Houston? About 2,000 miles? Not much left of the Port of Baltimore. No real reason to ship goods to Boston if they need to go to the MidWest or other interior deployment warehouses. How much American capacity to ship to Europe is now offline?<br />
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There are many, many aspects of daily life which Sandy has interrupted and ground to ruin which have to be rebuilt or entirely replaced. Seawater, saltwater corrodes and destroys electrical equipment; even that built super-tough. Perhaps the electricity distribution assets that have been under tidal surge waters can be dried out and made to function in the shortrun, but doubtful they can be relied upon unless fully rebuilt. <br />
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Funny thing about the American Business Plan; Just In Time don't apply only to inventory distribution and management. There are no electrical distribution equipment manufacturers with huge warehouses full of ready to load on truck substations and large current handling gear. These are made to order. Nobody expected or anticipated a 14' seawater tidal surge that would submerge hundreds or maybe thousands of pieces of vital infrastructure electrical gear. There is no way to re-route around this. There is no ready to go solution. There is only place orders and wait for the gear to be built.<br />
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Where is the gear built? China? Mexico? Wherever the manufacturers decided to relocate after The Federal Govt paid them money to move. Maybe they maxed out their payday and relocated under The Caribbean Basin Initiative? Fruit Of The Loom got $10,000 cash payment from Govt for every job they relocated under CBI...<br />
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Essentially, in my estimation, America has just taken a double-tap centermass and this may be the Death Knell our leaders seemingly have aspired to enable.<br />
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Look at how The Federal Govt has concertedly acted to kill America since the mid-70s. Pretty hard to believe where we are today happened by accident. Not talking about the storm aftermouth. America is living in The Aftermath Of Its Greatness...<br />
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Essentially, The Federales put U.S. out of business in so many ways... No more mining, no more timbering, no more manufacturing. Agriculture on small farm level discouraged in every way possible. GMO and other engineered foods allowed and encouraged, all with deadly effects on those eating them, the farmland used to grow them, and farmers using them...<br />
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Look at the Ruin Dept of Treasury, federal reserve bank system, and WallStreet & Banking have put upon U.S. Since 2008, about $40 Trillion essentially given to Big Banks and firms like General Electric and General Motors' financing divisions once they declared they were "banks".<br />
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In August 2009, Wall Street Journal published article by Laurence Kotlikoff, tenured prof of Economics at Boston Univ where he disclosed by his estimations that the Total Federal Debt and Unfunded Liabilities of The USA stood at $207 Trillion not the $12 T then admitted as "national debt"....<br />
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Our elected officials at every level owe U.S. a fiduciary duty... Like physicians who once took Hypocratic Oath "first, do no harm"...<br />
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None of this shit has been dumped on U.S. by accident or mere happenstance.<br />
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There are several million survival sagas being played-out right now in and around the NYC Tri-State region. Being able to stay WARM, DRY, HYDRATED, FED, & CAPABLE OF SELF-DEFENSE has never been more critical for these people.<br />
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Hope you have read the handwriting on the wall: If you can't provide for your own daily needs with some assurance of self-sufficiency, or have the gear and supplies to enable your time to assimilate the knowledge and abilities to do so, you and those who depend on you face a very tenuous situation.<br />
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The discussion above about how America has been scuttled deliberately is just a few knots on the Gulliver. How did America's premier farming district, California's Central Valley get sacrificed for the benefit of a non-indigenous species of small fish in the Sacramento River? How is America's Coal Industry being hung-out to dry, along with consumer access to environmentally friendly cheap electricity and heating sources? The list goes on and on...<br />
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Saw something about FEMA having ordered 12M gals of unleaded and 10M gals of diesel fuel this week.... Undoubtedly the refiners will fill their contracts first and this is just another "accident" or bit of "bad planning" which will impair persons all over Eastern Seaboard travel and mobility plans.... Best have all your fuel needs met and get moving NOW if you plan to relocate... <br />
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Shit is about to get very real for tens of millions of Americans.<br />
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All Americans are going to see shortages of all sorts as supply and demand attributable to Sandy impacts all building materials, fuels, electric gear, food, drinking water, trucking deliveries and likely even mail.<br />
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I urge all readers not to get caught up in the theatrics of the political season, or spend valuable time in pursuits not designed to enable you to live more self-sufficiently. If you don't have gardening equipment, seed stocks, emergency gear and supplies of all types; NOW IS The Time To Take Action!<br />
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More to come on what you may want to consider on all sorts of personal levels in the days ahead as my time becomes more available<br />
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God Bless All Americans and we ask In Jesus' Name All HIS Grace and Mercies...Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-44766421127356670452012-08-28T09:46:00.000-07:002012-08-28T09:46:23.694-07:00ScroungingScrounging is kind of an aftermath skill, I guess.<br />
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Yet, if you don't clear tens of thousands of "extra income" after meeting your needs, scrounging is a skill that will serve you well. In the 80s, I really embraced resaling and pawnshopping. Always great fun and an adventure. Got nice suits for work. Great deals on firearms at pawnshops. Lots of cookware, cheap books/records, outdoor gear, and anything else I could find.<br />
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Resaling would have horrified me as kid, but when I first went to the old Purple Heart Thrift Store and found lots of "treasures" for cheap, I was hooked. I visited every thriftstore I could find, and had a regular route. Certain Goodwill or Salvation Army stores would have more of certain items, I noted. Regular visits enabled me to hit the motherload on occasion.<br />
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As the American Middle-Class has been ruined by outsourcing jobs overseas, payments to industry to relocate abroad by our Gov't, and union-busting industrial decimation; more and more formerly middle-class folk are resaling. If you haven't got the habit yet, you ought to. Nothing wrong with buying Nearly New stuff at a fraction of regular price. Even better is getting gear on Discount Day...<br />
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Pawnshops are especially productive for tools and gear. Always pay cash at a pawnshop. Always offer 1/3 less than merchandise is priced, and tell them you're paying cash. If you pawnbroker won't deal on used goods, find a pawnshop that will. NEVER BUY UNLESS YOU GET A DISCOUNT...<br />
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Considering a "Food Storage Plan"???<br />
Before you shell out thousands for not very nutritious freeze-dried meals in a can or pouch, pay a visit to a few of your local healthfood stores. Very easy to store whole grains in new, 5 gal paint buckets with gasket lids. Use Dry Ice you buy at the grocer's to preserve your food. In 2009, we opened a bucket of organic short-grained Brown Rice bought & put up at home in 1995. The rice was Perfect!<br />
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If you are going to eat, may as well eat food that is High In Nutrition and Builds Your Immune System. None of the foodstorage junk in a can will do this; you have to cook from scratch and use quality ingredients.<br />
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A Survivalist needs lots of tools for Food Processing and Cooking. Buy them at your resale shop. An old pressure cooker will work as well as a new one; just buy a new gasket set at local real-hardware store or order online for $10. Quality cookware, knives of all sorts and gadgets are all at the Resale very cheap. Got a nice 10" chef's knife, made in Japan for Fifty Cents recently. Thrilled because it really takes a nice edge and carves very finely. Better than the $30 Chicago Cutlery 8" knives we already owned when comes to fine slicing.<br />
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Got plenty money? Suit yourself, but as for me, I'll take $5 Levis in new condition, $3 moleskin shirts, $1 T-shirts and socks and even decent shoes or boots if can find them. Rarely buy anything at retail if can get it at a resale or pawnshop.<br />
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Doing home improvements? Habitat Re usually has a resale shop. They get donations and resell to renovators/builders. Always a fun visit.<br />
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Some people love garage-saling. Never had the time.<br />
Craigslist.com is also worth perusing for gear you're looking for cheap, or maybe even free!<br />
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The more you conserve your assets, the more you have to work with.<br />
Buy a Nordstroms dress shirt for $4 or $75. Not like you will know there's a difference after its been laundered...<br />
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On-line forums are also great places to shop. Lots of these allow WTB want-to-buy listings. Gun forums are quite active for almost everything. Gunbroker.com is a good resource for accessories and handloading/optic stuff. Shop the used listings, and look for individual sellers; guys with hundreds of listings don't usually deal...<br />
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Ebay is still out there. Might find some gear priced low and use a bidsniper to win the auction if you have the patience.<br />
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Lots of ways to scrounge stuff up that you probably can use and save your serious funds for those items absolutely must have... All the best!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510833227571030191.post-53061087122742348072012-08-19T10:27:00.001-07:002012-08-19T10:27:28.236-07:00What's New?<br />
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Been a while since the last post. Have been pretty busy acquiring some gear, selling some, and am recently into a building/adding-on phase. We've decided to add a GREENHOUSE, and also connect our home to our outbuilding garage. Doing this myself. Built the 2-story 24x36 garage and first addition to the house in Winter with Big-Help from a young-ish carpenter and two Ace Drywall guys. Work is underway.<br />
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Lots of focus on "Survival" these days. Mostly seems to be about gimmicks & guns.<br />
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Real focus I've always had has centered on FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, CLOTHING, HANDTOOLS, REFERENCE LIBRARY, FOOD PREP GEAR, AND CAMPING GEAR. Have always been a gun-person, began handloading in 8th grade. Rarely ever bought commercial loads for any of my shooting needs. <br />
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In 1988, wife saw Kurt Saxon on Donahue Show. We ordered his books and subscribe to The Survivor. Took us a couple years to move from The Big City, but we did. Saxon was the first to coin the term "Survivalism" and define it. He defined the term to effectively mean Self-Sufficiency. Saxon's books are mainly references for DIY skill acquisition. Some sections a bit hokey, like making wooden toys and puppeteering, but so much info is there. The Survivor series and the Chemistry book are very worthwhile.<br />
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"Survivalism" is a self-sufficient way of life. Those who foresaw the collapsing social structure we are now coping with, took Action; they moved out of the line of fire.<br />
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Figure you gotta have a level 4 vest and souped-up AK with 20 magazines to make your way through the chaos? You have already failed...<br />
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This blog is not about gimmicks or videos. Too many will watch and conclude they understand but never practice.<br />
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Food is a BIGTIME failure for most who seem interested in these topics. They conclude that freeze-dried meals are viable for longterm planning. They aren't. Might be tasty for a while. Might be fast and easy to prepare; just add boiling water... But "nutritious and healthful" they aren't. Costly, they are... Got money? The freeze-dried stuff is spendy. <br />
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The real ticket to food independence is in Quality Bulk Foods, mainly whole grains and organics if you can afford them. Need The Basics and food prep gear to adapt your meals for variety of taste and style. Chinese, Mexican, Italian, American, Cajun, Japanese are all cuisines you can adapt menus from with basic Beans, Brown Rice, Wheat, Corn, Oats and variety of seasonings, oils, and condiments. Doesn't take a lot of meat to deliver Big Nutrition and Nourishment. Brown Rice & Beans yields Complete Protein. Meat in small stir-fry portions laced with lots of small-chopped vegetables & sprouts is excellent way to feed a lot of people or use limited resources most wisely.<br />
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Survivalism is not about buying your way to see self through the chaos, but being far from the chaos and able to live self-sufficiently.<br />
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Not many interested in working their way to independence though... <br />
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Time, Ability, and Money are three variables. If you have the time and ability, plus access to materials; likely you can make much of what you need yourself. Money frees up your time and enables acquisition of gear immediately. Your commitment and two more of the three variables forms a Triangle Of Preparation. Time though is fast drawing to a close. Pretty doubtful that you have Time to build a self-sufficient homestead from scratch. Maybe you have time to get property closed-on and move-in with construction underway; but takes a couple years after your home is up & functioning to get gardens, fruit trees and other productive mechanisms in place...<br />
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We will all have to work with what we have very soon...<br />
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Money might give you an edge; IF you Know How To Deploy It and aren't afraid to commit your funds.<br />
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Best laid plans need ACTION to bring them into reality.<br />
Hope you and yours are taking action NOW...<br />
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God Bless!Lesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441685766310142274noreply@blogger.com0