Diary of An Assault Vehicle

The year is 2017, and we've entered Troubled Times. People are hungry and jobs are scarce. Hyperinflation has gutted the economy. Gasoline costs $28 a gallon, and rationing is in effect. Crime is way, way up. Society is ripping apart at the seams. In some places there is no police presence. P fled to the ranch years ago, while I still commute to my city job. We both drive up-armored vehicles that can take abuse, and power thru hot spots, and get us from Point A to Point B whether on the highway or deep in the sticks. There is no other option.

Zoom, my trusty pickup truck, has been heavily modified over the years. When I first bought him back in 2009, I added a high performance K&N air filter (12 hp), an after-market cat-back exhaust system (8 hp), an aluminum tool box, and an R&B front winch bumper w/winch. And, I purposely bought his model & make because he had a factory-installed supercharger (30 hp).

Since then I've added 4 run-flat tires, a lift kit, and ballistic film to the inside of the windows & windshield. I had someone build and install an interior roll cage w/racing harnesses. Plate steel is welded to the front bumper, and the bed is lined with sandbags. The rear bumper, the spare tire, the hood and the rear windows have all been removed to reduce weight.

I am a very cautious driver and avoid trouble at all costs, but Oaktown is Oaktown. I have rammed cars with Zoom, and driven him over center dividers and across empty lots and soccer fields. I've outraced a chase vehicle in him, and he's taken gunfire.
__________

Now it's 2022. Things have gotten much worse. I still have my job, so I have cash -- I'm one of the lucky ones. But much of Oaktown has descended into total, impoverished lawlessness. The streets are dangerous, strewn with garbage and debris at the best of times, the scene of riots and shootouts at the worst of times.

Zoom has been further retrofitted. He now has headers in addition to his other engine augmentations (20 hp). The heavy sandbags have been removed from his bed, as has his heavy lift gate. They are no longer needed, because his cab has been armored with lightweight Kevlar shielding. His windshield is coated with a superstrength nano-polymer that makes it impervious to small-arms fire. His rear windows, their glass long removed, have been sealed off with heavy gauge wire mesh. He is painted urban camo. I carry gas grenades, a pepper spray pistol and a taser in the car with me. Gasoline costs $42 a gallon and Zoom gets 14 miles to the gallon. I still drive him, but not nearly as often as I used to.
___________

2028. I live up in TC now, out in the boonsticks at LittleFoot. Zoom is 25 years old. I've owned him for 19. I have put a fortune into him over the years.

Five years ago, when I moved up here, I had his old gasoline engine removed and replaced with a plug-in multi-fuel series hybrid. He now gets 100+ miles per gallon, and much of the time I drive him in electric "stealth" mode. His cab and engine compartment are armored with lightweight polymer shielding. All his windows are nano-coated and have built-in gun ports. His sides are dented and bullet-riddled from a hundred bad days. He's painted digital camo. Still has the ARB front winch bumper. I carry a short-barreled shotgun, pistols and grenades in the cab. There is no law up here in TC, none at all except what we co-ops and ranches make for ourselves. It's not safe to drive Zoom around without gunmen in the back and additional escort vehicles.
__________

Now it's 2035, and I am 67 years old. Holy shit how the world has changed. Los Angeles was evacuated in 2030 and the Bay Area has flooded from global warming, causing a huge influx of people into the mountains of TC. It's like the Wild West x 10, with thousands upon thousands of refugees staking claims all over the National Forest.

Last year I switched out Zoom's hybrid power plant for a Borden fuel cell, stuck in a low-gear, full-time 4wd transmission, and replaced his rotted-out bed with an aluminum flatbed. He hasn't seen pavement in years. He's got three coats of nano-armor on him, and airless tires. We mounted an old .50 cal in the bed, facing forward, and a 10 gauge Steeger ShotCanon behind it, facing backward, and he is the official workhorse for our local security force, the LittleFoot Lightning Bolts.

Together we move on down the road.

†

Old Tires & Levis

Here are some things you can do with old tires:

•Stack several of them vertically, fill them with dirt and use the tube as a planter.
•Build walls by stacking them in vertical tubes, side-by-side, and pounding dirt into them as you build the tubes upward. These walls contain thermal mass that acts as insulation. Earthships are built this way.
•Ring your After-TSHTF vehicle with tire bumpers so that you can bash thru shit without damaging it.
•Stack & fill with rebar & concrete to make permanent roadblocks.
•Stack in levels to create retaining walls.
•Make sandals (huaraches).
•Burn them to make distress signals or to create After-TSHTF roadblocks.
•Make a hose bib by removing the metal wheel rim from the tire, nailing the rim to a vertical post, then looping the garden hose over the rim. These look very vintage & cool!

Things to do with old Levis:

•Shred them and use the material as insulation.
•Cut patches out of them for black powder shooting.
•Cut them into rags.
•Cut the legs off & sew the leg bottoms shut to make storage tubes.
•Make cut-off jeans.


It's a start.

Uses for Old Inner Tubes

• Cut old motorcycle or car or truck inner tubes into sections, pack them with ammo/dry foods/weapons, seal the ends and bury them. The VC & NVA did this in Vietnam.

• Make dog toys.
• Make rubber bands.
• Clear a drain by sticking a hose nozzle in the drain, sealing the pipe around it with inner tube rubber, and blasting the hose til the blockage is dislodged.
• Make a belt.
• Clamp glued projects.
• Make a rubber ball.
• Use as a funnel or hose.
• Make temporary gaskets.
• Make shoe insoles.
• Reduce vibration.
• Protect wiring.
• Protect ropes.
• Use as a makeshift oil filter wrench or jar-opener.
• Combine with hose clamps for a non-slip clamp.
• Use to make waterproof bags.
• Cane a chair.
• Make your swing set safer - cover exposed chains with tubing.
• Make a wallet.
• Make an iPod case.
• Make a stretchy rope.
• Combine with sticks or bamboo to make a trellis.
• Slide down snowy hills on inflated tubes.
• Tube a river.
• Cut into small pieces to use as patches on other inner tubes.
• Use lengths of tube as stretch-ties like they do in The Congo.
• Make non-slip sleeves for pistol grips, Zippos, hammers & other tools.
• Make shims.
• Store batteries in them.
• Armor your bike frame against chain/off-road damage.
• Make a geocache container.
• Make a tree protector by running wire thru a tube and wrapping the wire around the tree.

Retreat Housing

Finally caved in & bought a retreat trailer. It was dirt cheap and the interior is clean & comfortable. It's got most RV gizmos, circa 1984, including a state-of-the-art sound system with a cassette deck, central propane heating, rooftop AC/heat (electric), 1 battery w/room for 2, a propane water heater, an electric water pump, a propane stove w/electric vent fan, interior lights, an awning, a 3-way refrigerator & freezer, a queen-size bed, a convertible couch, a shower & marine toilet, 1 propane tank w/room for 2. Once it's installed at the retreat, the space under the front hitch will be outfitted with a pallet deck & used for storage or lounging.

Can't wait to bring this up to speed. Short term, gotta sterilize the interior to remove any trace of the former inhabitants, figure out how everything works, fill & install 2 propane bottles, charge & wire 2 marine batteries, outfit the kitchen w/cutlery & all that crap.

Gotta dig & pour 4 concrete footings at the retreat for it to rest on.

Once it's installed, gotta hook up a gray water line, buy a generator & build a ramada to shield it from the elements.

More projects, more fun. Keeps me out of trouble.

Three Jokes - Never Mind the Politics

Dear Abby,

I am a crack dealer in Beaumont, Texas who has recently been diagnosed as a carrier of HIV virus. My parents live in Fort Worth. One of my sisters lives in Flugerville and is married to a transvestite.

My father and mother have recently been arrested for growing and selling marijuana. They are financially dependent on my other two sisters, who are prostitutes in Dallas.

I have two brothers: one is currently serving a non-parole life sentence at Huntsville for the murder of a teenage boy in 1994. My other brother is currently in jail awaiting charges of sexual misconduct with his three children.

I have recently become engaged to marry a former prostitute who lives in Longview. She is a part time “working girl”.

All things considered, my problem is this… I love my fiancé and look forward to bringing her into the family. I certainly want to be totally open and honest with her.

Should I tell her about my cousin who is an Obama supporter?

Signed,
Worried About My Reputation

____________________________


Man driving down road.
Woman driving up same road.
They pass each other.
Woman yells out window, PIG!
Man yells out window, Bitch!
Man rounds next curve.
Man crashes into a HUGE PIG in middle of road and dies.

___________________________


Q. What's the difference between a hippie and an onion?

A. Nobody cries when you cut a hippie!

The Self-Stun

A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Tazer for their anniversary submitted this to www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net:

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized Tazer.

The effects of the Tazer were supposed to be short lived, with no long term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety...??

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home... I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time, I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target.

I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and then thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that
it would work as advertised.

Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and Tazer in another.

The directions said that: a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; and
a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference (loaded with two itsy, bitsy AAA batteries); pretty cute really, and thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side so as to say, 'Don't do it stupid,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny lil ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it.

I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and...

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. WHAT THE... !!!

I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs! The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note:
If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a Tazer, one note of caution:

There is NO such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor! A three second burst would be considered conservative!

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.

My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the
fireplace.

· The recliner was upside down and about
8 feet or so from where it originally was.

· My triceps, right thigh and both
nipples were still twitching.

· My face felt like it had been shot up
with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs.

· I had no control over the drooling.

· Apparently I had crapped in my shorts,
but was too numb to know for sure, and my sense of
smell was gone.

· I saw a faint smoke cloud above my
head, which I believe came from my hair.

I'm still looking for my testicles and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe
return!

PS: My wife can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift and now regularly threatens me with it!

If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!


------------------------------------------
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Thursday, January 06, 2011 | 5 Comments

Life in the Moge

Mogadishu, Somalia. Twenty straight years of anarchy, and counting. A bullet-riddled city ruled by warring clans and streetfighters-for-hire. I lifted these photos from sites around the net to give you a glimpse into life after TSHTF.

Systems

There is something that I want to touch on briefly tonight, even tho I am drunk on high-class margaritas. It has to do with systems, and the way in which we limit ourselves thru them. We live in a time and place which is remarkably un-creative. We are fed our creativity thru media, and so we do not utilize our own innate creative abilities. One of the ways in which this manifests is that we look to the systems around us, instead of innovating our own systems.

Let me give you an example. I call it the Yoga Crap Predicament. A person wants to get healthy, so they start doing yoga. They get caught up in the baggage of the situation - the school of yoga they are part of, the guru, the "lineage", all that crap. It's a scene, a lifestyle, an attitude, a sexy piece of clothing, maybe good sex with the yoga teacher.

None of that crap has any innate meaning. It's a big bag of bullshit, except for the actual yoga that is done, which affects a person's physical health.

While I have nothing against yoga itself, it is an existing system, perhaps a series of systems, that is fed to us. We assume that it means something, because the system already exists and because we are told that it is special.

May I propose a novel concept: There is an alternative to formal yoga.

A person could stand by themselves, in a quiet environment (say their living room), and calmly do stretches and exercises that they imagine will be good for them. This is a perfectly valid way to stretch and exercise. Perhaps some methods will work and some will not. But perhaps by utilizing this method of active imagining, a person will develop a "yoga" which pertains specifically to themselves. They will not be paying someone else to "teach" them exercises, they will not be adopting someone else's belief systems, they will not be taking on a new persona and joining a clique which demands that they live by a whole series of limitations involving the way they speak, dress, think, present themselves, etc. They will simply be exercising in a way which is uniquely qualified for them alone.

I hope this makes sense to you.

What I am trying to say is that we are brainwashed from birth to believe that the systems that exist around us are the only systems, and that they are the only avenues we can pursue to accomplish anything.

This is simply not true.

What we need to realize is that static systems are NOT the best means to accomplishing things. They are generalized so that they can cater to many different people and maintain a general sense of order. Utilizing one's own innate imagination and intuition is a considerably more effective way to accomplish things. It will provide a person with solutions that are specifically tailored to themselves and their ever-changing situation.

Fuck! I just erased two paragraphs. That's it for now. More on this at a later date.

Misc Stuff

*Cleaned up the container garden this weekend. Sowed Lambs Quarters seeds in one wine barrel, planted potatoes in another. Onions still growing in the third. The Neem trees died from the cold in December, unfortunately. I'll replace them in the Spring and plant them in potting soil instead of clay dirt.
*Talked with the owner of a bamboo stand a few blocks away and he gave me carte blanche to harvest what I want. Cut two thick poles and got three stout staffs out of them. I sealed the ends of the stoutest staff with melted paraffin, which will prevent it from drying and keep it green and heavy.
*Have located about two dozen olive trees growing wild at my parent's place. They are small, ranging from a few inches to a couple of feet in height. The plan is to transplant what we can into pots to promote their growth for a couple of years, then put them back in the earth in sunnier locations. Also, planning on putting in a greenhouse.
*Can't plant hazelnuts this year; there's a blight in California right now. Bummer.
*That's it for now.

Native American Code Of Ethics

Native American Code Of Ethics

Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often.
The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.
~
Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path.
Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem
from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.
~
Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others
to make your path for you. It is your road, and
yours alone. Others may walk it with you,
but no one can walk it for you.
~
Treat the guests in your home with much consideration.
Serve them the best food, give them the best
bed and treat them with respect and honor.
~
Do not take what is not yours whether from
a person, a community,the wilderness or from a
culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.
~
Respect all things that are placed upon
this earth – whether it be people or plant.
~
Honor other people’s thoughts, wishes and words.
Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them.
Allow each person the right to personal expression.
~
Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative
energy that you put out into the universe
will multiply when it returns to you.
~
All persons make mistakes.
And all mistakes can be forgiven.
~
Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind,
body and spirit. Practice optimism.
~
Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us.
They are part of your worldly family.
~
Children are the seeds of our future. Plant
love in their hearts and water them with
wisdom and life’s lessons. When they
are grown, give them space to grow.
~
Avoid hurting the hearts of others.
The poison of your pain will return to you.
~
Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the
test of one’s will within this universe.
~
Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual
self, Emotional self, and Physical self – all need
to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out
the body to strengthen the mind. Grow
rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.
~
Make conscious decisions as to who
you will be and how you will react. Be
responsible for your own actions.
~
Respect the privacy and personal space of
others. Do not touch the personal property of
others – especially sacred and religious
objects. This is forbidden.
~
Be true to yourself first. You cannot
nurture and help others if you cannot
nurture and help yourself first.
~
Respect others religious beliefs.
Do not force your belief on others.
~
Share your good fortune with others.
Participate in charity.

Black Hawk Down

Well, it should come as no surprise to those who know me that this movie strikes a particular chord in me. Most everything about it grabs me: West Africa, Mogadishu, the desert, the ruins, the technicals, the anarchy, the Somali militias, the Little Birds, Delta Force, the Rangers, RPGs, SAWs, miniguns, urban combat, warlords. And there are a few scenes that really grip me.

First off, the lone survivor of the first helicopter wreck - the guy who stands outside the helicopter and single-handedly keeps the enemy at bay even as rounds keep striking him. That dude is my fucking hero. I cannot get enough of him. I mean, that is the shit, that is what war comes down to, and he stepped up to the task and kicked those motherfuckers' asses til he was dragged away by his own men.

Secondly, the sniper rescue team that volunteers to cover Michael Durant at the site of the second helicopter crash. Tragically, those two guys died, but they kicked unbelievable ass on their way out. I bow before them. There was no way they could possibly survive the situation, surrounded as they were by literally hundreds of enemy combatants, so they did the best they could, and took out as many skinnies as possible before they were overrun. Let's just say that the skinnies paid the price for that firefight.

And thirdly, the strafing runs by the Little Birds, when they empty their miniguns and rockets. Holy shit, they kick out the firepower. A wall of destruction that lasts all of five seconds, then they buzz off to reload. It is awesome to behold.

Shit. All of those guys are my heroes, every damn one of those US soldiers. Hats off, and a long, long moment of silence



.

Crossbow Attachment for the AR-15 platform

The PSE TAC-15 crossbow pictured above costs $1,300 and mounts to an AR-15 receiver (not included). It is a serious piece of killing equipment and should not be purchased by children under the age of 9(!).

----------

Speaking of crossbows, I fired my Whammer Jammer yesterday. It was great fun, though the fletching tore off the arrow after about fifteen shots, rendering the arrow useless. The cheapy 14-inch aluminum arrow easily penetrated a water-logged straw bale, protruding thru the back by about 4 inches with each shot. It moved so fast thru the air that it was virtually invisible. While drawing the bowstring back, the metal foot loop slipped off my wet shoe, causing the crossbow to snap backwards. The buttstock hit the end of my weenie and slammed into the side of my crotch, skinning and bruising me. I think I'm lucky I didn't lose a ball. Needless to say, I shall not allow that accident to occur again.

Chamber Adapters & Barrel Inserts

Few people realize that chamber adapters and barrel inserts are very valuable tools for use in single-shot or bolt-action firearms. What these gizmos do is they allow your firearm to shoot a lesser caliber bullet. Advantages include greatly reduced noise and recoil, spending less $ on ammo, having the ability to fire multiple calibers thru a single weapon in an ammo-scarce SHTF scenario, and being able to tone down a rifle or shotgun so that it can be used to successfully hunt small game.

While sportsmansguide.com regularly sells an inexpensive & flimsy-looking chamber adapter that allows a .308 to fire a .32 ACP, and numerous companies sell barrel inserts that allow a shotgun to fire lesser shotgun calibers, the only active & quality producer of adapters and inserts that I am aware of is MCA Sports in Anchorage, Alaska:

MCA Sports: Chamber Adapters, Inserts and Cast Bullets, Our Home Page!

I have tried calling and emailing them, and never received any response to my voice messages or email questions. However, they maintain an online presence, so I suppose they are still in business. I recommend spending some time on their website, to get an idea of what they sell.

Briefly, a chamber adapter is a bullet-shaped insert that holds a lesser caliber bullet inside it. You place a bullet in the adapter and place the adapter in the action/barrel, and when you fire, the actual bullet fires like normal, still using the gun's barrel rifling as per usual. Then you open the action, remove the adapter, extract the spent shell, insert a new bullet, replace the adapter in the action/barrel, and replay.

A barrel insert is only usable in a break-barrel weapon, but they are REALLY cool. Not only does a barrel insert allow you to fire a lesser caliber, but it contains its own rifling. Thus, while a chamber adapter is the size of a weapon's standard caliber bullet, a barrel insert is considerably larger and can vary in length, dpending on how much rifling/accuracy/power you wish to have. A barrel insert can allow you to fire a .410 shell out of a 12 gauge shotgun, or a .22 LR out of a 20 gauge shotgun, or a .22 LR out of a .223 rifle, or a .32 ACP out of a .308 rifle. There are many, many configurations available. According to Ragnar Benson, some configurations function as legal sound suppressors.

I will let you, the reader, go to the MCA Sports website and get the real dirt on these tools. Order away!

Three Russian Blades

Image 1: Above we have what is variously known as the Spetsnaz Fighting Shovel or the Russian Throwing Shovel. This modern version is made by Cold Steel and can be found on the internet for under $20.00. It is manufactured using 1mm thick steel - an improvement upon the original Russian model which was made of 1/2mm-thick steel. This shovel is extremely effective as a pancake flipper, a shovel or a fighting weapon, and its edges can be honed to razor sharpness. With 4 sharp edges, it beats a tomahawk hands-down. It could easily chop off enemy limbs, and I have thrown mine countless times and can vouch for its penetration abilities. In fact, I threw mine so many times that eventually the handle cracked, and though it continued to hold together with duct tape, I replaced it (via an online purchase) for about $7. Every survivalist should own this bad boy.

Image 2: Above we have the East German AK-47 bayonet, which has flooded the internet marketplace in recent months. At about $25, you can't go wrong. I absolutely love this tool. It functions as an effective wire cutter, a digging tool, a pry bar, a bayonet, a peanut butter spreader and would probably make a kick-ass spear tip. As for using the knife blade for regular cutting, I wouldn't count on it. This ugly puppy is built to last but it is a peculiar tool with a strange edge. I removed the leather "frog" (belt attachment) and canvas handle strap from mine, and added a paracord handle strap and carry loop. The blade fits so tightly in the sheath that the frog is unnecessary. Throw one in your truck lockbox or toolbox and admire it from time to time.

Image 3: Above is a machete that is supposedly used by the Spetsnaz. I bought one online several years ago, for the princely sum of $85, and I've never regretted it. It is a very unique item. While it is most likely not a tool that the Spetsnaz actually uses, and in fact may have little day-to-day use, I do believe that it would be an effective survival tool, specially in the frozen Siberian taiga. This multi-faceted tool has well over a dozen separate uses:

1. It can function as a grappeling hook.
2. It has a straight cutting blade.
3. It has a bone saw.
4. It has a chopping blade.
5. It has a digging/prying blade.
6. It has a striking edge.
7. It has a line-cutter.
8. It has a wood saw.
9. It has a nail puller.
10. It has a compass.
11. It has a ruler.
12. It has a hollow handle.
13. It has a flat-head screw driver blade.
14. It has an awl that can also function as an ice pick.
15. It can function as a spatula.

This baby would function particularly well chopping and sawing through ice and snow and tree limbs, sewing hides, and prying and digging things. It does not have a single honed edge on it, the sheath was a piece of useless crap, and its bake-lite handle is absurdly over-sized, but my love affair with it has never ended.

New Guns Part 3

Holy Smokes, Kel-Tec CNC has done it once again! Shortly they will unveil their newest weapon, the (EXTREMELY INNOVATIVE!) KSG. In their own words:

01-04-2011

The KSG is our first entry into the shotgun market. The size, shape and design are similar to the currently available Kel-Tec RFB rifle, but the KSG ejects downward, instead of forward. The KSG weighs 6.9lbs and is as compact as legally possible with a 26.1" overall length and an 18.5" cylinder bore barrel. Even with this compact size, the internal dual tube magazines hold an impressive 14 rounds of 12 gage 2-3/4" rounds (7 per tube). The simple and reliable pump action feeds from either the left or right tube. The feed side is manually selected by a lever located behind the trigger guard. The lever can be positioned in the center detent in order to easily clear the chamber without feeding another round from either magazine. A cross bolt style safety blocks the sear, and the pump release lever is located in front of the trigger guard.

The pump includes an under Picatinny rail for the mounting of a forward grip, or a light or laser. The included top Picatinny sight rail will accept many types of optics or iron sights. Forward and rear sling loops are built in, and a basic sling is included. The soft rubber butt pad helps to tame recoil.

MSRP has not been officially been set, but we are looking at the $800.00 range

Dmitri Orlov revisited

Just a brief note. If memory serves me, Dmitri made a few key points in the interview I recommended two blog entries back. Firstly, he recommended that people invest in something that they can turn into a home business if need be, such as a sewing machine. Secondly, he recommended that Americans get to know their neighbors so that we can help each other in tough times. Thirdly, he recommended learning how to produce some food, ie: gardening. Fourthly, he recommended that the United States move from an ever-expanding capitalist paradigm to a more static, sustainable one. Sage advice, all of it.

Predicting The End of the World

I would like to recommend a website that I, being a hippie survivalist, find somewhat fun and creative:

http://www.2012predictions.net/

It's not for everyone - too New Age-y for some, and too bleak for others. It actually kind of scared the crap out of me. What this website is, is loaded with 2012 doom-and-gloom predictions. I'm not saying I believe that they are true, but they do provide one with food for thought. One of the more realistic predictions from this site is as follows (I have taken the liberty of editing the more egregious spelling/grammatical errors):

Paulo's Prediction

Based solely on my dreams I foresee the following:
A major conflict happens around 2009-2010 and there is major social upheaval in the civilized countries (economic crisis!). This starts in spring 2009 and unfolds through 2010. By 2012 there is a peak of solar storms and a spiritual event happens but nothing extraordinary is seen by many. A few New Age people now feel more connected, and believe that a spiritual shift has happened. That will be later be revealed to be true. Many people will be away from the cities to pass that year's winter solstice.

There may be some major nuclear tensions, but hopefully not (possibly some nukes in the Middle East). Probably extreme weather and one or two tidal waves. In 2013 the world will be different, there will be a small climatic shift (colder), a few major cities will cease to exist (either from war or tidal waves) and by 2020 I see that there will be very little economic activity, following a major economic Depression. There will be very few cars, and a renewed spiritual interest by most people. People will start gathering more and more in rural communities.

The Hyampom SAW

IMAGE 1
What we have here is a Springfield 7.62 NATO SOCOM16, and beneath it, a Sage International Enhanced Battle Rifle Aluminum Chassis Stock.

IMAGE 2
In this second image the two appliances have been successfully "mated", producing what is known in Trinity County as a Hyampom SAW. Unfortunately, this configuration - full auto, with a front pistol grip & 20-round mag, is presently unlawful in California, so it will have to remain on the SHTF fantasy list until the PLA beachheads on the West Coast.

IMAGE 3
This is the California-legal version of this tactical assault weapon. Well, almost. In point of fact, the weapon in this photo has a 20-round magazine, and the California-legal version would have a 10-round mag with a bullet button.

I held one of these puppies at a gun show recently and attained survivalist nirvana*

Dmitri Orlov Interviewed

Check it out - very informative, very inciteful. Well worth 11 minutes of your time.

"America Will Collapse"

Take Two

James Wesley Rawles (of suvivalblog infamy) and FerFal (of Surviving In Argentina infamy) reign as the most influential survivalist bloggers on the internet today. In many ways they are opposites. Here is my brief rundown on each of them:

Rawles is a militant, retreat-based survivalist, as well as an extremely religious Right-winger. He seems to purvey a form of survivalism that is based primarily on heavily-armed preparation for catastrophic, Mad Max-style societal collapse. While voluminous in content, his blog is, IMHO, virtually impenetrable - his blog entries read like dry military manual cut-outs. Yet, I check his blog every day, and regularly read his economic/world news/links, which I find invaluable. Kudos to Rawles for usually keeping a lid on his opinion. While I disagree with him morally, ethically, culturally, and spiritually (in virtually all arenas, I suppose!), and find his kill-or-be-killed brand of Christianity both mystifying and unsettling, I admire him for his discipline, his ethical strength, and the high standards he maintains for his blog. Credit where credit is due - he is a man of character who believes in what he says and does, and has the backbone to stand up and say it - to the entire world, nonetheless! And, in a subculture where extremist thought runs deep, his brand of extremism is fairly benign.

FerFal is much more down-to-earth than Rawles, and speaks more from actual experience. His survival model is not retreat-based, but rather based on the harsh realities of surviving on Argentina's mean streets in the wake of the all-too-real 2001 economic meltdown. There is little Wild West pioneer spirit in his blog entries. He focuses on more mundane, everyday things like how to drive defensively, avoid getting mugged, store wealth, keep your family safe, maintain an income, etc. Might I suggest that the concepts of both urban homesteads and urban retreats mesh with his survival model. So does the notion of cultivating a home-based business. I enjoy FerFal's blog quite a bit, because he is personable and funny, and his advice is simple and straightforward.

*The Bike Spork has arrived. It's solid, useful, and shapeless, all at once. Hmm.

*Here is a link to a web page that lists all the LDS food facilities in the United States:

http://www.providentliving.org/location/display/1,12568,2026-1-4-39315,00.html

This is the way to put survival food away on the cheap!

The Bike Spork

CRKT Eat'N Tool ($4). This metal wonder serves as a spoon and short-tuned fork, but also packs a bottle opener, screwdriver blade, pry tool, a carabiner, and three metric wrenches into its tiny body, making it the only thing you'll need in your outdoor utensil arsenal.

Getting Spiritual As We Head Deeper Into A Century of Chaos

*This past year was a difficult one. While my own life was relatively uneventful, it was very hard to comprehend some of the events that occurred around me. Friends and relatives suffered thru all manner of difficulties: Suicide, a sudden death, marital separations, divorces, cancer, permanent disability, a stabbing, pregnancies, a birth, fizzling friendships, a shooting.... In the midst of this I felt at times uncentered & lonely, and at other times downright lost & forlorn. And in the end, my response was to try to practice mindfulness and remain in the moment instead of drifting off into emotion and painful flights of fancy; to attempt to accept my feelings without judgement or attachment. It seemed like the only thing to do.

*I have been delving deeper into the Hopi Prophecies. There is a lot there. I feel stuck with my life. I believe that we are well on our way into a difficult, yet rewarding century, but I don't know what to focus on or what path to take. The Hopi Prophecies are pretty out there, but they offer sound spiritual guidance. More later.

2011

Briefly:

*They say that silver is the new gold, that the bull market is on, that now is the time to buy.
*They say that gasoline prices here in the United States may reach $5.00 a gallon this year.
*They say that Quantitative Easing Part 2 (QE2) will bolster our economy for at least part of this year.
*They say that there will be a sharp correction in the stock market this year.
*They say that inflation will hit the US dollar hard in the coming years, (quite) possibly starting in 2011.