Public Service Announcement: Available AR Magazines

A tip from Survivalblog:  Mako Group has Israeli 30 round AR magazines for $18.70 each, not a backorder item.  Find them here.  I ordered mine.  Was quick and easy ordering.  Site said 21 business days for delivery, but that is not bad, considering.

Also, Sportsmans Guide, which has thoroughly pissed me off with their decision to charge Washington State sales tax (and the incorrect amount, to boot, charging 9.5% where state is 6.5% and local add-on is 2.2%) just because they sell a few items through Amazon.  I only order from Sportsmans Guide when the deal is worth it considering sales tax, but they are taking backorders on a lot of magazines, including Thermold and Tapco magazines.  These fall into the "worth it" category because, so far, Sportsmans Guide has not raised the price on anything I have ever backordered.  They also don't charge the credit card until the order is shipped.  I placed an order for backordered Thermold 20 rounders on December 24, they shipped on January 7 and will arrive tomorrow.  To get $25 off a $185 order use code SPGGUNS12 at checkout (don't know when it expires).

By the way, I always check RetailMeNot for coupon codes prior to buying anything online.  I can almost always find a good Sportsmans Guide code there, better than the ones I get from Sportsmans Guide.

On other magazines, Wholesale Hunter is allowing backorders at reasonable prices, especially the MecGar magazines I like for my pistols. Downside is they charge the credit card up front and does not project when the items will arrive or ship. 

Note to Dianne Feinstein and other reptilian-brained politicians:  I'm not stocking it up just to turn it in.

MOLON LABE, M****RF*****S!

Honeyville Grain LTS Food Sale

Honeyville Grain is having a 15% off sale through August 14, 2012.  Use the code SPLASH at checkout.  As always, flat rate shipping of $4.95.

Honeyville has long term storage food in #2.5 and #10 cans, including dehydrated and freeze dried foods, and also has bulk bakery supplies.

I have no connection with Honeyville except for being a satisfied customer since 2009.

Free Shipping Alert: US Plastic

I just received an email from US Plastic.  They are running a free shipping promotion on orders over $75.00.  I have ordered their economy five gallon buckets and standard lids in the past, and have found that US Plastic sells a quality product for the price.  The economy buckets, in white, are food grade.  The standard lids are food grade and have a rubber gasket seal. 

The only reservation I have had about ordering is the cost of shipping.  Well, that has been remedied through March 23, if you have at least $75.00 in your order and use code 68041 at step 3 in the checkout process.

Happy New Year!!!...........And Resolutions

Happy New Year to everyone!  If 2011 was a confusing and difficult year, 2012 looks to be even more so.  Or maybe its just that I've been watching Armageddon Week on one of the History Channels.  I don't know if the world will end this year, but there are certainly enough ways for it to happen, from a financial collapse to an alignment of the earth and sun with a black hole later in the year.

Since the Mayans have given us until December 21, I have come up with my resolutions to deal with until then:

1)  Stop smoking  I actually quit for about four months last year.  I need to stick to it.
2)  Sell off excess belongings.  I seem to have a lot of stuff stored, that I don't need.
3)  Come up with new GOOD plan.  Previous plan involved friend who passed away last year.
4)  Research and acquire medical supplies beyond band-aids and ibuprofen.
5)  Evaluate and restructure bug out bags.  Another problem with too much stuff.
6)  Complete overdue home-improvement projects:  plumbing repairs, gutters, electrical upgrades, painting.
7)  Update first aid training and acquire more medical knowledge.
8)  Explore new business opportunities in the event current job is not productive.
9)  Inspect, and perform or schedule repairs for all vehicles.
10)  Update inventory of all preps.

I think that will keep me busy this year.

Welcome to Obambwe, and Get Ready for the Barackalypse!

In Obambwe, the Zimbabwe of the West, does the Barackalypse precede Obamageddon or is it the other way around?

I did not get a lot of work done today, as I was watching the stock market, gold, and the prognosticators.  I was tickled to see the Dow down 634 points by the end of the day and gold up over $1,700.00 all day.  I own no gold and have nothing invested in the stock market, so I have no direct interest in what appears to be the consequences of government malfeasance.

I actually take no joy in this economic meltdown, but I am glad it is finally getting in gear.  I am tired of watching the slow decline and the ruinous actions and inactions of the morons we have collectively elected to govern.  When those morons have finished running our economy over the cliff, we can achieve a "reset" and get back to business.  But not before getting out the pitchforks, tar, and feathers.

I figure that I can be a little more sanguine about the whole mess because I have been a prepper for over fifteen years.  While the preps are nowhere near complete, I feel a lot better than I would if I had only three days worth of food, no money in the bank, and no defenses. 

Although it is difficult to tell what will happen over the coming months and years, and many predictions have already been made (including by me) and not come to pass, it does not appear that much good is going to come out of the country's present financial predicament.  At least not until those who have caused this mess are called to account for their actions.  I really believe that this may be the last opportunity to make preparations before financial circumstances become dire, including devalued currency, massive inflation, increased unemployment, and possible shortages.  I am and have been making lists of food and tangibles that will be necessary in the future and/or will maintain their value. 

Additionally, I have been taking note of the increasing social unrest and violence in the country.  I have decided that I will carry concealed wherever I lawfully can, and am checking into more methods of concealed carry.  This includes new holsters, magazine carriers, and vehicle lockboxes.  I am determined that I will not make a good victim.

Other than that, I have just been trying to digest the all the news and information.  There was a whole lot of coverage on the negotiations to raise the debt limit, which didn't mean an damn thing in the end.  The result was just business as usual:  Increased spending and no actual cuts.  One step closer to the abyss.

Keep your head down, your preps dry, and your pitchfork handy.

Kudos to Greg Cote, LLC

I like to give credit where credit it due, and to spread the word when I find a vendor who gives excellent service with great prices.

Greg Cote, LLC is a vendor that I highly recommend for gun magazines.  Their website is http://www.gregcotellc.com/ .  In the past couple of months I have made two purchases from them and I am very happy with the service I received.

Greg Cote does not have a large selection, but it appears that they only sell quality items.  No ProMag, National Magazines, or other lower quality merchandise. I have purchased a number of Mec Gar pistol magazines from them for various firearms that I own.

The positives, aside from quality merchandise, are low prices, flat rate shipping of $5.99, excellent communication and super fast shipping.  On my last order, which was this past Monday, I placed my order in the morning, then immediately received an email confirmation.  Within a couple of hours I had an email telling me that my order had been shipped.  My package arrived in Wednesday's mail.  Across the country from Maryland to Eastern Washington in two days, that is outstanding.

Another bonus of sorts:  If Greg Cote does not have it in stock, you cannot order it.  None of this backorder nonsense when you are ordering something that you need.  (We all need more gun magazines, right?)

The Slow Decline Starts Spiralling....and Thoughts on What to Do

Last Thursday I filled up the gas tank at $3.02 a gallon.  Yesterday morning I noticed that gas was $3.13 a gallon.  I had to take a trip out to the Lincoln County Courthouse yesterday.  Gas was $3.32 a gallon at one station I passed in Lincoln County.  When I got back to River City, the place I usually stop at was $3.29 a gallon.  Quite an increase in a short period of time.  Despite the MENA turmoil, there is a gas glut in this country.  I fear what will happen when the supply glut is gone.

Gold is hovering over $1,430 an ounce.  Silver is over $34 an ounce.   The copper and nickel in our five-cent coins is worth more than the face value by over two cents.  It appears that a lot of the recent increase in metals prices is related to global political instability, particularly in the MENA region.  This is, of course, on top of the increase due to weakening of fiat currencies.  I don't expect either the political instability or weakening of fiat currencies to abate anytime soon.

The stock market looks like it wants to dive again, but is being propped up by who-knows-what.  I don't think the stock market will be indicative of anything until it crashes again and confirms an all-out calamity.

I have seen more home foreclosures cross my desk in the last two years than I had seen in all fifteen years prior to 2009.  Combined.  Despite the promise of fraudulent foreclosures threatening to take down the big banks, there is little effect here where most foreclosures are non-judicial.  The lender takes back the property by buying it at the trustee's sale.  The former homeowner just walks away.

Surprisingly, food is still relatively cheap.  I don't expect this to last.  I have been noticing price increases of ten to twenty percent on a lot of items over the past few months.  Usually the name brands.  I think that food prices will markedly increase in the very near future as the price of food commodities is added to production costs and passed along to the consumer.  I think that food commodity prices will continue to increase due to the increase in price of oil-based fertilizers and production methods and also due to decreased global production.  A double-whammy we will soon be seeing in grocery store prices.

Unrest is increasing in our own country and there are few leaders who are capable of recognizing and dealing with the threat.  The entitlement class is at war with the middle and upper classes.  Welfarites, professional disabled, pensioners, public servants, and the union thugocracy are all gunning for the last Bernankedollars in the trough.  Will this lead to civil war?  Who knows?  We are staring straight into the abyss of a financial collapse and so far the only leaders who see the threat are Governors Christie, Daniels, Kasich, Scott, and Walker.  On the national level we are toast.  The measure to keep the fedgov funded for two more weeks tells it all:  Political willpower only exists to cut $4,000,000,000, or $104,000,000,000 annualized.  That is not nearly enough when we are in the hole for $1,700,000,000,000 this year alone.

With the country, if not the world, spiralling down the commode, here are my thoughts on what to do right now.

First, as Ol' Remus frequently tells us:  Stay away from crowds.  No matter how strongly one feels about current circumstances or the need to confront the union/communist/fascist thugocracy, it just is not worth it.  This house of cards is coming down like a ton of bricks.  Best not to be under it.

Second, food is relatively cheap, but won't be for long.  Stock up.  Buy things you will eat based on your current diet, but only things that will keep for at least a year.  At this point I don't think true LTS (long term storage) foods are necessary.  If inflation comes on as strong as it appears, we will be eating out of our stocks before too much longer.  However, there is probably enough time to stock up on "loss leaders" over the next month or two so that paying regular price isn't necessary.

Third, do you have some water stored just in case of a power outage or in case things get so bad you can't pay your water bill?  Have the capability to store at at least five gallons per person in your household plus the ability to produce more (filtration, rain catchment, etc.).  At least five gallons at any time.  A person needs to consume at least a gallon a day just to stay alive and dirty.

Fourth, can you keep your house warm?  Again, think power outage or inability to pay the utilities.  For the short term, something like a kerosene heater may work for you.  Longer term, a wood-stove, manual pellet stove, or waste oil burner is a better bet.  The best method is one for which you have a ready and steady supply of fuel.

Fifth, can you go anywhere.  Do you have a means of transportation you can count on and sufficient fuel?  Most of us have at least one form of transportation and likely more.  Besides keeping the gas tank no less than half full, it is a good idea to store at least another full tank's worth of stabilized fuel.  Fuel may become unavailable all of a sudden or the price may be exorbitant or you may just need the extra fuel at a time when putting food on the table came first.

Sixth, but not last for preparedness, can you defend what you have?  Many firearms are still affordable and as of this writing ammunition is plentiful and not too expensive.  I believe that every able-bodied person in the household should have a personal firearm and the training to use it.  Even if you have to buy a Hi-Point pistol and Mosin-Nagant rifle for each person in your household, you would be out only about $400.00 per person with a reasonable amount of ammunition.

The foregoing are my thoughts on what to do if a person stays in place.  I don't think many of us are actually going to bug out to some other location or otherwise abandon our homes during the coming crisis.  I expect that many will continue to go to work or continue to look for work, requiring us to have a home to start out from and return to each day.   Additionally, many of us have children that we take to school five days a week (except in Wisconsin).

What I am expecting in the near future is marked inflation in the prices of food, energy, and other necessities.  I also expect a huge increase in government taxes and fees.  The powers that be simply will not cut spending in any significant amount and will be looking for additional revenue from any and all sources.  For example, just this year in River City I have watched the city utilities (water, sewer, garbage) increase in price and the city tack on a $20.00 per vehicle licensing fee in addition to state fees.

It is foreseeable that we will find the costs of living increasing while our wages do not, with the result that some current necessities become tomorrow's luxuries.  It may become necessary to forego electricity in favor of food, and paying the mortgage instead of having city water and garbage pickup.  Walking instead of driving.  Circumstances could become that dire.

Better to prepare for such adjustments than to be forced to make the adjustments. Or worse, to become a ward of, and be at the mercy of, the state.

The Government Storage Unit

Many of us have storage units, whether of the kind that are rented at some mini-storage complex or of the kind that we have set aside on our property.  Years ago it was commonplace for this storage to consist of food storage, often referred to as the pantry.  When I was a kid growing up in Alaska, we had a significant amount of space dedicated to storage of canned and frozen foods.  My parents probably had enough food stored away to last us six months.  Although nearly all food has to be shipped into Alaska from the lower 48, I suspect that the amount of stored food had more to do with my dad having lived through the Great Depression as a young man than any real threat of scarcity.

Today, few families have pantries or any significant food storage.  Most people seem to rely on the grocery stores to be open and fully stocked.  For my generation, our grandparents lived in a time when food scarcity was a real issue and having a significant food supply at home was the norm.

Aside from the grocery stores, our country today seems to believe that it is the government's job to put away reserves of food, particularly grains such as wheat and corn.  At some time in the past we became accustomed to the idea that the government had some vast "storage unit" where surplus grain and other food commodities were stored.  These surpluses have been used to help regulate the price of commodities and to ensure a supply when harvests are not sufficient.

I would like to posit a thought on the idea of the government storage unit filled with grains on behalf of the citizenry.  Even if the storage unit were full, does anyone actually believe that the government, and the current regime in particular, would just unlock the storage unit in the event of a food crisis?  This is the same regime, as represented by Rahm Emanuel, that said, "Never let a crisis go to waste."   In essence, if the government were to dispense from its storage unit in a crisis, there will be a price to pay.  I believe it will be:  Your liberty for a loaf of bread.

From what I have been reading from various news sources, the storage unit is near empty.  That is actually a good thing.  Not for the sheeple and welfarites, but for free men and women.  Why would any of us who cherish liberty want to rely upon the government to maintain our food storage unit?  Such a reliance flies in the face of the principles of good stewardship and taking personal responsibility as the price of liberty.

Each of us as free men and women should have our own storage units full of wheat, corn, and other foodstuffs.  Not just as preppers for some future crisis, but as fulfillment of our personal responsibility to provide for our selves and our families.

Now is the time to recognize that the government is not only morally and financially bankrupt, but is also unable to care for the citizenry it has covered with its ever-expanding umbrella of promises. Expect that the government, with its storage unit of food being empty, to confiscate food supplies from responsible citizens, citing the cause of the "general welfare".

We are seeing rising prices of food stuffs as I write this.  Some of this rise in price is due to scarcity.  Some is due to inflation.  But what is inflation?  A common definition is "too many dollars chasing too few goods."  In other words, abundance of money and scarcity of goods.  Some, such as Kellene Bishop (here and here), are predicting a six month window of opportunity between the wholesale rise in commodity prices and the retail rise in prices. 

Right now is the time for preppers to make substantial additions to their long-term storage of grains and other foodstuffs and for those without food storage to get with the program and make substantial purchases.  In one respect, this is an investment, provided that one buys non-perishable foods.  Money spent today will likely be money not spent in the future, because the food can be incorporated into one's daily menu if the looming food crisis does not arrive.  This is a far better strategy than believing that the government food storage unit will be both full and opened to the public.

Corn-itive Dissonance

There is something puzzling about the state of corn reserves in the United States.  Corn prices keep going up, and corn reserves are reported to be at fifteen year lows.  Blame is being placed on demand from the ethanol industry, which manufactures ethanol from corn to be blended with gasoline for motor fuel.   Story here at NY Times. Corn for food is in competition with corn for fuel on American cropland.  The possibility exists that we will experience shortages of corn for food and that what corn does exist for food will command high prices.

On the other hand, the U.S. has a gasoline supply glut the like of which has not been seen in 17 years, according to this story.  If there is a glut of gasoline, theoretically market factors would dictate less production of gasoline until the glut subsides.  If there is less production of gasoline, theoretically market factors would dictate less production of ethanol to blend into gasoline.  Less production of ethanol would ease the demand for corn.

Questions:  If the U.S. is in the midst of a gasoline supply glut, should there not be a reduced demand for ethanol to blend into the gasoline, and therefore a reduced demand for corn to be used to make ethanol?  If so, should there be more corn being produced for food and less for ethanol production?  If so, where is the corn?

I don't profess to entirely understand how commodities markets function, but something does not seem right.  It makes me think that some other factor is at play, and that the ethanol industry is being blamed for high corn prices and a possible shortage.  What the other factor is, I don't have a clue.  It does warrant a wary eye, both as to preps and to stay ahead of what may be an engineered crisis.

Protest Hu Jintao's Visit: Buy American

Chinese President Hu Jintao is being treated to a state dinner by our Impostor-in-Chief, Barry Soetoro.  I guess Hu should have a nice dinner while ol' Barry grovels for more Chinese investment in our government Ponzi scheme.  We ordinary Americans can protest by taking the time to boycott Chinese goods and buy American.  Not many things are actually made in this country anymore, but I have come up with a list of ten suggestions for preppers:

Ten ways that preppers can still buy American:

1)  A firearm made by Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Kel-Tec, Marlin, Mossberg, or Remington.  I'm sure that there are other domestic makers.  Just pick one.

2)  A box of ammo made by Winchester, Federal, Remington, Speer, or CCI.

3)  A knife made by Case or Bear & Sons.  Or a set for your kitchen made by Rada.  Ontario, Ka-Bar, Buck, and Gerber qualify if the knife was actually made in the USA.

4)  A holster made by El Paso Saddlery or Don Hume.

5)  A Coleman dual-fuel lantern or stove.

6)  Freeze-dried and dehydrated canned fruits, vegetables, meats, and other foods from beprepared.com and honeyvillegrain.com.

7)  Food-grade five gallon storage buckets from usplastic.com  (the last time I ordered, the buckets and lids were both made in USA).

8)  Cast iron dutch ovens and other cookware by Lodge Manufacturing.

9)  Extra propane tanks by Worthington and Manchester, and fuel cans by Blitz and Wedco.

10)  A bottle of Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, or other American distilled libation.

Have fun!

Happy New Year! and Resolutions

Happy New Year to everyone! 

Although there is plenty of reason for doom and gloom out there, what with Obama still being president, Bernanke still printing money, etc., I am hopeful that this will be a better year than 2010. 

May all the unemployed find good jobs, the homeless find homes, the unsaved find Salvation, and may the godless federal reserve and its big bank cronies be brought to their knees.

I won't hold my breath waiting for those things to happen, and will instead concentrate on my personal resolutions for the New Year.

My New Year's resolutions:

1.  Quit smoking.  Time's up for this unhealthy and expensive habit.

2.  Organize and catalog my preps:  food, gear, guns/ammo, etc.

3.  Consolidate my car collection down to a daily driver, a small pickup, and a four-wheel drive.

4.  Clean out my storage unit, organize what I am keeping, sell or give away the rest.

5.  Research and try out recipes for long term storage food.

6.  Start a part-time home business as a hedge against the economy.

I think these resolutions should keep me fairly busy through 2011.  The quitting smoking will probably be the most difficult.  I have quit smoking a number of times in the past fifteen years, only to start again when I get stressed.  This time, my determination is different than before. I am more concerned about my health, the money spent on tobacco, and about going into an uncertain future with a tobacco addiction.

The remaining resolutions are an extension of my projects from 2010.  I might actually get them done this year.

Random Thoughts

Inflation:  It's definitely here as far as food prices go.  Two items I recently purchased have radically increased in price were four-packs of pudding and sugar.  Those pudding packs were $0.99 within recent memory, now they are $1.49 for the store brand.  And sugar was recently about $2.99 for a five pound bag of name brand.  Now it is $3.09 for a four pound bag.  That's right, the standard size sugar bag is only 80% of what it was and it costs more.  If it weren't for my daughter wanting pudding now and me having two teaspoons of sugar in my coffee, I would do without both.

Deflation:  Some ammo prices are definitely getting more reasonable.  I was in the White Elephant (sporting goods and toy store in Spokane) the other day, and noticed that the 525 packs of .22 ammo, both Federal and CCI, were $14.99.  Blazer Brass 9mm was $10.99 and .45acp was $18.99.  Compares very favorably with what I have been seeing online.  I found a few very good deals on 9mm and .380acp online and had to stock up.  Sportsmans Guide has Federal 9BP 115 gr JHP's for $17.47 a box of 50 ($16.60 if you are a club member like I am, and an additional 2.5% off if you have the Sportsman's Guide Visa).  SG also has free shipping right now on $99+ orders.  Graf & Sons is another place I have been shopping lately.  They recently had CCI Blazer 9mm 115 FMJ for $7.99 a box, and Blazer .380 for $10.99 a box.  Right now they are also running free shipping on $50+ orders, including ammo.  I really like the Blazer at this price because I don't feel bad about not saving my brass at the range (besides the fact that the range discourages picking up one's own brass). 

Gun Show Last Weekend:   Went to this on Sunday looking for more ammo cans.  The vendor I have bought from in the past was there, but sold out of .50's.  I did see a few good deals, such as an old Stevens Favorite .22 for $75.00, but I passed on it because the extractor looked to be worn out.  There were some good deals on ammo there, but a few "scalpers" as well.  A few tables had the same boxes of bulk .22 ammo as the White Elephant, but were being hawked for $25.00.  I have noticed that there is no shortage of opportunists reselling ammo or selling used guns for more than I could get them in a retail store.

Rifle Cleaning Chores:  I had bought a Russian Mosin-Nagant rifle while Bud's Gun Shop had them for a good price.  Unlike the SKS's and Romanian AK's I had bought in the past, this Mosin had a very dark and dirty bore.  The crown looked good, as did the chamber and what I could see of the rifling.  I cleaned out the cosmoline with WD-40 (it just melts the stuff away), then scrubbed several times with Hoppe's No. 9.  Not much luck with that, so I switched to Bore Scrubber.  A little more gunk removed and more blue-gray stuff on the patches, but still a lot of crud in the bore.  After doing a little internet searching, I came across a recommendation for Butch's Bore Shine.  It was $10.99 locally for an 8oz bottle, which is about middle-of-the-road price for bore cleaner.  I soaked a patch, ran it through, and waited about ten minutes.  The next patch took out more crud than all of my previous scrubbing combined.  I have given the bore two scrubbings with Butch's so far, and while the bore is still dark I can at least clearly see the lands and grooves.  I figure I have about two more scrubbings to go.  I'm  not looking for a bright bore, just cleanly defined lands and grooves.

Cheap Shotgun Update:  The Ultra 87 shotgun I ordered from Cheaper Than Dirt arrived and I picked it up today from my local FFL dealer.   I figure that others must have also considered $145 for  a defensive 12 gauge to be a good buy, because CTD has sold out.  I will report a little later on about fit and finish, but it may be a while before I get to go try it out at a friend's property out of town.

Preps:  Despite the reported coming price increases in grains, I found 20lb bags of white rice for $6.72 at Winco Foods the other day.  Wheat berries went up a bit to $0.47 a pound, but popcorn went down to $0.58 a pound.   Bought some of all three to add to the preps, as I cannot help but think that some radical food inflation is just around the corner.

Well, I suppose that is enough for now.  Gotta get back to my day job.

Defense Shotgun on the Cheap

Cheaper Than Dirt has an almost unbelievable deal on a defense shotgun, the Ultra 87 by Century International Arms.  I don't know how long they will last, but for now they are selling for $145.77. Item 70782.

At this price, there is good and bad, of course.

The good:
Based on Remington 870 design, with improved safety on tang like Mossberg.
Is drilled and tapper for weaver rail, which is included.
Has sights mounted to barrel, including a fiber optic front sight.
Comes with sling swivels mounted.
Black synthetic furniture and 19" barrel.  Others have reported that barrel is chrome-lined.
Inexpensive, including no credit card surcharge by CTD and $7.99 shipping (same amount for two shotguns).

The bad:
Made in China.
Some Century products have not been well-crafted.  Some owners have reported the front sight to come loose.
Apparently these shotguns do not have a durable finish and some owners have reported rust problems.
Future parts availability may not be there.
No guaranteed compatibility of parts with Remington or even similar Chinese shotguns.

It appears that Century has been marketing this shotgun in one form or another for several years.  From my own internet search, the owners' reviews have been mixed.  About 75% seem to be happy with the shotgun, despite its shortcomings.  Some others have said that the shotgun is poorly made.

If this turns out to be a serviceable shotgun, it may be a good, inexpensive home defense or truck gun, especially considering the included swivels, sights, and rail.  I think it would be handy to have as a "handout" defense gun for friends and relatives who show up unarmed when SHTF. 

I bought one for myself and will report back on it when it arrives at my FFL dealer. 

Get Ready to Ride the QE2

And I'm not referring to the luxury liner.  A better analogy would be a garbage scow.

Helicopter Ben Bernanke has officially announced Quantitative Easing, Part 2, as of yesterday.  I noticed that stocks are up this morning.  No reason not to expect that with a bunch of free money being thrown out willy-nilly.  The tomorrow of paying the bill will never come, they think.  Just pump that market up, up, and away.

Looks like not everyone is buying it.  The Dow is up 1.92% and S&P is up 1.91% as I write this.  Nice for those hypertraders still in the market and the insiders trying to pump up prices before they take their money and run.  And run they will.

The real story is in the price of gold and silver.  Gold is up over 6% from yesterday's low and silver is up a similar amount from yesterday's low.  That spells confidence.

Looks like I had better use my federal reserve notes to buy more toilet paper or else I will have to use federal reserve notes when I have to take a number QE2.

On another note, a tangibles acquiring opportunity is coming up this weekend at the Spokane Gun Show, which runs from Friday to Sunday at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds.  At the last one I picked up a handful of .50 ammo cans for $5.00 each.  Very little rust and like-new (if not new) seals.  If that vendor is at the show, I will buy a dozen this time.

Keep preppin', 'cause this show ain't over.

A Foot in Each World?

Everyday life feels increasingly complicated.  I have a business to run and decisions to make about it's (and my) future.  Although I feel that something is terribly wrong in this country that will make business and personal decisions about the future irrelevant, I have to operate on the assumption that I will still be in business a year from now, three years from now, and even ten years from now.

By the same token, I know that this country has been through numerous crises in the past and that it is quite likely that I will still be driving my desk for the foreseeable future.  Still, there are signs that civilization as we know it could end any time (for whatever reason:  war, EMP, other natural disaster, economic collapse, etc.).  I do not believe in not having preparations, nor do I believe that the government will take care of everyone come TEOTWAWKI.

It sure feels odd, renewing an advertising contract for another year, taking on a three year telecommunications contract, and scheduling my continuing education into the future at the same time that I am putting away additional food stocks, equipment, ammo, and other preps.  Most of the oddness stems from budgeting for two lives:  the one I live every day and the one that I fear I may be living in the not-too-distant future.  It is like having a foot in each world, watching for the time that I will have to pick up one foot and plant it firmly with the other. 

I suppose if I were wealthy it might be different.  Then I could have my fully stocked bunker out in the hinterlands while I entertained clients at my cosmopolitan McMansion without a worry in the world.  Nah, I was raised too blue-collar for that.  I would have a fully stocked bunker in the hinterlands, but I would have friends over to my enormous pole-barn shop to drink beer and talk about guns.

Meanwhile, the limited budget keeps me searching for prep bargains.  Here is one:  16 ounce jars of coconut oil for cooking and other uses, suitable for long term storage.  $4.50 at http://www.vitacost.com/  10% discount through October 31, 2010 with code BWOCT, and flat $4.99 shipping cost.  I learned about coconut oil as a healthy cooking oil and its suitability for long term storage from Miss Kellene at Preparedness Pro.

That's all for now.

Random Thoughts

Juan Williams.  I've always liked Juan because he added an air of rationality and dignity to the liberal side.  Something that Alan Colmes always strived for but never could attain.  I repeatedly disagreed with Juan's positions, but he was the type you could disagree with at the same time you had a beer with him.  Very, very rare among liberals.  Juan found out what happens when you dance with the devils:  you get burned.  You associate with irrational bigots, and eventually you are associated with them.  The irony is that the bigots were calling Juan a bigot.  Of course, this close to the election, the shrill, closed-minded, hysterical, emotional, illogical "progressive" left is exposed for what it is at a time less than beneficial for their cause.  Thank you, Juan, and good luck at your new/old job at Fox. 

Patty Murray.  My tirade against Washington's Asshat Extraordinaire Senator Patty Murray might be getting a little old, but I will not relent until that ignorant, marxist twit is gone.  Latest Dino Rossi ad reminded me of something incredibly relevant, more relevant that Patty Moron's belief that abundant abortions are essential to the functioning of society.  Dino's latest ad has audio of Patty Murray claiming that she not only read the Obamacare bill, but that she helped write it.  Go to that link. Should we all presume that Asshat Patty also read and helped write the $800,000,000,000.00 Porkulus bill that created no jobs?  I think it is safe to give her credit for that.   Rossi is within range of taking out this wart on America's ass, but Murray has the illegal aliens out in force to scare up votes (the dead people move too slow, the imprisoned have other commitments, and the insane just won't follow directions.).

Preps.  I had been looking for a rifle with a longer range than 7.62x39 and 5.56x45 are capable of.  Problem is, I did not want to spend a lot of money, wanted something simple, wanted something with iron sights, and wanted something where ammo was currently plentiful and cheap.  After checking around a bit I finally settled on the Mosin-Nagant.  I bought a specimen in excellent refinished condition for under $100.00 (I know that I missed the boat from when even Big 5 was selling them for $69.00.  I will pay more attention to surplus rifles in the future.)  I bought a spam can of 440 rounds for about $85.00, and will probably buy another mosin and a few cans of ammo before the end of the year if the economy holds up (self-employment can suck sometimes).  I got an added bonus when I went to pick up my mosin.  The store owner asked me if I wanted to buy an SKS.  I asked how much.  He said $150.00.  I was interested, and ended up walking out with a beautifully maintained Norinco SKS, missing only the bayonet and cleaning rod.

Other News.  Somthing Glenn Beck said the other night caught my attention.  The national debt ceiling, which was raised by over $1,000,000,000,000.00 by democrats to something like $14,200,000,000,000.00, will have to be raised again sometime in February or March of 2011.  This was purposefully set up by democrats.  The dilemma for Republicans, if they control congress, will be to add further sanction to the willy-nilly printing of money to cover the national debt and appear to have no principles, or to adhere to principles and refuse to raise the debt ceiling which might have the effect of causing panic/collapse in the markets and pandemonium in the streets.  Interesting.  Could that be the galvanizing event?  We'll have to see.

Pringles as Survival Food?

My camping trip a few weeks ago gave me the chance to use and evaluate a few newer pieces of equipment, which I still need to write about.  However, I think I made a discovery (at least for me) about a possible survival comfort food.  For those of you who hate Pringles potato crisps, you can stop reading now.

In September 2008 I went on a family camping trip.  As I usually do, I packed some comfort foods to snack on.  Part of the snack supply was two cans of Pringles.  One regular chips, the other cheddar cheese flavor.

I have been taking my time cleaning out the camper after the last trip, and last weekend I discovered the two cans of Pringles in a cabinet behind a bunch of plastic plates and cups we really don't use.  After sitting in the camper through two Eastern Washington winters and two summers, I had my doubts that they would be edible.  The expiration dates were in November 2009, but I don't pay a lot of attention to these.  I was more concerned about the extremes in weather and the possibility of the oils turning rancid and moisture working its way into the containers.

Not to fear.  I have opened both cans of Pringles and both taste just fine.  I have been snacking on the regular chips for a couple of days now and I am having the cheese flavor with my sandwich for lunch.

If Pringles can survive two years of the weather extremes out in the camper, I wonder how long they will last inside the house, where the temperature never gets above 75 degrees.  Rotated on a first in, first out basis, it appears that Pringles would make a good survival comfort food.

Workday EDC

Monday through Friday I play the part of the urban professional, and I have had to adjust my everyday carry in consideration of the office environment and the likelihood of going through metal detectors and being subject to security restrictions several times a day.

The above photo shows my everyday carry items during the workweek, from left to right:

My keys, with my travel/motor club registration and a P38 can opener.

My trusty pen, mightier than the sword during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

MXDL AAA LED twisty flashlight.

BIC lighter.  For my smokes, burning off stray threads, many other uses.

Large and small paperclips that I keep in my wallet, handy for a lot of uses including opening a stuck CD-ROM drive.

Small sewing kit that I keep in my wallet for sewing on buttons, mending tears in clothing.

Zenolite 2x2016 LED flashlight.

Minichamp Swiss Army knife.

Thumbdrive (will vary depending upon what cases I'm working on).

Pocket flosser/toothpick.  Not just for teeth.  The pick end is handy for cleaning small items.

Not shown:  I invariably have a paper towel wadded up in my pocket.

On the weekends and other days off I add a few more items, such as a larger knife, a multi-tool, my pistol, and a spare magazine.

A Little Prep Shopping Yesterday

I make a point of buying some prep items a couple of times a month. Mostly long term food storage. I have purchased from Emergency Essentials and Honeyville Grain on a semi-regular basis, but I try to limit those purchases to things that are not readily available in my area.

For example, I have not found an economical source for freeze-dried foods. So I have purchased freeze dried fruits and vegetables from Emergency Essentials and Honeyville. Same with flavored textured vegetable protein.

Some dehydrated foods and dry foods I have been able to find locally. Split peas, beans, and rice are the obvious dry foods available locally. I have also noticed that some supermarkets are expanding their bulk foods areas, and that some of the bulk foods are dehydrated and dry foods ideal for prep storage.

I was at Fred Meyer (division of Kroger) the other day and looked at the bulk foods. Normally I only go near this area to get a bag of mixed nuts or macadamias. I noticed that Freddy's had hard red wheat berries for 92 cents a pound. This compared favorably to the price from some online sources, which is $1.00 a pound, and up. 92 cents a pound for wheat berries still seemed a little much to me, especially when compared to the price of flour at less than 50 cents a pound.

The Spokane area has at least half a dozen grocery store chains, including Safeway, Albertsons, Yoke's, Rosauers, Super One, Fred Meyer, Walmart, and Winco. Winco is a relative newcomer to our area, and has stores in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and California. It is like grocery shopping in a warehouse. The prices are usually better than other stores, but one must suffer the inconvenience of the cattle-call mentality and bagging one's own groceries. I limit myself to one trip or so per month to avoid the aggravation.

Winco has a large bulk foods section. I found hard red wheat berries for 42 cents a pound. Thirty pounds plus the bucket and mylar bag runs about 19 dollars. Yellow popcorn was 64 cents a pound, so thirty pounds and the bucket/bag runs about 26 dollars. Winco also has about three kinds of dehydrated potatoes, five or more kinds of rice, a variety of other grains, and peas, beans, and pastas. They also have bulk sauce mixes, seasonings, and spices, for which my smaller mylar bags and plastic coffee cans will be ideal.

One interesting find was dried tomatoes. These are not dried in the sense of dehydrated to a near crisp, but are more like sun dried tomatoes. I figure that they are too gooey to put into long-term storage, but are treated for spoilage with sulfur dioxide. I bought a pound (at $3.90 a pound) to try drying out in the dehydrator and putting into storage. If this works I will buy more, as tomatoes are a necessity for pasta sauces, chili, and soups.

If the tomatoes are successful I may try this with dried fruits like pineapple, apples, strawberries, and cherries.

Slowly but steadily I am working towards having my year supply of food for the family, with enough variety to eat decently and avoid appetite fatigue.

Random Thoughts

Coffee Cans for Storage. The plastic kind that just about every coffee brand has switched to in the past few years. There are a number of food items that I do not want to store in glass canning jars or five gallon buckets. Glass jars get nixed because of the potential for breakage when moving, and buckets get nixed because I do not want to buy such a quantity of that I can fill a five gallon bucket. The solution I have found is to buy the one gallon mylar food grade bags and pack them inside plastic coffee cans that I would otherwise discard. Between home and office I get about two of these each month. An added bonus is that six of the cans fit into the same size box as six number 10 cans. This size of storage container is ideal for spices, seasoning/gravy/sauce packets, and drink mixes such as Kool Aid. Once full and the mylar bag is sealed, pop on the lid and seal with 100% silicone.

Test Your Tools and Equipment. I bought a sight adjustment tool for one of my rifles a few months ago and filed it away with my other gear. I assumed that when I needed it, it would serve its intended purpose. Big mistake. The other day I was boresighting the rifle and needed to make a sight adjustment, so I dug out the adjustment tool. The tool has a hole through which the sight is supposed to drift under pressure from a thumbscrew. The hole was not big enough. This would have been a major problem in the field, but luckily enough I was sighting in at home. I got out my set of drills and enlarged the hole. From now on I will test every tool and piece of equipment as I acquire it.

Thoughts on Plumbing. Most preppers have a plan for providing water and eliminating waste during a grid down situation. The specifics don't really matter, as situations vary for acquisition of potable water and elimination of human waste, and each must plan according to his or her needs and what resources are available. For those of us on public systems, more preparation may be needed than immediately comes to mind. When the grid goes down and public water pressure drops, it is a simple matter to isolate one's plumbing system from public water: just shut off the main water valve coming into the building or onto the property. But what about sewage? Even with the public water supply being off, people can still pour water down the drain and flush their toilets. And if the grid is down, the pumps that move the sewage through the public system and/or process the waste are likely to be down as well. If one is at the top of a hill, I suppose there may be no problems. However, sewage might back up in other areas. Aside from the water traps in the drains, how does one shut off the sewer system that is connected to the house? I am thinking that one answer may be to have drain seals ready to install in each sink, bathtub, laundry room, toilet, and floor drain in the house. If anyone has any other ideas on this, let me know.

Politics. I am thinking about this week's Retarded Politician of the week. Congressman Fortney "Pete" Stark has come up with a hare-brained scheme to tax the exchange of currencies, so that everyone who trades a U.S. dollar for a Canadian one would pay a tax of 0.005% on the transaction. I am not making the next part up: It's for the children. Oh, and to provide health care in other countries, and to fight climate change. On the other hand, Senator Lindsey Graham has pretty much stated that he will vote to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court because Obama won the election and is entitled to have his choice provided Kagan is "qualified." Does this idiot remember Robert Bork? He was qualified, but shot down by the Demojackals because he is a conservative. At least Stark is consistent with the "progressive" whack-jobs in his party. Thus I am leaning towards Senator Grahamnesty for a repeat. Who knows, maybe some other elected shithead will catch my attention.

Is it too late for Tom Vilsack to try and get his job back as Iowa governor? It appears that with all the hullabaloo from the racist camps of Jesse Jackson and the NAACP that Vilsack may soon be unemployed for firing Department of Agriculture employee Shirley Sherrod. Through her own statements at a NAACP gathering Ms. Sherrod cast the USDA in a bad light, which should be grounds enough for firing. It is in the private employment sector. Gub'mint business is different, somehow, especially when race is involved.