Monthly Archives: September 2013

September 12th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Fundamentals of Orienteering – The Pace Count

 I’m going to do a series on map reading.  Today I’m going to talk about one of the fundamentals of orienteering without actually touching on the compass itself.

When you’re out in the woods with your map and compass and you’re moving from point A to point B how do you measure distance?  You can’t glance down and check your odometer, so there has to be some method by which you can keep track of the distance you’ve covered.

The answer to that is the pace count.  Since I was military trained I like to work in meters.  Probably the easiest way to measure it is to find a high school or college track and walk 100 meters or a football field, which is 100 yards, and add a few extra steps.  If you like measuring in yards then you’re all set.  100 yards =91.44 meters.

Once you’ve found your area go ahead and walk it at a natural relaxed pace counting your steps as you go.   Don’t take large strides and don’t take little mincing steps.  Just a regular step.  Once you’ve done this turn around and do it again.  And again.  And again.

Some people count every step and others count only every time their left foot hits the deck.  I fall into the latter category.  I’ve found through experience that my pace count is 63 steps for 100 meters.

Once you’ve figured out your pace count start measuring distances as a way to practice.  How far is it to the bus stop?  How far is it down to the store?  How far to the intersection down the road?

After a while you’ll start to get a feel for it.

Now, what about when you go out in the woods?  You almost never walk a straight line and you’re going up and down and stepping long to go over logs or streams and taking little mincing steps to walk under trees or through thick brush.  I might count 63 steps and only move about 90 actual meters over the ground.  How do we compensate for that?

Stay tuned for the next episode!  That’s enough for today.  Let’s start easy and get some practical application in.  Go find yourself a nice easy 100 meter track and go for a walk.  Count your steps.  Do it again.  And again.  If nothing else you’ll get a littler exercise today.

Those of you experienced with pace count how many steps do you take for a 100 meters?  Those of you who got out there and did it what did you get?

Next we’ll discuss averages in the wilderness and how to keep track of distance traveled.  For you over achievers Google Ranger Beads and get a head start.

Orienteering series

Why Should I Learn Map Reading?

The Pace Count

The Pace Count 2

Using the Pace Count

Parts of the Lensatic Compass

Understanding the Topographic Map

Discussion of Grid and Magnetic Azimuths

Converting Azimuths

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog

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September 12th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Why Should I Learn Map Reading?

This probably should have been the first post on the orienteering series, but it fits well here too.  The next post or two deals with some concepts that are a bit tricky and you’ll actually have to put your thinking caps on and maybe do a few examples of your own.



Map reading is hard.  You have to remember stuff.  You have to practice.  Hell, you even have to do some math.

Why should I learn it when I’ve got a GPS in my pocket that will tell me exactly where I am and give me directions on where I need to go?

Let’s go to a pretend world for a bit…

———————-

The grid is down.  The global economy went to hell three months ago and despite all the promises by the government and news media things aren’t getting better.  After the first month food deliveries were sporadic at best and despite a police presence outside most of the supermarkets in town there are very few supplies left.  Rioting has been reported in some of the larger cities.

After the first month of not getting paid a growing number of people stopped showing up for their jobs and without skilled engineers and workers the power plants supplying electricity slowly went off line.  It’s not out completely, but with rolling brown outs and black outs electricity just can’t be depended on.

It wasn’t like everything crashed at once.   It was more like the frog in the pot where the water is slowly brought up to boiling.  Things deteriorated slow enough that it prevented you from triggering your bug-out plan and now you’re stuck in your apartment with your wife and two sons.  Luckily they’re old enough to walk long distances and you feel like you’ve raised them right and can rely on them in case of an emergency.

Well, now it’s an emergency.

You’ve decided to head for the doomstead you have set up with two other families and you kick yourself for not going right away.  There’s no more gas for vehicles, so that means you’re going to bug out on foot cross country.  Your GPS tells you your destination is 88 miles northwest as the crow flies.  You figure you can do it in four days with your family if you push them hard enough.

Three days later you realize you’re still at least four days away.  Nothing has gone right.  You had to ditch some gear from the packs because they were too heavy for walking.  There have been roadblocks not mentioned by the media and you’ve had to take the family off the road and circle around them praying you don’t get spotted.

And this afternoon  the batteries in your GPS died and you discover the spares you packed in your BOB two years ago are dead too.  Didn’t the manufacturer claim these batteries would last ten years in storage?  You make a mental note to write a strongly worded letter to the company.

Now what?  You’re a little more than halfway to the doomstead, food is running low, and now you’ve lost the only means of navigation you had.

You break the bad news to the family, but your 16 year old son – the Boy Scout – does something strange.  Instead of panicking he grabs his pack and pulls out a map and compass.   You show him where you are on the map and he plots a direction to your bug-out location.  Then he picks up the compass and declares he’s going to take point and leads the way.

Four days later you arrive.  Hungry, tired, and foot sore, but you made it.

You tell your son how proud you are of him and thank him for saving the day.

———————–

Oh, maybe the story is just a little dramatic, but you get the point.  GPS batteries only last for so long and if you’re trusting your life to a piece of electronic wizardry you’re gambling with your life and the lives of whoever is with you.  If you think you won’t run out of batteries in an extended emergency you are dead wrong.  Just don’t get dead because of it.

And what happens if the satellites fail?  Oops.

GPS is Cool!

I was on a mountain with my smart phone recently using it as a GPS and it was fantastic.  When you can look at a device and know exactly where you are and what’s over the next rise it doesn’t get better than that.  But I was using it heavily and after just a few hours the battery was very low.

Of course I had a map and compass and went back to doing it the old fashioned way.

I’ve read many stories where someone has followed GPS directions blindly down back roads only to wind up stuck for days and sometimes even got themselves dead because of it.  Always have a manual backup and the knowledge of how to use it.

Like I said earlier, map reading is hard and it will take some work to get proficient at it.  You don’t have to get to the point where you’re looking for a ten meter square clearing in a huge forest, but if you can point a compass and follow an azimuth there’s a good chance that you’ll eventually get to where you’re going.  And you don’t have to worry about the batteries dying.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying don’t use a GPS.  They’re awesome devices.  What I am saying is learn the skills necessary to stay alive in case something happens to your device, whether you drop it in water, break it or the batteries die it’s always good to have a backup.

Just in case.

 

Orienteering series

Why Should I Learn Map Reading?

The Pace Count

The Pace Count 2

Using the Pace Count

Parts of the Lensatic Compass

Understanding the Topographic Map

Discussion of Grid and Magnetic Azimuths

Converting Azimuths

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog

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September 11th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Free online zombie apocalypse classes by UC Irvine and the Walking Dead

The University of California Irvine has teamed up with AMC’s the walking Dead to provide free open course classes targeting survival, infectious disease spread, post-apocalyptic nutrition and much more.


From understanding social identities to modeling the spread of disease, this eight-week course will span key science and survival themes using AMC’s The Walking Dead as its basis. Four faculty members from the University of California, Irvine will take you on an inter-disciplinary academic journey deep into the world of AMC’s The Walking Dead, exploring the following topics:

  • Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—is survival just about being alive?
  • Social order and structures—from the farm and the prison to Woodbury
  • Social identity, roles, and stereotyping—as shown through leaders like Rick and the Governor
  • The role of public health in society—from the CDC to local community organizations
  • The spread of infectious disease and population modeling—swarm!
  • The role of energy and momentum in damage control—how can you best protect yourself?
  • Nutrition in a post-apocalyptic world—are squirrels really good for you?
  • Managing stress in disaster situations—what’s the long-term effect of always sleeping with one eye open?

Each week we’ll watch engaging lectures, listen to expert interviews, watch exclusive interviews with cast members talking about their characters, use key scenes from the show to illustrate course learning, read interesting articles, review academic resources, participate in large and small group discussions, and—of course—test our learning with quizzes. We recommend that you plan on spending about two (2) to four (4) hours per week on this course, though we believe the course is compelling enough you’ll want to spend more time.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe how infectious diseases—like a zombie epidemic—spread and are managed
  • Apply various models of society and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to existing and emerging societies as a means for understanding human behavior
  • Analyze existing social roles and stereotypes as they exist today and in an emerging world
  • Debate the role of public health organizations in society
  • Describe how mathematical equations for population dynamics can be used to study disease spread and interventions
  • Apply concepts of energy and momentum appropriately when analyzing collisions and other activities that either inflict or prevent damage
  • Summarize multiple methods for managing stress in disaster situations

Enrollment is free and open to anyone, any age.  To register, visit https://www.canvas.net/courses/the-walking-dead

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: survivetheapocalypse

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September 10th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Emergency Meal Plan

Planning your emergency meals sets apart a manageable crisis from an outright disaster. Although many of us have our 72-hour bags packed and ready to go, take a second look at your pack to ensure that the food you plan on taking will realistically sustain you during that 3 day ordeal.

In a bug out situation, put thought into the situation you could find yourself in. You will be in a high stress environment where you may be on foot walking for long periods, or for that matter walking up and down hills. The foods we will carry will make all the difference in the world in terms of maintaining energy levels, and nutrition. Many preppers underestimate how much food they will need for their 72 hour bags. They believe that living off of survival bars for a main source of nutrition for 3 days will give you the optimum nutrition. This just isn’t so.

When you are preparing your bug out bag, you want your diet to give you ample calories, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and some fats. Keep in mind that ages and genders will play a role in calorie consumption.  As mentioned, you will be operating in a high stress and high energy environment, therefore your body needs to be running as efficiently as possible. With this in mind, you should plan to eat small meals every 2-3 hours.

Create a Menu

The best approach to ensuring you have enough food for 72-hours is to sit down and create an emergency menu based on your family’s preferences and map out the nutrition needs that the chosen foods provide. This will help you stay organized for the disaster and will also help you create a shopping list for bug out supplies. Your menu should be realistic in the sense that it will provide your body with the necessary energy needs.

The Nutrition Breakdown

In your bug out bag, make sure that the foods you store for this short lived emergency will have the sustaining energy sources that will burn slowly. Finding foods that are high in complex carbs and dietary fiber are more efficient from a dietary standpoint and will keep you feeling “fuller” longer.

Some energy efficient food sources to consider are:

  • Fruits/Vegetables – Obviously, having these dehydrated will lighten the load and give you something nutritious to snack on. Keep in mind  that dehydrated foods can last for 12 months or longer, provided they have been stored properly. Pack fruits and vegetables that are the most calorie dense. Look for small boxes of dried fruits for easy meal assembly.
  • Whole vs. White – We all know that whole grains are better for you. But did you know that they keep you fuller longer. Also, whole grain breads with seeds and nuts can provide added nutrition. Look for whole grain pancake mixes, crackers, pastas and bread to get good sources of whole grains.
  • Nuts – This food source is one of the most nutrient dense foods and is also full of fiber to help you stay full longer. Due to the high protein count of these lightweight nutrition powerhouses, can be an efficient meat replacement. Look for non-salted nut varieties to keep you hydrated longer.
  •  Meat Source – Protein sources are imperative during an emergency and can also cut down on stress. The amino acid in meat, specifically Tryptophan, binds to protein and becomes a precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin. Increased levels of serotonin may help you cope with stress. Freeze dried meats or TVP (textured vegetable protein), dehydrated meats or canned meats of beef, chicken or tuna would be good choices to add to your pack.

According to the FDA, for a normal adult’s 2,000 calorie meal plan, 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent of your calories should come from fats, and 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from proteins. This chart can help in researching caloric needs based on gender and ages. Keep this in mind and adjust your dietary intake accordingly to maintain proper energy requirements.

Below is a list of suggested meals a person could carry in their bug out bag. This is not meant to be comprehensive but a guide to show what types of foods you should consider for your diet. These foods are light weight, easy to prepare and will provide essential calories and energy.

Day 1

Breakfast – 2 cups oatmeal with raisins and 1 cup reconstituted dry milk powder
(calories: 568, fat: 8 g, carbs: 108 g, protein: 28 g)   

Snack: 2 bars Datrex 3600 survival bar (you can make your own but only about 2000 calories)
(calories: 400, fat:, 17.4 g, carbs: 49.4 g, protein: 5.6 g)   

Lunch – Chicken flavored Ramen noodles with dehydrated vegetables
(calories: 246.7, fat: 4.7 g, carbs: 27.3 g, protein: 9.3 g)  

Snack – 1 package of whole grain crackers and peanut butter with dried apples
(calories:  310, fat: 9 g, carbs: 23 g, protein: 5 g)

Dinner – 2.5 cups chicken and rice a roni casserole, rehydrated
(calories: 545.8, fat: 9.2 g, carbs: 75 g, protein: 40.8 g)  

Total Daily Nutrition of Day 1:

calories: 2,070.5, fat: 48.3 g, carbs: 282.7 g, protein: 88.7  g

Day 2

Breakfast – 1 cup dry raisin bran cereal with reconstituted dry milk powder and 1 ounce of walnuts
(calories: 390, fat: 11 g, carbs: 66 g, protein: 14 g)  

Snack –   8 graham crackers with 4 tbsp peanut butter and 1 box of raisins
(calories: 646, fat: 35.2 g, carbs: 69.6 g, protein: 19 g)

Lunch – 1 pouch of StarKist Chunk Light Sandwich Ready Tuna Salad, 15 Kashi wheat crackers
(calories: 230, fat: 6 g, carbs: 26 g, protein: 16 g)

Snack – Luna fiber bar and Carnation Instant Breakfast drink 
(calories: 440, fat: 10 g, carbs: 67 g, protein: 23 g)

Dinner – Dehydrated bean chili and cornbread , reconstituted and and 2 soft oatmeal cookies
(calories: 605, fat: 64 g, carbs: 106.8 g, protein: 15 g)

Total nutrition of Day 2:

calories: 2311, fat: 126.2 g, carbs: 335.4 g, protein: 87 g

Day 3

Breakfast – “Just add water” whole wheat pancakes, 1/4 cup of dried blueberries, 2 maple syrup packets, hot chocolate with reconstituted dry milk powder
(calories: 506.7, fat: 3.7 g, carbs: 113.2 g, protein: 11.7g) 

Snack – 1 ounce walnuts, dried apples and 8 graham crackers
(calories: 400, fat: 13 g, carbs: 36 g, protein: 4 g)  

Lunch – 1 pouch of StarKist Chunk Light Sandwich Ready Tuna Salad, 15 Kashi wheat crackers
(calories: 230, fat: 6 g, carbs: 26 g, protein: 16 g) 

Snack: 2 soft oatmeal cookies and Carnation Instant Breakfast drink
(calories: 560, fat: 10 g, carbs: 66 g, protein: 16 g

Dinner – Canned Stew  and 14 Kashi crackers
(calories: 370, fat: 14.5 g, carbs: 44 g, protein: 18 g)

Total nutrition of Day 3:

calories: 2,470, fat: 47.2 g, carbs: 285.2 g, protein: 65.7 g  

Don’t Forget These Considerations

Bear in mind that beverages are not listed and adding powdered drink mixes or vitamin powders to water, will increase your calories and some  daily nutritional content. Above all, you must have water and/or a means to filter it as many of the meals will require some sort of water for preparation.

Did you know that a staggering thirteen vitamins are considered necessary to perform crucial functions in the body?  Ensure your body is getting an adequate amount of vitamins through your food source or play it safe and pack a few multivitamins in your pack.

Another  point to consider is to make sure the meals you pack are realistic and can carry you through 72 hour period. Practice or run a 72 hour drill to see how long you can last on your bug out rations. After all, you want to feel confident in the preps you have.

Although your main priority is to keep the weight of your 72 hour bag down, you want to  have a way to prepare meals. This can be as simple as having a folding stove, a camping stove or if you plan on cooking over a fire, a way to light the fire.

To conclude, the best way to prepare for a disaster is to plan for it. Research the nutritional aspects of the foods you want to pack and get a list together of what items you need. Once you do this, make a point to put them in or near by your bug out bag. The only way you will feel confident in a bug out situation is to know that you have all you need to survive.

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: readynutrition

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September 9th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Emergency Evacuation Checklist

Time is of the essence when an emergency evacuation is concerned. You may only have a matter of minutes to escape your home, and if you aren’t prepared, then crucial information and supplies could be left.

Whether you are evacuating due to a wildfire or hurricane, having a checklist to run through will keep things organized and running smoothly so you can evacuate swiftly.

Before You Leave

Fill your gas tank.

Charge your mobile phone.

Take cash, checkbooks and credit cards.

Take a back-up of your hard drive or computer files.

Get a map of your emergency route and have a plan B in case the orginal route is blocked.

Identify stopping points on your emergency route (gas stations, restaurants, etc).

Contact your emergency contact.

Take your G.O.O.D manual.

Take your 72 Hour Kit.

Evacuation Disaster Kit

Have These Items Inside the Car:

Emergency phone numbers

Drivers license or ID card

Insurance information

Updated pictures of all family members

Passport

Money and credit cards

Proof of residence (utility bill, home deed, etc).

Prescriptions or medication

Flashlights

Mobile phone charger or car adapter

Food and drinks (extra water just in case).

Glasses

Things to keep children busy (puzzles, books, drawing pad and pencils).

Papertowls in case of a spill.

If You Have Not Prepared a Vehicle 72 Hour Kit, At Least Have These Items In The Trunk:

Batteries

Clothing for the season

Toiletries (toilet paper, soap, razors, etc).

First aid kit

Bedding

Paper products

Tool kit

Fix-a-flat

Disaster food supply

Battery operated radio

Papertowls in case of a spill.

10 gallons of gasoline

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: readynutrition

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September 8th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Asking Prepper Questions of Others

I am sure if you are anything like me you have undoubtedly been looked upon with a curious glare from time to time. As a prepper/survivalist/homesteader you have more than likely voiced your concerns to friends, family members or perhaps even co-workers and business associates. I’m sure on at least one of those occasions the individual(s) you were speaking with cast a wary disbelieving eye in your direction. You can explain until you are blue in the face. You can back that up with factual information you have researched yourself and yet some people will absolutely ignore the obvious and continue accepting the impossible. Thankfully there is a solution to this type of situation. It is called; “asking prepper questions of others.”

I have often wondered why people I speak with have the audacity to ignore what I am telling them and prefer to walk around with blinders on when they conduct their daily duties. I recently came across an article that shed some light on what I was doing wrong. I was offering my opinion, based in fact mind you, without enticing my listener to think for themselves.

Snipped:

“Sometimes asking good questions is the best way to get someone that you care about to understand something. Many times those of us that can see what is happening to this country get frustrated when we try to get others to see what is so apparent to us. But instead of preaching to them, perhaps asking questions would be more helpful. When you ask someone a question, they are almost forced to think about what you just said and come up with a response.”

When you ask prepper questions of others it forces them to develop answers for themselves rather than accept your answers as their own. It forces them to THINK in other words, rather than accepting what the MSM is providing as an acceptable reason for current conditions.

Snipped:

“Our economy is heading for collapse and the world around us is becoming more unstable with each passing day. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the number of preppers in the United States is absolutely exploding. Some estimates put the number of preppers in the U.S. as high as 3 million, and the movement continues to explode.”

Ask yourself; “Why is this happening?” The answer is; because more people are being forced to answer questions regarding the concerns they are becoming aware of. They have either been approached by someone enjoying a self-reliant lifestyle, that has begun asking prepper questions of them, or they have begun asking prepper questions of themselves due to a shift in their confidence about what the federal government and MSM are telling everyone.

Begin asking prepper questions of others whenever you have the chance. I like to start mine out with: “Why does the federal government label preppers/survivalists/homesteaders as ‘anti-government patriotic groups’ while practicing many of the same habits by stockpiling an arsenal of supplies to deal with possible civil unrest?”

You can find a list to help you begin asking prepper questions of others here. If you are having trouble getting others involved, then ask a few of the questions to get the ball rolling.

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: survivalist

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September 7th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Spice is the life

Can you imagine eating a diet of bland white rice and tasteless pinto beans?  I can’t, but a lot of preppers who are stocking up on those two staples, among others, seem to be setting themselves up for multiple meals of monotone flavor.  Personally, I like to use a lot of spice when I cook and have been stocking up accordingly.

My Macho Mexican Rice is a good example of taking a staple ingredient, adding a few ingredients from your food storage and ending up with a dish that’s anything but boring.  If you were relying on your food storage, this recipe would even make a great main dish with a handful of chicken or pork.  The combination of spices is what makes the difference.  I have a great recipe for fried rice that I really should write up one of these days soon.

Basic spices that should be in your storage pantry, as well as in your kitchen for daily use, are basil, garlic powder, minced onion, chili powder, ground cinnamon, dill weed, ground ginger, oregano, paprika, rosemary, thyme, and vanilla extract.  I don’t know about you, but these, along with cumin, are the spices I reach for time and again.  If Mexican food is your thing, you’ll want to include cumin and cilantro, and Italian lovers will find they also need Italian Seasoning and perhaps fennel and crushed red pepper.  If there are certain canning recipes you use regularly, be sure to include those spices in your stash as well.  Check out Spice Advice for lots more information.

Spring is the time for planting herbs.  All of the spices we use in our everyday cooking begin life as beautiful herb plants and are then harvested and dried.  There’s nothing in that process that you can’t do yourself.  In fact, most herbs dry so quickly, you don’t even need an official dehydrator.  Simply spread your herbs on a cookie sheet and place them in a 200 degree oven.  When the individual herb leaves are crispy, they’re done.  Store in an airtight container, and for long-term storage, add an oxygen absorber.

You can buy spices in bulk online, but if you’re going to be planting your own herb garden, check out Seed Savers for a great selection of heirloom seeds.

Considering that hundreds of years ago spices were nearly as valuable as gold, the time may come when a packet of basil may be something worth bartering for.  The herb garden you plant today could become a source of income tomorrow!

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: thesurvivalmom

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September 6th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

This apparently made some people hostile, regarding IRAs.

Several weeks ago, I received some disturbing news from some of my closest advisers (all professional tax attorneys) regarding IRAs.

They told me that suddenly, practically overnight, many IRS employees at the agency’s call center who assign tax ID numbers were refusing to issue a federal tax ID for US LLCs that are owned by an IRA.

This was a critical piece of news given that millions of US taxpayers hold their retirement savings in an IRA.

Most IRA accounts are rather poorly managed by some big financial institution that rakes in huge fees regardless of the performance of their clients’ funds.

By setting up a self-directed IRA structure, an individual can take back control of his/her own retirement savings, opening up a whole world of investment possibilities.

This even includes shipping retirement funds overseas, which is something that makes a lot of sense these days.

We’ve been writing about this for years: history shows that governments deeply entrenched in unsustainable debt positions almost routinely resort to plundering their citizens’ wealth.

Given the trillions of dollars in retirement savings in the Land of the Free, IRAs are an awfully tempting target.

And it’s one of those things that makes sense… no matter what. How is someone worse off for taking control of their own retirement savings rather than letting some disinterested bank skim off the top?

So when my advisers told me this information, I was concerned. Because in order to set up one of these structures, it’s necessary to first obtain a tax ID number for an LLC owned by your IRA.

And this is exactly what some IRS agents started prohibiting.

We followed up on multiple fronts, including with some contacts inside the agency itself. And I was told unequivocally from sources within the IRS that this is a real issue.

They explained to me that the IRS is anything but a well-oiled machine that speaks with a unified voice.

On the contrary, it’s an unwieldly, bureaucratic organization. And a number of ‘fiefdoms’ exist in which mid-level managers pass edicts down to their underlings that are not official policy.

Needless to say, not everyone is on the same page. But my advisers’ reports were definitely confirmed from within.

There does not seem to be any sinister intent. The main issue underpinning the move is that a number of taxpayers have misused these structures.

Self-directed IRAs do give people a tremendous amount of latitude over their own retirement savings. But there are some ‘prohibited transactions’ that the IRS defines very clearly.

You cannot, for example, loan money from your IRA to your children. Nor can you purchase real estate for your personal use with your IRA’s funds.

Because there have been so many violations of prohibited transaction rules, somewhere in the agency, someone seems to have directed his/her ‘fiefdom’ to disallow the issuance of tax ID numbers for these structures.

We’ll never know because it’s not official policy. Not yet. And there are agents who have never heard of any such directive and are still issuing tax ID numbers.

But my sources tell me that these self-directed structures may end up on the list of ‘recognized abusive and listed transactions’.

This would be a terrible outcome as it would effectively terminate one of the only real options to move your retirement funds away from the control of an insolvent government.

Needless to say, the original article I wrote warning about this news triggered a wave of indignant letters, mostly from vitriolic attorneys who charge thousands of dollars to set up these types of structures for their clients. Some even called this a “lie”.

(Right, that makes so much sense…)

I recognize that their experiences may be different. And given that they stand to lose a lot of business if this move becomes official policy, I understand the hostility, however misguided it may be. I’m sure even more will follow now.

The good thing to come from this is that the article also triggered a flood of calls to the agency itself.

And the last thing the IRS wants right now is additional scrutiny and negative headlines. So they seem to have backed off for the time being.

However, I still plan on forcing the issue with the IRS, and I’ve asked my advisers to seek formal clarification from the agency.

My hope is that they deny the whole thing and go on the record condoning self-directed IRA structures. This would be a major victory.

But if they push back, then we’ll know that yet another destructive policy is afoot, something that is tantamount to capital controls.

Given what’s at stake, this is a critical issue that’s worth exploring, not dismissing.

Via: Simon Black
SovereignMan.com

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

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September 5th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Wheat for Dummies

I get a lot of questions about the types of wheat and grains I use in my own cooking and food storage.  Today I have some basic information for you about wheat and how to use them. 

There are three types of wheat I use most often around my house.

Hard wheat

This is your basic bread flour.  You can get both hard red wheat and hard white wheat.  Both have a high gluten and protein content that’s necessary to give both elasticity and strength to your bread dough.  Hard white wheat is lighter in color and flavor than hard red wheat.  Hard red wheat is what most people think of when they think of a hearty loaf of whole wheat bread.  It gives bread a strong wheat flavor and is darker in color.  Red wheat is a little harder for the body to digest than white wheat.  Which one you use is just a matter of preference.

Soft wheat

Soft wheat is all-purpose flour.  Sometimes it’s called pastry wheat.  It’s used to bake everything except bread.  Lower in both protein and gluten, it allows for a much lighter baked product than hard wheat.  Whether you’re baking cookies, pie crust, or biscuits, soft wheat is the wheat to use.  If you’ve been using store bought all-purpose flour, just replace the flour with ground soft white wheat in any recipe.

Durum wheat

Durum wheat is also known as semolina.  It’s the hardest wheat of all and is used for making pasta.  I store durum wheat because of its long shelf life of 30+ years versus the shelf life of store bought pasta, two years or so.  Large #10 cans of pasta purchased from a company such as Walton Feed will last up to 20 years if properly stored.

I store a larger quantity of whole grains than flour because of shelf life.  White, all-purpose flour has a shelf life of 5-10 years, but whole wheat, when stored in air-tight containers, has a shelf life of 30+ years.

For those of you who have been considering storing wheat as part of your long-term food storage, I would suggest starting with small quantities of both soft and hard wheat   Before making a big investment in 45 lb. buckets, find a grocery store in your area that sells these wheats in bulk.  Buy a couple of pounds of each, grind it, and bake up some goodies to see what you prefer.  If you do purchase wheat in those big buckets, 45 lbs. of hard wheat will yield at least 50 loaves of bread.  Happy baking!

by Chrystalyn Trimble

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: thesurvivalmom

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September 5th, 2013
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Making Penicillin at Home

Accumulating medications may be simple when it comes to finding aspirin and other non-prescription drugs but prescription drugs will be hard to get for those who can’t write their own prescriptions or don’t have a relationship with an understanding physician who can.  Antibiotics are a case in point.

I consider this a major issue because there will be a much larger incidence of infections when people have to fend for themselves, and injure themselves as a result.  Simple cuts and scratches from chopping wood can begin to show infection, in the form of  redness, heat and swelling, within a relatively short time.   Treatment of infections at an early stage improves the chance that they will heal quickly and completely.  However, many preppers, being the rugged type, are most likely to ignore the problem until it get much worse and spreads to their entire body, causing problems that could eventually be fatal.  Having antibiotics readily available would allow them to deal with the issue until medical help (if available at all) arrives.

Of course, I’ve mentioned using aquarium antibiotics as a simple and relatively cheap way to get good quantities of various antibiotics.  Since the only ingredient in these medications is the antibiotic itself, it’s a perfectly reasonable alternative to begging your physician for a bunch of prescriptions.  Once in a while, I get someone who wants to know how to make penicillin (it’s just bread mold, ain’t it?).  It’s true that penicillin is a by-product of a fungus known as penicillium and the fungus will indeed grow on bread and fruit.  In 1942, A moldy cantaloupe in Peoria, Illinois was found  to have a strong version of it.  Most of the world’s supply of the stuff in the 1940s came from cultures of the fungus on that cantaloupe.

Well, our good friend The Covert Prepper has sent me the secret formula for making penicillin at home.  If you haven’t listened in on his show on Saturdays, you’re missing something, because this guy is an expert on making you invisible as a prepper.  This is exactly what you will want to be if a collapse situation occurs.  You can tune in to his show every Saturday at 6pm eastern/5pm central or download it at your convenience at prepperpodcast.com. 

This article will tell you how you can actually make Penicillin at home.  It sure as heck isn’t easy, and WE don’t even have all the stuff necessary to produce it.  But I’m going to tell you the process anyway to illustrate an important point.

Let me say, once again, that this information is only for use in a post-collapse scenario, so don’t go and convert that meth lab of yours to an antibiotic factory.  The practice of medicine without a license is illegal just about everywhere, and home laboratories are dicey legal subject matter.

Penicillin is a by-product of the Penicillium fungus, but the thing is, it’s a by-product of a Penicillium fungus that’s under stress!  So you have to grow the fungus, and then expose it to stresses that will make it produce Penicillin.

First you need to produce a culture of the penicillium fungus. – A microbiological culture is a method of multiplying microscopic organisms by letting them reproduce in a certain environment under controlled conditions.

One of the most important things to know is that it is easy for other critters to contaminate your penicillium culture, so use sterile techniques at all times or you will likely wind up with something entirely different!

Step 1

 Expose a slice of bread or citrus peel or a cantaloupe rind to the air at 70 deg. F until a bluish-green mold develops.  Takes a few days….

Cut two fresh slices of whole wheat bread into ½ inch cubes and place in a 750ml Erlenmeyer flask (the flask on the right in the above picture) with a non-absorbent plug. One thing you might not know is that a lot of bakeries put a substance called a mold inhibitor on bread.  This stuff, which is called mycoban, is going to suppress the fungus, so you should probably use bread that you baked yourself.  Sterilize the flask and contents in a pressure cooker for at least 15 minutes at 15 pounds. An alternate method is to place in an oven at 315 deg F for one hour.

In a sterile fashion, transfer the fungus from the bread or fruit peel into the flask containing the bread cubes. Allow the cubes to sit in the dark at 70 deg F for 5 days. This is called incubation.  That’s the easy part….

Step 2  This is where it gets complicated….

Prepare one liter of the following solution:

Lactose Monohydrate                    44.0 gm

Corn Starch                                    25.0 gm

Sodium Nitrate                               3.0 gm

Magnesium Sulfate                      0.25 gm

Potassium MonoPhosphate         0.50 gm

Glucose Monohydrate                  2.75 gm

Zinc Sulfate                                0.044 gm

Manganese Sulfate                    0.044 gm

You’ll obviously need a scale that measures very small amounts, these are called gram scales and you can find them online.  By the way, looking some of these ingredients up, I could find them at chemical supply houses, but they usually sell them in amounts of 500 gm or more.

Anyhow, dissolve in the order I listed them in 500ml of cold tap water and then add more cold water to complete the liter.

Adjust pH to 5.0-5.5 using HCL(hydrochloric acid). You’ll need a ph test kit, they sell them at pet shops and garden supply stores    Fill containers with a quantity of this solution. Only use enough so that when the container is placed on its side the liquid will not touch the plug.

Sterilize the containers (use glass) and solution in a pressure cooker or stove just like you did before. When it cools, scrape up about a tablespoon of the fungus from the bread cubes and throw it into the solution.

Allow the containers to incubate on their sides at 70 deg F for 7 days. It’s important that they are not moved around.  If you did it correctly, you’ll have Penicillin in the liquid portion of the media.Filter the mixture through a coffee filter or something similar, plug the bottles and refrigerate immediately.

Step 3

To extract the penicillin from the solution:

Adjust the cold  solution to pH 2.2 using ( .01 %) HCL. Mix it with cold ethyl acetate in a separatory funnel (that’s a funnel with a stopcock; you can find all these items at chemistry glass suppliers) and shake well for 30 seconds or so. 

Drain the ethyl acetate (which should be on the bottom) into a beaker which has been placed in an ice bath and repeat the process. Add 1% potassium acetate and mix. Now you want the ethyl acetate to evaporate off. This can be induced by a constant flow of air over the top of the beaker, say from a fan.  When it dries, the remaining crystals are a mixture of potassium penicillin and potassium acetate.

There you have it, you have put together a laboratory and made Penicillin!  You are now officially a mad scientist!  Seriously, After looking at all this a few times,  I’m  guessing that making Penicillin at home isn’t that workable, after all.  However, it does make a point.   If there’s a collapse, you know there is no way that anyone will be able to reliably produce antibiotics.

So you can try to do all of the stuff I mentioned, or….you can google search “aquarium antibiotics” and buy fish-Pen (250mg) or Fish-Pen Forte (500mg) online. 100 tablets go for about 39.99 at the lower dose and 49.99 for the higher dose. Buy as much as you can afford, there is no prescription necessary.  $400 will buy you 1000 tablets to save or to use for barter. It seems like a lot of money, but those antibiotics will be like gold in a collapse situation. 

It’s clear to me that every prepper should have a stockpile of antibiotics (several varieties) in their storage, and should learn what each one is used for.  If you don’t want to buy fish medicine, at least grow plants that have some antibacterial action. Garlic has scientifically proven antibacterial properties.  Other plants that are thought to be helpful would be calendula (a special type of marigold), goldenseal, cayenne pepper, eucalyptus and thyme.

 

For more info, download Dr Bones and Nurse Amy Show #7 or look up the article on survivalblog.com from 7/28/10. (A doctor’s thoughts on antibiotics, expiration dates and TEOTWAWKI).


Here’s the article link: 


http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/07/a_doctors_thoughts_on_antibiot.html

From: Dr. Bones

 

Also check out these posts: SURVIVAL ANTIBIOTICS and Survival Antibiotics

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: doomandbloom.net

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