Minnesota Preppers Network

Keeping deer from eating your garden

2011-06-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

Keeping deer from eating your garden
by Hunter

Over the years I have had to deal with deer eatting my gardens and have come up with some ways of at least making it not worth their while. A few of the things that I have used are as follows.

1) Eggs and dish soap. I put three or four eggs in a blender with some dish soap once mixed I add to a watering can with the rest filled with water. Then I cover the pole beans that are growing on my fencing. If I keep up with this every week or more if heavy rains and watering I find that the deer will leave them alone. I have also used this methode in open gardens and have had simular resaults. works well on bunnies and bugs to.

2) mouse traps and peanut butter. Take a dozen or so mouse traps and drill holes to run a wire through and hand them about two feet off the ground. deer love peanut butter but are not to fond of the mouse traps hitting their nose. The same idea can be used with an electric fence by smearing the peanut butter on the wire for the deer to lick off.

3) fencing, I have used the high 6ft fence with good resaults

4) deer follow trails at least to get into your garden area, if you remove as many theings that the deer nibble on around the edges and use tactics around the boarder of your land in will help reduce the number of deer that cross your land. Trim lower limbs that deer eat on and find cover in. If you have dogs use there droppings up and down the trails the deer have been using to get onto your land. supply the deer with something they like that draws them away from your garden area. Create obsticals.

5) Motion activated lights and radio. It is nice to have the lights turn on and a radio play when you are enjoying the garden in the evening hours but with it on a motion activated system the deer will be surprised. To set this up get a two light motion activated light unit and one screw in outlet to plug in a radio ot tape player.

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Minnesota Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

2011-03-07T05:48:00.000-08:00

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call. Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Minnesota Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=425&t=9265

Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

Flood Preps Part 2

2011-02-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

"How high's the water, Momma?"

"She said it's four feet high an' rising'!"

Hopefully, not in your basement or living room or attic.

But it does happen to many people every year and I always have to wonder why. Like, why would a farmer build his house on the most fertile soil he has? Never did understand that. Or why locals who know it's gonna get wet insist on building as close to the river or lake as they possibly can. But they do it, and every year pay the price. In actuality, we all pay the price in higher insurance rates and disaster repairs, so no one really wins when a flood hits. Not even the fish. But that's not what we're discussing, is it?

We want to be safe when the disaster hits- not just flooding, but it's that time of year so we prepare for it best we can.
First, about our homes and what's in them. In basements that get only minimal flooding, let's get everything off the floor. Put blocks or some form of feet under everything. If it's paper stuff inside a dresser, how about getting small plastic tubs to keep the paperwork in? Family pictures are always heirlooms, as are slides and film- don't leave them stacked in drawers or cabinets that aren't waterproof. (We won't discuss how I know this.)

How about other important papers- birth certificates, marriage licenses (no, just cuz you lose it in a flood doesn't mean you're no longer married, so don't go there!), baptismal certifications- anything that's paper and subject to moisture should be packed away long before a flood decides to turn them to basic paper mush. That house deed you have tucked in back of the drawer won't look all that impressive if it's glued to ten other pieces of meaningless paper. Get it into something dry.

While we're taking care of all the important papers, how about photocopying them now, or taking digital pictures of them? Put the digital files onto your 'puter, make a disk and flash drive copy of them and store those someplace cool, dry and not susceptible to moisture. While we have the camera out, take pictures of your valuables as well: jewelry, guns, kitchen appliances (insurance will want the info, too- so have copies of receipts for everything), and take lots of pictures of Grandma's china collection. And that 1738 Stradivarius. How about the Original Fender Electric guitar you inherited? (Getting the idea?) If you'll ever want to claim some kind of remuneration for loss, you'll need all the proof you can find beyond "the neighbors know". Get it now if you haven't already.

For some reason, people seldom think of their basement getting wet or holding water. It has a drain, right? How come the water sits in it? Well... that little hole in the floor... How about finding- now, while the cost is probably the lowest of the year- some pumps and garden hose with which you can divert the incoming flow to the outdoors? Submersible pumps are not terribly expensive for what they do and what they can save you. Consider, even if it's only your basement that gets flooded, what happens to the furnace when the night temp drops to 20 degrees and you're trying to sleep? Keep that furnace dry and it'll do its job. A sump pump or two can quite possibly keep the heat on. Too, how does the water enter your basement? Do the windows leak seriously big time? Do the wells need drain tile to below frost line? Are the tile clogged with last fall's leaves? Is it leaching through the walls? Why? Would a coat of tar and plastic help? (Summer time job, and a big one, really.) Or does the water rise through the septic drain? Is there some way to block that floor opening if necessary? (Be sure to have sump pumps handy.)

If your basement is prone to serious flooding, get everything you want to keep in plastic tubs. Best bet: don't store damage-able items in the basement.

If your home is low to the ground and water can enter the living floors... how can you prevent it? Can you start packing the sandbags now? Will sandbags work? How about retaining walls? Can you build one (another summer project, and spendy.) Now is the time to get the supplies you'll need, and maybe even have the available help of friends and neighbors. Just think of how much fun it'll be to take the teasing now so you can relax later? (And everyone comes begging you to help them now because...)

About your POV/vehicle.

Is it 'flood ready'? How're the tires? Gas tank full, or no less than half full- enough to get you out of town to a safe area? Is the oil level up to snuff? Do you have a couple of maps in the cubby with several routes color pencil marked routes and alternate routes to safety? Is there a GO bag in the trunk with three days' food and water for each family member? Sleeping bags? A tent? Some form of self defense tools? (Of course, you have your carry piece, but what about the other family/group members? What? Guns for flooding? Yes, of course: we never know what or who we may run into during any kind of calamity.) Is there some form of radio communication in the trunk- with adequate batteries and spares? Some may even want a battery operated tv for news and keeping the kids entertained. Have batteries for it as well. (Perhaps a small Honda or Coleman gas operated generator would fit above the spare tire. OK: Thinking outside the box.) Whatever your plans for evacuation, be sure it's ready to go in minutes. No one wants to forget something because they were in too big a frenzy to think clearly or because the kids were screaming and crying and wanting Fido to sit on their lap.

Speaking of Fido and Fluffy- got some grub in the trunk for them, too? And add more water for them: a dog and cat will drink as much water as you will, sometimes more. Don't neglect them. What other kind of animals do you have to prepare for? Cows? Goats? Sheep? Chickens? Rabbits? (We're preppers, remember?) Spend some time thinking of their safety, too. You won't want to return home to find your cattle eighty miles down the road in Farmer Bill's freezer. (OK, maybe his name is Herman...) Or dead in their pen.

A few links that may benefit us all:

Minnesota Homeland Security website: http://www.hsem.state.mn.us/hsem_view_article.asp?docid=655

National Flood Insurance Program website: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/family/floodpreparation/safety.htm

National Restoration Resource website: http://www.therestorationresource.com/Flood_Damage_Flood_Preparation_Tips_to_Ready_Yourself_from_the_Dangers_of_Flood.html

Get your prep on, Folks. Be alert, be safe.

Shy III

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at 24 below...

2011-02-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

...Probably the last thing on your mind is water floating your bed- with you in it- from the bedroom to the dining room. But ya know, it's something we should begin thinking about now.

OK, I gotta admit it was the first thought I had this morning, so you can color me 'strange'.

But seriously, with all the snow we've had this year, and more on the way, it's a sure bet the state powers are thinking about their beds floating away, and we should be as well. Up north we've surpassed our yearly 'average' in snow, and March is yet to arrive, and the time we get most of our year's supply. Flooding is going to be a really hot issue in a couple of months, or less, and time for preparing is not when all this snow decides to wash downstream.

With that in mind, I'd like to gather a bit of information into one place so your fingers don't have to do all the walking. Here goes...

...Flood Preparation, Part One... Safety

There are many low-cost measures you can take to protect yourself, your home, and your property from losses.

A FLOOD can take several hours to days to develop.

A FLOOD WATCH means a flood is possible in your area.

A FLOOD WARNING means flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in your area.· Know your area's flood risk - if unsure, call your local emergency management office. (Heck, you may alert them it's time for them to prepare, too!)

· If it has been raining hard for several hours, or steadily for several days, and all this snow starts melting fast, be alert to the possibility of a flood.

· Listen to local radio or TV stations for flood information. (If you know someone who lives in a flood zone, call them and get some intelligent intelligence on the situation in their area- they'll be light years ahead of FEMA or others.)

· Refer to your Family Disaster Plan and assemble a Disaster Supply Kit. (You DO have one, don't you? I know we talked about this before... tsk tsk...)

· Identify where you could go if told to evacuate. Choose several places: a friend's home in another area, a motel or an emergency shelter. (How about your BOL? Make it a training scenario that's real.)
When a FLOOD WATCH is issued:

.· Move your furniture and valuables to higher floors of your home. (Actually, the time to do this is long before any kind of 'watch' is issued: have it done now so you can relax instead of panic and forget something.)

· Fill your car gas tank, in case an evacuation notice is issued. And don't forget, check the oil and tires.

When a FLOOD WARNING is issued:

· Listen to local radio and TV stations for information and advice. If told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible.
FLASH FLOOD waves move at incredible speeds, can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels- and while they're at it, turn your car into a drifting pile of debris. Killing walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet. You won't always have warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. Flash floods can take only a few minutes to a few hours to develop. When a flash flood WATCH is issued be alert to signs of flash flooding and be ready to evacuate on a moment's notice.

When a flash flood WARNING is issued for your area or the moment you first realize that a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may have only seconds.

Flash flood tips...

· Go to high ground immediately- Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes, etc.

· Avoid already flooded and high velocity flow areas. Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream on foot where water is above your knees. (Got a walking stick/staff with you? Honestly, though: unless you are absolutely positively certain you can cross even a shallow stream safely, don't do it! Wearing a PFD may not be a bad idea, either.)

· Do not drive through flooded areas. Shallow, swiftly flowing water can wash a car from a roadway. Also, the roadbed may not be intact under the water.

· If the vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground - rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away· Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

· Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.

Next up: Flooding, Part Two.

Be safe, All. Don't wanna lose you just yet, OK?

Shy III

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The skinning and gutting of an animal

2011-02-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

by founderant

The skinning and gutting of an animal is not one of the things most people like to do or even think about.

We have been so desensitized to what has to be done in order to eat meat, that some kids and adults will eat a hamburger and have no clue about the process and yes... mess, that comes with eating your favorite meal.

This page has some links to videos showing the process, so unless you are going to be a vegetarian, you might want to know how it is done.
http://sites.google.com/site/americansn ... -an-animal

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5 Simple Ways To Prepare For The Coming Food Crisis

2011-01-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

Activist Post

Recently there has been an incredible flurry of news reporting about food shortages and the pending global food crisis. Everyone who looks at the indicators would agree that this crisis is only likely to worsen. It is estimated that the Australia floods alone could cause a 30% jump in food prices. Although the average shopper already can feel the food inflation, it is difficult to recognize the severity of the looming food shortages. After all, there are still 15 types of colorfully-boxed Cheerios packing the isles, which gives us the illusion of abundance.

The truth is that we are headed for large food production shortfalls, manipulated or not, while middle-class food demand grows massively in the developing world. For decades the world's agriculture community produced more than enough food to feed the planet, yet some now believe we are reaching "Peak Food" production levels. In turn, other experts believe the "food bubble" is about to burst, and not even the biotech companies can save us.

However, there are still vast unused stretches of fertile land that can be used around the globe, and the U.S. ethanol mandates that reportedly consume at least 25% of the corn harvest could be reduced to ease the burden. Therefore, it seems that despite the extreme weather and dwindling harvests, food production still has room to increase, but not without foresight and planning.

Additionally, the current systems for growing food are fully dependent on oil to achieve high levels of production, while livestock production is running at full concentration-camp capacity; the end product must then travel thousands of miles to get to store shelves. Clearly we can see the fragile nature of this system, especially on human health and the environment. Consequently, solving the so-called "food crisis" is far more complex than simply fixing statistical supply and demand issues.

Indeed, these are turbulent times where humanity appears to be nearing Peak Everything. Ultimately, solutions to the food crisis will begin at the local level. There are cutting-edge farming techniques gaining popularity that produce a large variety of crops by mimicking nature, as well as innovative techniques for small-scale food production at home or in urban buildings. These hold promise for easing local hunger.

Personal ways to protect yourself from food shortages may seem obvious to some, but many feel the task can be insurmountable. To the contrary, here are 5 simple ways to protect yourself from the coming food crisis:

1. Create a Food Bank: Everyone should have a back-up to the everyday food pantry. In this environment, you should consider your personal food bank far more valuable than a dollar savings account. Start by picking up extra canned goods, dried foods, and other essentials for storage each time you go to the store. Also, hunt for coupons and shop for deals when they come up. Devise a plan for FIFO (first in, first out) rotation for your food bank. It is advisable to acquire food-grade bins to store your bulk dried foods, and be sure to label and date everything. Besides the obvious store-able foods like rice and beans, or canned goods, some other important items to hoard are salt, peanut butter, cooking oils, sugar, coffee, and powdered milk. If you don't believe the food crisis will be too severe, then buy items that you would eat on a normal daily basis. But if you believe the crisis will be sustained for some time, purchasing a grain mill to refine bulk wheat or corn may prove to be the most economical way to stretch your food bank. Some emergency MREs are also something to consider because they have a long shelf life.

2. Produce Your Own Food: Having some capacity to produce your own food will simply become a necessity as the food system crumbles. If you don't know much about gardening, then start small with a few garden boxes for tomatoes, herbs, or sprouting and keep expanding to the limits of your garden. And for goodness sakes, get some chickens. They are a supremely easy animal to maintain and come with endless benefits from providing eggs and meat, to eating bugs and producing rich manure. Five laying hens will ensure good cheap protein for the whole family. If you have limited growing space, there are brilliant aquaculture systems that can produce an abundance of fish and vegetables in a small area. Aquaponics is a contained organic hydroponic system where the fertilized waste water from the fish tank is pumped through the vegetable growing trays which absorb the nutrients before returning clean water to the fish tank. Set high goals for independent food production, but start with what's manageable.

3. Learn Food Preservation: Food preservation comes in many forms such as canning, pickling, and dehydrating. In every case some tools and materials are required along with a good deal of knowledge. If you can afford a dehydrator, they all usually come with a preparation guide for most foods. You can also purchase a vacuum sealer if you have the means. A good vacuum sealer should come with thorough instructions and storage tips, and will add months if not years to many food items. If you're a beginner at canning, start with tomatoes first. It's easy and very valuable when all your tomatoes ripen at the same time and you want fresh pasta sauce in the winter. A bigger ticket item that is nice to have for food preservation is a DC solar powered chest freezer. It is the ultimate treasure chest.

4. Store Seeds: The government and the elite have seed banks and so should you. Seeds have been a viable currency in many civilizations past and present. They represent food when scarcity hits. Before the rise of commercial seed giants like Monsanto, local gardeners were adept at selecting seeds from the healthiest plants, saving them, and introducing them to the harvest for the following year, thus strengthening the species. Through local adaptation to pests, genetic diversity was further ensured; it was long-term thinking at its finest. That is why it is important to find heirloom seed banks and learn to save seeds from each harvest.

5. Join or Start a Local Co-Op: Joining local cooperatives is very important, especially when food shortages occur. You may not be able to provide for yourself completely, especially in terms of variety, so having a community mechanism to spread the burden and share the spoils will be critical. If you don't know if you have a local food cooperative in your area you can search the directory at LocalHarvest.org. You may also be able to get information from your local farmers market. If your area doesn't have a co-op, then start one. These co-ops don't have to be big or elaborate. In fact, it may be more optimal to organize it with friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Whether you join or start a cooperative, work to expand the participants and products.

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Minnesota sues 3M over chemical disposal

2010-12-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

MINNEAPOLIS - The state of Minnesota is suing 3M Co. over its disposal of chemicals previously used: To read this article follow the link: http://www.startribune.com/local/112661844.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:

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2010-12-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

"...As a prepper, I have my biases towards certain political points of view and a yearning for more sustainable agricultural practices, but this is absolute paranoid drivel! You do all preppers a disservice by giving ammunition to those doubters that already consider us wackos
..."

So reads the comment by "Anonymous" about the previous post.

And I agree. Almost. OK, to a point.

"Terrorists may Poison Food Supply- the next to previous post. Don't scroll down to read it, because it does tend to be drivel. Almost. It does make a lot of sense in today's society. Actually, it doesn't go far enough.

The commenter is concerned about being considered a 'whacko' by those who doubt our sanity already.

Well, since they already doubt my sanity, I'll confirm it for them: I'm a wacko. Ain't no 'bout adoubt it. (sic)

Or am I?

What was really mainstream 'paranoia' ten years ago is now MSM news as being fact. What even many wackos would have considered tinfoil hat paranoia ten years ago is now fact. Verified fact, I may even add.

Being coerced to read Orwell in college, I thought he was an idiot, more so than most Sci-fi writers.

Guess what...

OK, now to the original post: poison in our food supplies.

I find many people concerned with this in other areas- blogs and even news/media writings and video. And well they should be. We've had the spinach scare of what- five years ago?- and the lettuce scare of -three?- years ago? And now we're being warned by MSM about salad bars- not just this blog or other Survival blogs.

But I'm here to make a comment even about this fear we're being encouraged to have.

It's foolishness.

Why does the 'fed' want us to be concerned with the poisons that can be in our salad bars? In fact, my question is: Why did they stop with salad bars? Hell, if a Moslim can put poison in a salad bar, they can sure as hell put it in the main entree'. So, draw your own conclusion: why would the MSM/fed want us to not eat the salad? Carrying this even farther: what would be the result of us not eating the salad- or the entree'?

Right.

Restaurants lose business. What happens when the establishment loses enough business?

Oh. Right: doors close.

What happens when business doors close?

OOPS... whaddaya mean 'people lose jobs'?

And whaddaya mean 'economies suffer'?

Get my point?

The fed and UN/WHO may want us to start "sweating the small stuff", but it's only as a means of more control of our lives.

So, not that I'm 'right' or even 'in the know', cuz I may well be neither, but the point- both mine and the Anony poster- is that let's not allow fear and foolishness guide our lives. Let's also not let the fed run our lives- they've done a very fine job screwing us up already, don't let them go any farther- this includes the dipshit Dayton that somehow got elected as our Gov. Dammit... nope, ain't going there.

Yet.

So, in reading the comment, the posts, and in your actions, do as you've always been told as a Prepper: Read, think/consider, investigate and make your own decisions. We're not here to hold hands or cuddle you like our Honeys,but to encourage and inform- hopefully with wisdom and understanding.

Also, I have to apologise for not posting so much the last year- not being here leads to misunderstandings as this. My apologies.

Before I leave (hopefully not for another year) allow me to make one more point that's been bugging me lately... to whit:

We, as a homogeneous group, tend to allow fear to control much of what we do and rule the manner in which we live our lives. This post is a result and example of such. It isn't just the food supply that can be poisoned- the subway Ricin poisoning in Japan (the first that comes to mind) is an example of that. The truth is, there is no way any of us can be one-hundred-percent safe in our daily lives. We can allow ourselves to be ruled and controlled by fear of illness- 'bugs' in our salad bar; or bombings- the car/vehicle that doesn't 'appear just right'; the city water supply being 'contaminated with biological agents'; the plane we're flying on- TSA missed that particular bomb!; ad infinitum... the point is, please, don't live your life in fear of what 'could' happen. Live it knowing that you're in control, not the fed/TSA/UN/WHO/police... YOU, as an American, have the ultimate control of how you live your life. Please, don't live in fear, live in harmony and hope, know Who is in control and put your trust in yourself and your personal Guide, not the fed or other people.

Carry your weapon concealed but be always vigilant, ready to defend your self, family and friends, your neighbors, at any and all times. And be prepared to share your security as you see fit and as required.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy III

Sing the health praises of parsley and sage

2010-12-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

Those of us who go back a few years likely remember the line about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in the huge Simon and Garfunkel hit song about two ill-fated lovers, "Are You Going to Scarborough Fair". Many have speculated that the reference to the four popular herbs was due to their use in Medieval Europe to help cleanse the air and ward off the infamous black plague. Others have thought that the reference to the four herbs was because the combination may have been used as a love potion. Whatever the reason for their inclusion in the popular song, the many health benefits of parsley and sage are worth loving and singing praises about in their own rights.

PARSLEY

Parsley is an amazing medicinal herb with a world of health benefits. The root contains calcium, B-complex vitamins, and iron, which nourish the glands that help regulate the uptake of calcium. It is a source of magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Among the many benefits reported for parsley are:

*It is a diuretic which helps the body produce more urine to keep the urinary system operating smoothly and which helps prevent problems such as kidney stones and bladder infections.

*It is wonderful for removing toxins from the body, such as heavy metals.

*It is an effective breath freshener. It is believed that the practice of including parsley on a dinner plate began due to its breath freshening abilities and not merely for its decorative effect.

*The root and leaves are good for the liver and spleen.

*It helps relieve bloating during menstruation.

*It provides relief for edema, often helping when other remedies have failed

*Parsley root and seeds help relax stiff joints, often making stiff and unmanageable fingers work again.

*It helps remove gallstones when used properly by taking a pint of the tea daily.

*It is beneficial for the adrenal glands.

*It is a powerful therapeutic aid for the optic nerves, brain and sympathetic nervous system.

*Parsley juice is an excellent tonic for the blood vessels.

Note: It is best to avoid large amounts of parsley if you are pregnant, especially the use of the volatile essential oil.

SAGE

Like rosemary, its sister herb in the mint (Labiatae) family, sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids and phenolic acids, including rosmarinic acid. The oils found in sage are both antiseptic and antibiotic, helping it fight infections.

Besides the antioxidant and other properties shared with Rosemary, sage`s other health benefits include:

*It is effective for symptoms of menopause, night sweats and hot flashes because of its estrogenic action and because its tannins help dry up perspiration.

*Sage helps provide better brain function and has been used in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease for over a thousand years. It helps provide better recall and research has suggested that it may be an effective option to help treat Alzheimer`s.

*There`s also compelling evidence that sage may be of value to people with diabetes for whom the hormone insulin does not work as efficiently as it should. Lab studies indicate that sage may boost insulin`s action.

* The ability of sage to protect oils from oxidation has also led some companies to experiment with sage as a natural antioxidant additive for cooking oils that can extend shelf life and help avoid rancidity.

In an upcoming article, we will also sing the praises of the other two herbs mentioned in the popular song - rosemary and thyme.

Sources included:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarbo...
http://www.healthy-holistic-living....
http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs/natu...
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pars...

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near San Antonio and Austin to give lectures in health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030811_terrorists_food_supply.html#ixzz19AJmZCNd
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Terrorist may poison the food supply (but the food companies already have)

2010-12-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

(NaturalNews) Always on the terror streak, the mainstream media is now warning Americans that terrorists may strike the food supply by dumping poison into restaurant salad bars and buffets, for example. CBS News broke the story, quoting anonymous "intelligence" sources who insist that terrorists might use ricin or cyanide to poison foods in salad bars.

I have news for CBS, the federal government, and the terrorists: If you really want to poison the U.S. food supply, just use aspartame. It causes neurological disorders and yet remains perfectly legal to dump into foods such as diet sodas and children's medicines. You don't even have to dump it into the food supply in secret, either: You can do it right out in full view of the public. Heck, you can even list this chemical right on the ingredients label!

Or get into the MSG business. MSG, which is often hidden on "natural" foods under an ingredient called yeast extract, is a potent neurotoxin that promotes obesity and even cancer, according to some experts. Feed people enough MSG and they'll probably die of cancer sooner or later, and that counts toward the goal of terrorism too, doesn't it?

If you really want to get nasty and up the body count, start a hot dog company and dump sodium nitrite into your processed meat like all the other hot dog companies do. Sodium nitrite promotes aggressive cancers -- even in children -- and yet the USDA and FDA allow its use in the food supply (http://www.naturalnews.com/007133.html).

Better yet, feed the population genetically modified corn and then wait for the mutations to kick in. GMOs might actually be called a biological weapon because they cause so much harm to humans and the environment. (http://www.naturalnews.com/GMO.html)

Why be a terrorist when you can do so much more damage as a processed food company?

If you're a terrorist looking to poison the U.S. food supply, get in line, buddy! The food companies have beat you to it!

In the U.S. food supply right now, you can find toxic mercury, BPA, acrylamides, petrochemicals, dangerous preservatives, synthetic chemicals like aspartame, pesticide residues and artificial colors that alter brain function. The FDA doesn't seem to care about any of this, of course: All these poisons in the food supply are legal!

So here's a message to Al-Qaeda and all the other terrorists trying to kill Americans: Don't bother with bombs and missiles... just get into the processed food business!

Or, heck, if you really want to kill Americans with poison, get into the cancer industry! The "Al-Qaeda Cancer Clinic" could really rack up some body bags by doing what all the other cancer clinics do: Inject patients with chemotherapy and watch them die (http://www.naturalnews.com/029996_c...).

Seriously, if you want to kill Americans, all you really need to do is keep supporting conventional medicine and the FDA with its do-nothing position on dangerous chemicals that threaten the health of Americans right now. FDA-approved drugs kill well over 100,000 Americans each year -- a statistic that dwarfs the body count of any terrorist group.

Come to think of it, how do we know the FDA isn't already being run by terrorists? Their actions, which blatantly endanger American lives, are entirely consistent with the aims of a terrorist organization. (http://www.naturalnews.com/001894.html)

By the way, this is all depicted in a CounterThink cartoon I created in 2006 called The Food Terrorists: http://www.counterthink.com/The_Foo...

This cartoon anticipated today's terror news alerts by four years. That's because when it comes to the U.S. government's rhetoric on terrorism, it's not that difficult to see where they're taking it.

Want to know what the next four years will bring us? I'll soon be publishing a list of predictions for 2011 and beyond. Watch NaturalNews.com for that announcement.

In the mean time, you might want to steer clear of FDA-approved foods and drugs, because you just never know what's really in them.

Sources for this story include:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030811_terrorists_food_supply.html#ixzz19AJmZCNd

------------------------------------------

Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Minnesota Forum at www.MinnesotaPreppersNetwork.net

Minnesota Preppers Roll Call

2010-11-27T10:12:00.001-08:00

The Minnesota Preppers Network is conducting a Roll Call on our forum. If you are a prepper please check in.

* Here is a link to the Roll Call:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=425&t=6199

You have to be registered to check in. If you aren't registered please join here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

* If you are a HAM Radio Operator check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=6219

* If you are an A.N.T.S. member please check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=618&t=6220

New Minnesota Member

2010-09-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Preppers Network Welcomes our Newest Members

lurker2k

Hey , I'm new so I thought I'd introduce myself. I have been putting this whole prepping process off for a few years now. Anyway I hope to learn some things here, and share some things I already know.

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=4975

D_Loki

I stumbled upon the forums as many of the new folks here have via the Newsweek article. Now that I'm here, and it appears to be free of the drama of other sites, I'd like to try to network with folks near me and try to pool resources, be it information, purchasing pools, or just simple friendships. Let me know.

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=425&t=135

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Minnesota Forum at www.MinnesotaPreppersNetwork.net

How To Join The Minnesota Preppers Network

2010-09-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Come learn survival, preparedness and sustainable living with us!

The Preppers networks are all about volunteering our knowledge and skills with each other. We share ideas, tips and basically network with each other to survive any type of disaster whether natural, man made, or economic. Information that you learn and share with others will help everyone learn how to find "Freedom Through Teaching Others Self Reliance."

Joining the Minnesota Preppers Network is simple, and most of all, it's Free! To join, just follow these few steps.

1) Register to become a member of the American Preppers Network www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net The registration page is here: http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

2) Once you have your account, go to the index page of the forum and do your first post by introducing yourself in the new members area. http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/index.php

3) Once you know how to do posts, visit the Minnesota forum and introduce yourself. The Minnesota forum can be found by scrolling to the lower section of the index page where you will find a list of states, or you can go directly by following this URL: www.MinnesotaPreppersNetwork.net

4) After you've visited the Minnesota forum, follow this link to learn how to join the Minnesota Preppers Network group:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=564&t=2738

APN's success depends on your contributions. If you would like to donate to our organization by becoming a Gold Member you can join the APN Gold Members club by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/page.php?p=apn-gold-membership&sid=5b241e92a767cdfbe7a345c54dd55127
Gold Membership is only $5 per month. For a list of Gold Member benefits go here

Thank you for your support!

Thinking on the move...

2010-05-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

FINALLY, someone who "gets" it about TEOTWAWKI...

"...The recent submission by K. in Florida left me scratching my head in disbelief. I don't know if his wife thinks shaving her legs after TEOTWAWKI will be important, but I absolutely don't intend to shave mine. Nor do I think spare car parts will be important..."
Here is someone who's actually got an understanding of what life will be like after a breakdown of this society. It won't be worrying about having a blade to shave legs because "I'm going out on the town tonite", or being concerned what the neighbors think of the table cloth. It won't be going to the corner auto mart for an oil filter or new set of seat covers for the 'Vette. And it sure won't be worrying about having a CCW before tucking that pistol behind our belt. Nor will it be having much concern about the "niceties" of not breaking the law.
There just won't be that much time to worry about it. And anyone who thinks otherwise should really take a look around them at what is truly important to live contentedly.

Read the rest here.... Letter Re: I Thought That I Had a Clue - SurvivalBlog.com

Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Minnesota Forum at www.MinnesotaPreppersNetwork.net

Wither Human Population?

2010-02-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

(This is a repost of an original essay here.)

Tue, 02/09/2010 - 06:15 — Greyzone

From the February 6, 2010 discussion at TAE, people were asking about timelines and population targets. This post is an attempt to answer that question in slightly more detail. An in-depth look at this topic could cover multiple volumes.

Ecologically, when you see an overshoot situation, the lower end of dieoff tends to be over 70% of total population. But homo sapiens is in extreme overshoot. Where we are on the curve is like a test tube full of yeast right before the crash. Extreme overshoots very typically see dieoffs in the range of 90%-99%.

Because of weapon systems, resource scarcity, arable land issues, water issues, etc., I expect the world in aggregate will experience something close to a 96% dieoff. That would leave about 300 million living worldwide, which is still pretty far over the average population of homo sapiens for most of out 200,000 years of history. Prior to agriculture global hunter-gatherer population was probably between 10-20 million.

I expect this dieoff to occur in steps over the next 100 to 120 years. If the Greater Depression persists as long as a decade, we may finally see human population stabilize and then begin to drop as early as 2020. If the Greater Depression ends sooner, we may still see total population push towards the 8 billion mark by 2040 and then begin its turn.

But population does not exist in a vacuum. This population was made possible by industrial civilization, which itself was made possible by massive resource extraction and destruction of biosphere all around the world. As infrastructure becomes too expensive to maintain, population that is dependent on that infrastructure is likely to begin dieing off.

At TAE Zander asked specifically about Scotland. Scotland historically had a population under 1 million for centuries because that is all that the land there could sustain. Sustaining 5 million is going to be hard. On the plus side, rising rates of infant mortality plus deaths of older people over the next 40 years is likely to reduce Scotland's population to under 3 million and perhaps under 2.5, which means the subsequent downturn to 1 million over the following 80-90 years should not be nearly so harsh as in the rest of the world.

In the US, for example, population is likely to continue rising even in the face of the Greater Depression, just more slowly than before. Yet the US is far more dependent on its technological systems than, say, Mexico. A large part of the US west of the Mississippi is only habitable at current densities due to a multitude of technologically based water systems. Los Angeles, for example, housed only a few thousand residents in a harsh desert landscape prior to redirecting water flows from the mountains to LA. When the systems supporting those water flows begin to fail, place like Los Angeles will become deathtraps for millions.

In fact, early migration in the US during the infrastructure collapse phase is likely to be towards the Great Lakes, one of the largest collections of freshwater in the world. Ironically, that migration is likely to result in the ecological death of those same lakes, ultimately killing even more people.

Barring climate change, some parts of the US west of the Mississippi should be able to sustain agricultural communities but population densities in those places is also still too high for the current population. Western Washington and Oregon could do better than much of the rest of the western US, but the same reasons that give those areas an advantage are likely to attract excess population, resulting in worse overshoot locally. Eastern Texas and Arkansas are not bad but in such close proximity to high population urban centers that they are likely to be destroyed as a side effect of the collapse of those same urban centers.

Regarding Africa, I expect Africa will see massive dieoff as well. Much of Africa's population density is enabled by industrial civilization, even if it's not as nice as North America or Europe. Hominid hunter-gatherer populations in central Africa over the last few million years have never amounted to more than a few million at the very best and mostly in the few hundred thousand typically. Africa's population may not fall quite that far, but it will make a good run at it.

The ecological disaster around you is an artifact of "modern" capitalist, growth-oriented, debt-centric civilization. I place that word "modern" in quotes because I tend to favor free markets myself, but on a far more local level and without resorting to debt based infinite growth systems. Historically humans have avoided debt based systems and instead financed any growth when needed from savings. And growth was not always the primary goal either.

But now we come to the crossroads where debt-based civilization can no longer sustain itself. And in reaching this crossroads, we find that not only is the financial system going down, but the effects from the financial system are going to take down large segments of the biosphere with it.

The future for human survivors is going to largely be a scavenger's future, possibly for several centuries. We will lack the infrastructure to deploy technologies to recover the last of the oil, underneath 15,000 feet of water and another 10,000-20,000 feet of undersea salt dome. Instead, survivors will be forced to get along on what they can create within their local communities and much of that will be driven by what can successfully be scavenged from the wreckage of industrial civilization.

The most typical dieoff I've seen given population curves that look as ridiculous as our own is in the 98-99% range. In choosing a 96% dieoff I admit to holding some small hope that a few humans will manage to adapt to changing circumstances faster than expected. The time frame is the same as for any dieoff within a population that is in extreme overshoot, from 1 to 4 generations total.

To put this in context, during WWII, when global population was under 2 billion and we killed over 200 million human beings, global population still rose. Now think about what a shrinking population means and the kind of world that means around you. Any single one of you who believes that you have no duty to defend your own lives by whatever means possible may as well just line up to be slaughtered when it begins. There will be no government to protect you. You will find yourselves once again in the same situation that mankind has been in for most of its entire existence - dependent on self, family, and tribe for survival. And nothing you can do is going to stop this from happening to you, your children, and/or your grandchildren.

What is a prepper?

2010-01-22T21:43:00.001-08:00

Here is an excellent post (one of my favorites) that was done by Shy wolf which posted about a year ago on a forum where people were asking what preppers are. I thought I'd go ahead and repost it here because it relates to an article that I'm about to post on APN.

Greetings, folks. Jim Shy Wolf here from the Minnesota

Preppers Network. You seem to be curious about us, so I'll

attempt to answer a few questions. Let me begin with this by

Estimated Prophet.

First- one has to define what a 'wackjob' is, since we may be

using different terminology: in my neck of the woods we spell

something similar as 'whackjob', which means 'put together in

a hurry' or 'put together by chance'. Well, we are neither.

Let me 'explain, Lucy.

The American Prepper Network was created to join all the

'preppers' out here in BlogLand, in effort to aid us all in

having a single location to gather information on 'prepping'.

I can hear your heads rattling, "What's a

'prepper'?" Simple answer is, "A 'prepper' is

someone who prepares."

Do any of you have auto insurance? That is prepping. Do you

have home insurance? That is prepping. How about medical

insurance? That is prepping. Do you have a savings account,

stocks, bonds, etc? That is prepping. Do you have a few days

food supply in your cupboard? That is prepping. So, whether

you realize it or not, you all, hopefully, are 'preppers'.

The American Prepper Network is taking these topics to a

different level.

We all are aware of what happened during hurricane Katrina.

(I hope, anyway.) Also just last fall with hurricane Ike.

Some of you may even have been involved in very personal ways

with either of those. I live in Minnesota and we get some

extreme cold and lots of snow. Just as many did in New

Orleans, I prepare for inclement weather. I have some extra

rations of food and water, durable and weather appropriate

clothing. That is called 'prepping'.

There are different levels of 'prepping'.

At the simplest form, it is having a few days or a week of

food and water in your home. No need to starve or be thirsty

if you are stuck during a storm. To not be prepared for

unfortunate circumstances is foolishness- we have families to

care for. To not do so is to not love or respect or care for

them.

Going one step beyond the week end of being

snowed/rained/tornadoed/flooded in, is the second stage of

prepping. We have more than a few days or a week of food,

water and clothing. To that, in my instance, I have added a

wood burning stove and necessary wood. I also own a chainsaw

and axe, wood splitter and storage area. I have the chainsaw

to clear roadways, as well, or whatever else a chainsaw is

good for. I am also an REMT- Registered Emergency Medical

Technician. I have a 'jump kit' filled with medical/emergency

supplies. Enough preps to deliver a baby if need be- and

sometimes here in the wilds that does happen. Babies don't

always come when you want them to. So I, and many other

'preppers', are trained medical personnel. It's just

'prepping'. Actually, it's not 'just prepping', it's 'smart'.

Any fool can let someone die or starve or go thirsty- the

smart person will aide them.

A step beyond the above prepping, is a more in-depth style.

These people, of which I am one, prepare for a more serious

'survival' situation, whatever that may be. To go without

electric power for a month, as New Orleans did- and longer-

when you can do something about it yourself is stupid. So I

have a generator. Many up here do- it's only smart. Of

course, if we KNEW when the disaster was going to hit, it'd

be easy to be ready for it. But that is not the nature of

'emergencies'. So we prepare. We also have four wheel drive

vehicles. Ever try driving your eco-friendly Hyundi through

two feet of snow in a blizzard to get to a house fire? Ain't

gonna happen. But it does happen with 4WD trucks and SUVs. So

we prepare. We do not take life lightly. Ours or anyone

else's. We prepare.

Some people think of 'preppers' or 'survivalists' as people

who are hiding in the woods waiting for the other shoe to

drop, for calamitous circumstances. That is not a 'prepper'

or 'survivalist'. That is a 'doomer'. There's a big

difference. We are not shouting doom and gloom, waiting for

the world to come crashing down on our shoulders. Quite the

opposite.

We are preparing to live. To keep our loved ones safe and

secure in difficult times.

Some preppers form from family units or groups of friends or

church groups or just neighborhoods. We have groups who

perform 'neighborhood watch' groups: only makes sense when

the police are miles away. Just as we have volunteer firemen

when the 'big city' fire departments are miles away.

Preppers come in all flavors- red, white, brown, black, green

and blue. Preppers come from all walks of life. Retirees,

teachers, students, police, firemen, lawyers, ministers,

laymen of any sort. Some are religious, some are not. Some

preppers are shoe-string preppers saving on a very tight

budget. Some are wealthy and can have the 'best' of their

prepping desires. As you can see, we 'preppers' are from a

variety of backgrounds. We don't care, we just prep to save

lives.

About the only commonality in all 'preppers' is a love of the

country in which we live, love the Constitution upon which it

is based, and the only color we are under is red, white and

blue. To sum up what a 'prepper' is, is a difficult thing.

Perhaps the best way to do it is to say, "We prepare for

living."

Jim Shy Wolf
http://www.minnesotapreppersnetwork.blogspot.com

A little civic duty info

2010-01-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

This is a heads up for anyone who has had enough of the politics we are seeing, and frustrated with who is 'representing' you do not miss out on participating in your local precinct caucuses. For more information on the caucuses you can read the info here at the MN League of Women Voters for the process, what to expect, and where to find where the caucus is convening in your precinct. Caucuses are held on Tuesday, February 2nd at 7:00 PM. Don't miss out on this opportunity.

It's that time of year......

2010-01-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

The holidays are over, hunting season is done and spring turkey season seems to be so far away. The land of 10,000 lakes has its annual change in its waterfront landscape, from crystal clear waters reflecting the clear blue skies to a white canvas dotted with huts, trailers, tents and the occasional igloo, all for the sole purpose of sitting around a 8" hole in the ice hoping for a sizable walleye will gobble up your ice jig and trip the tip-up. Something else happens at this time as well, cold water drownings.

Winter drownings happen most often as the ice first starts to thicken, and avid fishermen cannot wait, and at the beginning of ice-out, when said fish guys just cannot let the season die. Being neither of these gentlemen/ladies, as I like to fish in a pair of shorts w/o the need of a parka, I thought I would post some information on cold water safety.

Cold Water Dangers

* Cold water is any water below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
* Cold water robs the body of heat 25-30 times faster than air.
* Safety experts estimate that half of all drowning victims die from the fatal effects of hypothermia, not from water in the lungs.

What is Hypothermia?[1]

Hypothermia is severe lowering of the body’s internal temperature. This occurs when the body loses more heat that it can produce, which as a result, prevents the heart and lungs from functioning properly. Hypothermia is caused when the body is exposed to cold, chilling winds or by getting wet. Hypothermia can happen on land or in water and progresses quickly.

Symptoms of Hypothermia:

* Absentmindedness or confusion
* Lack of coordination and weakness
* Difficulty speaking or slurred speech
* Uncontrollable shivering
* Semi-consciousness or unconsciousness

To Prevent Hypothermia:

* Wear layers of warm clothing.
* Protect your head and hands from the elements by wearing winter hats and gloves/mittens.
* Keep as dry as possible.
* Always wear a personal floatation device (PFD) when around cold water.
* Carry matches in a waterproof container.

How to Help Someone with Hypothermia:

* First call for medical help immediately!
* If the situation is safe for you to do so, remove the person from the cold water or cold air.
* Remove wet clothing.
* Keep the victim as dry as possible.
* Wrap the victim in blankets or in a sleeping bag.
* Build a fire to warm the victim.
* Give the victim warm fluids to drink (no alcohol or caffeinated drinks).
* Seat the victim in a warm shower or warm bath with the arms and legs of the victim out of the water. This allows the core of the body to warm first.

How thick is "safe" ice?

Ice on moving water in rivers, streams and brooks is never safe. The thickness of ice on ponds and lakes depends upon water currents or springs, depth and natural objects such as tree stumps or rocks. Daily changes in temperature cause the ice to expand and contract, which affects its strength. Because of these factors, no one can declare the ice to be absolutely “safe”.

Ice Safety Tips

* Never go onto the ice alone. A friend may be able to rescue you or go for help if you fall through the ice.
* Always keep your pets on a leash. If a pet falls through the ice do not attempt to rescue your pet, go for help.
* New ice is usually stronger than old ice. As the ice ages, the bond between the crystals decays, making it weaker, even if melting has not occurred.
* Beware of ice covered with snow. Snow can insulate ice and keep it strong, but can also insulate it to keep it from freezing. Snow can also hide cracks, weaken and open ice.
* Slush is a danger sign, indicating that ice is no longer freezing from the bottom and can be weak or deteriorating.
* Ice formed over flowing water (rivers or lakes containing a large number of springs) is generally 15% weaker.
* Ice seldom freezes or thaws at a uniform rate. It can be one foot thick in one spot and be only one inch thick 10 feet away.

What To Do If Someone Falls Through Ice

* Reach-Throw-Go. If a companion falls through the ice and you are unable to reach that person from shore, throw them something (rope, jumper cables, tree branch, etc.). If this does not work, go for help before you also become a victim. Get medical assistance for the victim immediately.
* If you fall in, try not to panic. Turn toward the direction you came from. Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface, working forward by kicking your feet. Once out, remain lying on the ice (do not stand) and roll away from the hole. Crawl back to your tracks, keeping your weight distributed until you return to solid ice.

[1]American Red Cross’ Whale Tales Water Safety Education

As a little keeper, here is a download for you to keep in your ice houses and tackle boxes:

Ice Safety Tips

Have a safe ice fishing season!!!

D_Loki

Humor

2010-01-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

“Humor is just another defense against the universe.”
Mel Brooks

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road.”
Henry Ward Beecher

“You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.”
Bill Cosby

I have always been of a belief that no matter how bad a situation is, a little humor can lighten the load and it lends strength that you never knew you had. Even though I tend to rant angrily at politics, or get serious about our prepping plans, there is always a sense of humor waiting in the wings eager to leap to the forefront. In that spirit, I give a small rant, and a slice of humor to lighten your load.

Well its almost 1 AM and I wasn’t ready for bed and after driving home tonight through the nasty-ass winter slush on the ground I wanted to lay down a lil rant about winter driving in Minnesota. What is it about winter driving that makes the average human think they are invincible? I watch people in their “invincible” SUVs panic if there is a bit of rain, because they might hydro-plane off the road. Yet let six inches of snow fall upon a good inch of ice, and those same people will drive like the highway is a NASCAR track and they are 2 pts away from taking the Nextel Cup. They tail-gate, cut you off, make their own driving lane, and fish-tail down the road like they are the only thing on the winter covered asphalt. Then, they have the nerve to be enraged when you reduce speed, increase the cushion between yourself and the car in front of you, and try to maintain control of your car in hazardous driving conditions. I'm beginning to think these are the same idiots who, at three A.M., make the donuts in the vacant parking lots. (Yes it’s true, it is a man and his car that make those mysterious circles, not an alien mother ship fresh from turning crop circles in the English countryside).

It gets worse as winter is dying down in March. At this time of the year our semi-fearless Dale Jrs are totally confused. We have days of 15 degrees and 3 inches of snow, followed by temps in the 40s and slushy streets, mottled with mini-reservoirs over still frozen manhole covers. OH NOOOOOOOOOO! "Do I drive like a blue-haired grandma with my nose an inch above the steering wheel, or try to break the land speed record in my family-friendly assault vehicle????" Poor souls just don’t know how to drive until they hear from the trusty weatherman and his technologically advanced Doppler radar.

Anyway, as I said, in March and like sporadic days in January & February (when the temperature rises above 25), the streets do get a tad damp from a slight thaw. For those of you who don’t live in the snow-belt, rock salt generally won’t melt ice and snow when the temperature is below 20 degrees, hence the use of sand and brine mixtures. Now with the thaw, comes a lovely incarnation of mid-winter driving, ROAD-PISS. That wonderful concoction of salt and dirt and sand and water and antifreeze and oil and grease, all loosened from the frigid pavement by running water and Michelin tires turning at 55 MPH. This divine winter shower turns black cars white, and windshields into wonderful sunscreens. What’s a driver to do? Why use windshield washer solvent of course!!! That lovely blue liquid that saves our vision and help us to see the car in front of us (or the occasional small child crossing the street) before we hit them. But the magical blue stuff does more than clean glass (and I don’t mean to drink, although some stupid people do need the warning label. More on the idiots of the world another time). It is yet another item in this world that is meant to drive us all insane.

This necessary solvent is part of a grand conspiracy. One, it cost twice as much as a gallon of gas during the winter. I know, supply and demand. Lord knows that during the rest of the year the window wash producers don’t want to deplete the natural solvent mines and refine the super juice year round. AND they like to pull out the SUPER-DUPER purple version that will clean your windshield in temperatures down to 40 below zero for the extra cold season (the cost of which is about 30% more than the blue).

Part two of the conspiracy involves the automotive industry. You see, the pretty blue stuff comes in gallons, windshield washer reservoirs will stop pumping the vision juice when there is room for 13 cups of liquid, leaving 3 cups in the jug (well not 3 because they made the hole small enough in the reservoir that you are sure to spill a cup on the pavement, more if it is windy). Now, if we paid $6 for this gallon of manna, we surely won’t toss the rest in the trash. So into the trunk it goes, only to roll around like a decapitated head, causing anxiety whenever it thumps the quarter-panel making us think we've been hit, or hit something. Just what one needs when dealing with the rest of the pathetic drivers on the road. Ahhhhh I can't wait for construction season, (the OTHER half of the year in Minnesota)

Well I do think I have gone on enough on this. It really is kind of a silly thing to rant on about, but I don’t care it’s my blog entry; I can type what I want. And for those of you who live where the snow never blows, you can get termites so I guess we're even.

Starve the Beast: Low intensity Revolution

2010-01-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

"...Fighting a revolution does not mean that you have to take up arms and head off to engage in combat with the forces sent to assure your continued servitude. Not all of us can take another human being's life. Some of us, for reasons of conscience, will not engage in violence. Not all of us are physically capable of taking the punishment of a life of privation, and asperity.

But we all must do something to impede the progress of the enemy.

It is my belief that most of us are engaged in an epic struggle against the forces who would extinguish the light of Liberty forever. To turn this world into a vast feudal state where most are serfs, doomed to toil for the few at the top. Some of us may not even realize that we have joined the struggle. The thought that many of us are fighting a low intensity revolution has not come to the minds of people everywhere.

We must foster this idea, low intensity revolution, and spread it. It will give hope to those who feel hopeless. It will give direction to those who know not what to do. It will give those who want to fight a purpose, a mission. A way to strike back without exposing themselves to undue risk..."

Catman is onto something here. Something ot only do-able, but something we should all be doing already, but aren't. It's much more easy to whine than act. Now, act, and go read the rest of what he has to say...

Catman's Litterbox: Low Intensity Revolution: What You Can Do

Tell him Shy sent you.

Happy New Year and ......... an Introduction

2010-01-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce myself; I am a new contributor to the Minnesota Peppers Blog.I go by “Loki” and if we connect on a personal level I will be more than happy to give my Christian name. A little about myself; I have been actively prepping for 5 years now, mostly do to realizing that no one is going to ensure the protection of my family better than I. I believe in the premise of “Beans, Bullets & Band Aids” as a necessary start to your prepping plans. Please don’t get me wrong, it is only a phrase, and NOT the sum of my inventory. During the course of time that I contribute here, I will bring to the page as much reliable information, ideas, direction as I can (mixed in with a healthy dose of sarcasm, a smattering of humor, and the occasional blood pressure lowering rant). I love feedback, never shy from dissenting opinion, and welcome questions or requests for help. I will never be one of those “holier then thou” writers who believes their keyboard spews the gospel of preparedness. I’ll never tell you what you MUST have or do. I’ll never claim “my way or the highway”. What I will do is pass on as many frugal, smart, or best suggested ways to bring about the one thing we all are striving for, independence and security for ourselves and our families.

For those of you that have ventured over through a web search, word of mouth, or via the recent Newsweek article, please do not miss the treasure trove of information on the APN forums. I may from time to time direct you to something there, and you can always find me posting there. For all of you who are new to this idea of prepping please check out my post on where to start. Do not let the massive amount of information at your fingertips and the know-it-alls who tell you what to do if you want to survive (and if you don’t follow their paradigm, you will die). Keep an open mind, but a sound conviction to you morals and principles. The two most important rules to prepping are; be calm, yet diligent and be organized.

The old saying goes, “Those who keep their heads, when all about them are losing theirs, are the ones to survive”. This is never truer than for the preparedness mindset. Organization will make keeping calm “easy breezy”. Organization will make known where everything you prep is where it is to be when you need it. Organization will have your plans laid out along with back-ups for your back-up plans. Organization will allow for simpler budget making. Organization will make the whole process smooth. With organization on your side, you’ll be able to remain calm knowing you have what you have, the definition your needs, and leave room to pick up on some of the wants. Keeping calm will help your family even more than the plans you make by allowing them to see that you are, not in control of the situation, but confident enough to deal with it and help get you all through it. Well know panic leads to panic. The same holds true for confidence and preparedness.

So again, I want to thank Shy Wolf and the rest of the APN family for allowing me to be apart of this organization and group of like-minded thinkers. Feel free to contact me with questions or suggestion. I wish all of you a safe and productive New Year and may all of your plans come to fruition as easily as they came to mind.

D_Loki

Observations of a Prepper - Are the Homeless Bugging Out of the Big Cities?

2009-12-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

You can read about all kinds of things that are going on right now. A very bad economy with politicians offering solutions that even the least intelligent of persons out there realize won’t work. Perhaps you just need to take a little time and observe what’s happening right where you are. When was the last time you actually stopped and took a really good look at what’s happening in your own little part of the universe? Are the homeless people in your area bugging out?

One of the most frightening things I’m seeing is the very real possibility that the homeless are leaving the big city and heading to more rural areas. About 9% of all homeless people live in rural areas according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness in a survey in 2007. As times get tougher, the homeless are going to be moving out of the big cities and heading for the hills, literally.

I’m currently seeing more and more homeless people in the rural areas in my “neck of the woods”. Most of the homeless I’ve seen are on bikes loaded with their sleeping bags, clothes and other items. I live in a basically rural area of the state and I’m pretty familiar with most of our “regular” homeless types that hang around here. I’ve even had to deal with a few who were causing minor problems. But when I start to see more homeless people traveling the roads and highways in my county that I don’t recognize, my level of concern starts to go up. Why is this happening now? Will it get worse? If homeless people are starting to have problems surviving in the city, how will regular people living there make it?

I consider most homeless people experts at what I like to call “Urban Bushcraft”. Those more experienced at “bushcraft” techniques will be the first to tell you that surviving in a wilderness setting takes a lot of skill and fortitude. It takes similar skills to survive in the big city. With only simple and basic means of transportation, limited possessions, and with little or no money they live a life where survival is a daily struggle. They are real survivors in a real world.

They don’t have B.O.B.’s because they use shopping carts and bikes. They’ve already learned it’s a lot easier to push your gear in a basket than pack it on your back. They know bikes don’t need gas to get them where they’re going. They know where to find free food. They know which restaurants throw out the best scraps. They know how to scavenge items from dumpsters to sell and make money when thrown out by people smarter than they are. They know how to find every clothing donation box in town to keep there “wardrobe” up to date. They know the best areas to avoid the rain and the cold and can make some of the best “expedient type” shelters ever conceived.

I seriously doubt that you could leave the average person in an unfamiliar part of town with no I.D., no money, no food, no shelter and no transportation without them having serious difficulties surviving the night.

According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, there are an estimated 5 million homeless people in the United States. Rural homeless people only account for about 9% of this total. That leaves approximately 4.5 million people who may be looking for greener pastures. Those greener pastures may be in your area.

This is probably just another sign of the times and how many things are going to change. The best thing is to observe what’s happening where you are at. It will probably give you a better perspective than the national news media about what’s really happening in your area. I just hate to think about the effects of a few million homeless people deciding that city life may not be right for them anymore.

You can check some statistics on homeless people here:

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts/Whois.pdf

Coming soon to an area near you...a few million homeless people?

(*Edit*) Here's a link provided by a reader in the comments section:

Survival Guide to Homelessness

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Tuesday’s Tips for Preppers - Non-Toxic Pest Control

2009-12-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Pest control is sometimes an area where people may compromise their safety for a little convenience. The effectiveness of chemicals, while not the safest, causes us to abandon safety because they are efficient killers of those tiny pests that plague our everyday lives. Here are some suggestions for non-toxic pest control that may allow you to stick to your principles of safety and still rid your home of pests that can affect your food storage and your daily lives.

Cleanliness is the best way to begin a non-toxic pest control system. This is especially important in the kitchen, dining areas, bedrooms and bathrooms.

1.) Make sure there are no open food sources. Dirty dishes and open cans of food are an invitation to pests of all types.

2.) Make sure there are no readily available sources of water. Dripping faucets, leaky valves and dishes soaking in the sink can all cause pest problems.

3.) Try not to eat in areas where there is carpet. Those little crumbs on the carpet are a bug magnet. Eating in bed should also be avoided as it also can create even bigger problems.

4.) Vacuum all areas of your house thoroughly and regularly.

5.) Always wash your bedding in hot water.

6.) Bathe and shampoo and comb your pets regularly.

7.) If you’re saving aluminum cans, keep them stored outside and away from any food storage areas.

8.) Always take the garbage out regularly. An over-flowing trash can be like a dinner bell for pests.

9.) Keep your house organized and free of clutter. Old newspapers and magazines can create real problems. They create an ideal source of nesting materials for rats and mice. The fewer hiding places you give pests, the better off you will be.

For more specific approaches to getting rid of certain pests, try these following remedies.

Mice and Rats

1.) Place dried peppermint leaves behind and under the stove and refrigerator to get rid of mice in the home.

2.) Don’t forget to use the proverbial mouse or rat trap. They are very efficient mechanical type killers of mice and rats, especially when loaded with a little peanut butter.

Ants:

1.) Place cucumber peels or slices in areas where ants are active as a deterrent.

2.) A small line of cayenne pepper or coffee grounds, or even a piece of string soaked in lemon juice and placed at the point of entry will keep ants from crossing.

Cockroaches:

1.) Make catnip sachets and leave in strategic places around the house or simmer some catnip in water and use to make a spray which can be applied to baseboards, etc.

2.) Put a couple of slices of beer-soaked bread (stale bread and stale beer are OK for this purpose) into an empty 1lb coffee can, and yes you can use the plastic ones that are so prevalent nowadays. Leave it out where roaches congregate as this can be an effective deterrent for roaches. Cut small openings or holes in the plastic lid.

Fleas:

1.) Pour a cup boiling water over a sliced lemon and let it soak overnight before sponging on your pet. Lemon scented dishwashing liquid also works great as a flea shampoo.

2.) Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (plain white distilled vinegar works also) to your pet’s drinking water on a daily basis.

Outdoors you can try these tips:

Mosquitoes

1.) Mix 1 part garlic juice to 5 parts water for a natural mosquito spray. Soak strips of cotton cloth in the mixture and hang in outside areas as a localized repellant.

2.) Use citronella candles or “tiki” torches with citronella oil.

Flies

1.) Hang cheesecloth squares filled with bay leaves or cloves in windows.

2.) Fill plastic bags with water and hang in doorways and around patios.

3.) Plain old fly strips are also quite effective.

Inside the house and in the garden - Use Diatomaceous Earth (food grade)
Diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic, chalky dust that can be used both indoors and out to control many household and garden pests. Made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, which are hard-shelled algae, the small, sharp particles are harmful only to the exoskeletons of insects. A mechanical, not chemical killer, it clings to their bodies as they walk or crawl over it, cutting the waxy coating and causing them to dry out. The insect will dehydrate and usually dies within a couple of days.

The use of dangerous and toxic pesticides can also endanger the safety of your water sources through groundwater contamination.

There are numerous ways to avoid toxic and harmful pesticides that could create a problem for your safety and the safety of your family and pets. Using non-toxic means of pest control will benefit everyone.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preparedness - Sharing the Burden

2009-11-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Too many times in our lives we attempt to do everything on our own. Our fierce sense of independence won’t allow us to accept the simple fact that there are times in our lives when we all need help in some form. From the time we are born , we all need assistance in some form in our lives to survive. The sooner you realize this the more prepared you will become.

Learning to share the burdens of preparedness will make it an easier lifestyle to accomplish. Preparedness can be a lifestyle that will leave you free to live your life without the need for incessant worrying about what can or will go wrong. Attempting to be all things for all situations will soon leave you with a stark sense of realization that many times situations are going to require help or assistance from someone else, regardless of your skills and abilities.

Teaching others your skills will help reaffirm your own abilities while increasing the skills and abilities of someone else. Teaching others is a great way to realize how good your skills really are and where they may be lacking in practical use and knowledge.

In contrast, learning new skills will alleviate some of your own burdens and make a state of preparedness second nature to your everyday lifestyle. You will find increased confidence follows learning new things. A confidence that will help you survive even the most difficult times.

Sharing the burden of preparedness doesn’t stop with simply teaching and learning new skills. It must be followed with the practical application of those new skills. It is in the "doing" that we become proficient and with increased proficiency comes the benefit of being able to solve more and increasing difficult problems. Problems which may have previously been a burden have now become an opportunity, instead of a roadblock, to achieve your goals.

Just as you wouldn’t hesitate to use a needed tool or a particular item of gear to help you eliminate a crisis or to handle an emergency, don’t hesitate to use the skills and knowledge of others as well. Family and friends can be valuable tools when the need arises. You only need realize that they are quite often more than willing to help, if you will only give them the chance.

Once you realize that no man (or woman) is an island you will be well on your way to a better state of preparedness. Being prepared is a lot easier if you simply learn to share the burden.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Safe Storage of Pesticides

2009-11-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Improper pesticide storage and disposal can be hazardous to your health, the health of your family and pets and extremely dangerous to the environment. If conditions are such that you must use pesticides, make sure you are aware of how to do so safely. Here are some simple safety tips on using pesticides.

Pesticide Handling and Storage Safety Tips

Don't stockpile. Reduce storage needs by buying only the amount of pesticide that you will need in the near future or during the current season when the pest is active.

Follow all storage instructions on the pesticide label.

Store pesticides high enough so that they are out of reach of children and pets. If possible, keep all pesticides in a locked cabinet in a well-ventilated utility area or garden shed.

Never store pesticides in cabinets with or near food, animal feed, or medical supplies.

Store any pesticides that may be flammable outside your living area. Keep them away from any possible ignition source such as a furnace, a car, an outdoor grill, or a power lawn power.

Always store pesticides in their original containers, making sure it has the label listing ingredients, directions for use, and first aid steps in case of accidental poisoning.

Never transfer pesticides to soft drink bottles or other containers. Children or others may mistake them for something to eat or drink.

Use child-resistant packaging correctly. Close the container tightly after using the product. Child resistant does not mean child proof, so you still must be extra careful to store properly, out of children's reach, those products that are sold in child-resistant packaging.

Do not store pesticides in places where flooding is possible or in places where they might spill or leak into wells, drains, ground water, or surface water.

If you can't identify the contents of the container, or if you can't tell how old the contents are, follow the advice on safe disposal.

You can get additional information here:

Safe Pesticide Transport and Handling (560.90 kb)

Knowing how to safely handle and store pesticides will make them safer to use when necessary.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Tips - Avoiding Allergy Problems Without Medication

2009-11-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Are you an allergy sufferer? Have you been coughing your head off, constantly sneezing, blowing your nose, frantically rubbing your irritated eyes and grasping for breath through a highly congested respiratory system? Guess what? You’re not alone because millions of Americans suffer with allergies every year.

What can be done to avoid the symptoms caused by pollen and molds that can dramatically affect your quality of life? You can choose the medicine route and end up dependent on medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, that often have side effects worse than your original ailments you’re trying to alleviate or you can try some simple and practical tips that can help you tame your allergies naturally.

Practical Tips to Avoid Allergy Problems

1.) Wear sunglasses or protective eyewear during outdoor activities when pollen and mould counts are high. Even the slightest breeze can cause pollen and mould spores to get in your eyes causing serious allergy problems.

2.) Use a tissue or clean cloth to wipe your eyes or nose. Never rub your eyes or nose with your fingers. It will only make your conditions worse. Keep a small pack of tissues or a handkerchief handy at all times.

3.) Wear a bandana or kerchief. Farmers have done this for years when working in dirty and dusty conditions to prevent the inhalation of dust and other irritants. You can also wear a simple dust mask. You may not make the local fashion page but you won’t be suffering as much either!

4.) Avoid outside activities during the hours of 5 AM to 10 AM. This is the time when pollen and mould counts are typically the highest. Schedule your outside activities for alternate times if possible.

5.) Wear gloves. You’re less likely to rub your eyes or nose and thereby transfer pollen and mould spores to the highly susceptible areas of your body.

5.) Always take a bath or shower and put on clean clothes after any type of outdoor activities. Your clothes will be loaded with pollen that can create problems for you.

6.) Change the filters on your A/C or heating systems more frequently. High pollen and mould levels inside your home can be reduced with a good quality air filter that is changed on a regular basis.

A few simple precautions can make the difference in having a good day or a really bad one.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preparedness

2009-11-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Many people talk about being prepared and some even find it hard to convince others of its value. It has a value that is shared by most people. Being prepared is really quite simple when you think about its true purpose and the value it adds to your life and the life of others.

Many people go through their lives everyday being prepared to one extent or the other without even realizing it. Many are, in fact, quite good at it even though they don’t recognize it as such. They prepare in simple but effective ways to keep order and a sense of "normal" in their lives.

To understand what preparedness means, it is necessary to understand what it does. Being prepared does one major thing for everybody no matter who they are or where they may be. It allows you to return your life and the life of your family to a state of “normalcy” in the fastest and most expedient manner possible, regardless of the circumstances which have disrupted your life.

Many people carry a spare tire in their vehicles so that in the event of a flat they can return to “normal” vehicle operation as soon as possible. The frustration of a flat tire dissipates quickly once the spare is in place and you’re back on the road, able to continue your trip and eventually arrive at your destination. Unfortunately, if you’re unprepared and your spare tire is flat, you will need a lot longer to return to a state of “normal”. This is but one simple example of the value of being prepared. The worst the crisis, the harder it is to return to "normal" and the more you will need to be prepared.

Everyone likes “normal”. "Normal" is natural for everyone. "Normal" is a good thing, with a small dose of “routine” thrown in every so often for good measure. "Normal" is comfortable and a lot easier to live with than being unprepared and winding up in a state of “NOT NORMAL”. "Normal" is good for your health and well-being. Many things have a tendency to disrupt those good feelings that a sense of "normal" creates. These should be prepared for in order to handle these disruptions in your life as quickly and efficiently as possible. Normal is something you should be prepared to maintain in your life and the life of your family.

Preparedness means being ready to return your life and the life of your family to a state of “normal” as quickly and expediently as possible, no matter what type of crisis or emergency.

Staying above the “normal” water line!

Riverwalker

Proper Food Storage Conditions - Avoiding the Effects of Natural and Artificial Light

2009-11-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

After getting temperature and humidity under control, it's necessary to look at the effects of light on your food storage. Light is a form of energy and when it shines on your stored foods long enough it transfers some of that energy to the food. That energy has the effect of degrading its nutritional content and appearance and will eventually make it unfit for consumption. Artificial lighting and sunlight can create serious problems for your food storage.

High intensity lighting can expose both perishable foods and packaged foods to increased heat and radiation from infrared and ultraviolet rays that cause discoloration, surface fading and spoilage.

Perishable Food Items

Fruits and vegetables should be stored in a cool, dark place, away from the adverse effects of light. They are extremely susceptible to the effects of light. Light from both natural and artificial sources accelerates the ripening process of fruits and vegetables. This can cause fruits and vegetables to ripen more quickly which will cause them to decay and rot before they can be eaten.

Packaged Food Items

Direct sunlight is also very detrimental to packaged foods. It can speed the deterioration of both the food and its packaging. The heat from sunlight can also speed the deterioration of nutrients, such as fat soluble vitamins. It is always best to store foods away from excessive sunlight or other high intensity lighting.

Tips to Avoid Excessive Light

1.) Store your food items in a cool, dark place away from light sources.

2.) Use opaque food containers to limit the effects of natural or artificial light on your food storage items whenever possible.

3.) Keep the light in your pantry turned off when not needed.

4.) Cover any windows to block out excessive sunlight in food storage areas.

The detrimental effects of artificial and natural light on your food storage items are easily avoided with a few simple actions on your part.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone

2009-11-25T20:18:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, America. May we always have much to be grateful for.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy III

On Preppers and Sheeple

2009-11-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the long absence, Folks. Aside from the day-to-day routine, head problems have been wreaking havoc with sounding alarm and prepping.

To whit...

We're all painfully aware of what's been happening in our country and around the world. There's not a person in America who isn't aware of what's happening on the political front, with the monetary system (even I, who knows nothing about money and banking and stock is aware of it), and the climate situation. And here has been a lot of my problem.

Everyone has been aware of what's going on. If not, how do we account for the tremendous leap in firearms and ammunition sales, for the dearth of MRE and dehydrated food supplies? How do we account for the humongous numbers of unemployed among us- even in the Prepper community? How do we account for the numbers of 'new' people who've been flocking to preparedness sites?

Yet in daily talks with people, there's no real alarm to speak of.

I've talked with people-- gently, so as not to come on too strongly about "you're all gonna starve to death" (or freeze or be mugged or eaten... or worse)-- yet the words fall on deaf ears. People just do not want to believe this kind of thing can happen in America! They just don't want to see it at all.

And it's created a temperament in me that says, "Screw them!"

Even family members have taken to (or still) ridicule me, and undoubtedly other preppers they know and it's taking its toll on my noggin.

So what's to be done about it? How do we convince them?

We don't.

It'd be easier converting an atheist to Christianity. Speaking of Christians, it's just as difficult to show them as well, They don't see what God is doing (which might show how strongly they believe?) or they come up with, "God won't let me starve (or die or whatever)." They're not seeing God is giving them the warning to prepare, as the old saw about God sending a boat, a Coast Guard crew and helicopter to rescue the stranded flood victim who turns all offers down because he's waiting for God to save him. And God says, "I sent you three opportunities."

Well, IMO God has given them the life boat, they're refusing to get on because they don't see Jesus walking on the water.

It's difficult to try rescuing someone who's thrashing about and pulling you under as well and I've about given up trying. No clubbing them on the jaw or over the head with a two-by-four or tossing them a rope. They'll just have to learn to swim and do it quickly.

Survival blogs are full of queries about, "How do I convince an unbelieving spouse?" Or friend or whatever... and responses are always to "go easy, don't frighten them, prep them on the sly until they get on board." Honestly, there is no easy answer, for sure, and maybe no answer at all until they see it happen, feel the hunger and smell the blood coming from their wounds.

None of us wants to see such happen to someone we love or know, if even to those we dislike, but it's a hard fact we have to face. We can lead the horse to water but we can't make it drink.

Negatives. Right. Negative thinking never got the floor swept, and is a hard mind-set to get out of. Still, have to try. Thank you for your patience and help.

Now...

Get that BOB loaded and carry it with you everywhere.

Now for some serious questions about how we're thinking in these days of growing danger. Let's get our mind-set right. (According to the Book of Survival, anyway.)

What are you thinking about your CCW situation? Are you not carrying because you don't have the permit? Are you not carrying a knife because it could cut someone? Are you afraid of being thought loony (hey- we live in Minnesota, we're all loony!) for carrying an umbrella (with concealed sword) because it isn't raining? Are you thinking you'll not be bothered by the punk gang member because you don't look like a victim? Are you thinking you look like an oddball carrying a BOB-backpack over the shoulder of your three-piece Gucci suit? (Does Gucci make suits?)

It's time to start thinking beyond the preps and thinking survival, of how far will I go to protect myself and loved ones? Just what will I do in a particular situation?

The next few posts from me (RW- keep it up, you're so good I love it and read you all the time, too!) I'm going to be letting you in on how I think in my preparations for keeping my carcass in one piece in nasty situations. Not that I'm an expert in it, 'cuz I ain't, but I'm certainly going to show you I usually think outside the box in that regard. If not outside the box, certainly outside the norm.

Of course, I am also assuming we've all done the basics: got the BOB ready, the arms cache filled to capacity, the car/truck/camper/boat (thanks RW) topped off and ready to roll.

We're going outside the house into the coming world where there are bad guys who really want to kill you. You know this because they've told you so. It's a world filled with distrust of every person you see, paranoia and confusion, riots and muggings and rapes and gang warfare. It's a world where even the big dogs walk softly and angels have better sense than to tread.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy III

Bug Out Boat - Living on a Houseboat

2009-11-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

The purpose of a houseboat is similar to any other type of shelter located on land. It still serves the same basic purpose of providing us with a safe place to live, sleep, store our food and water and furnish us with a place to keep our personal belongings. Living aboard a houseboat would be a vastly different experience from any that most people have encountered in their lifetimes.

At its most basic level, a common houseboat offers extremely modest amounts of living space even when compared to small apartments. Unless they are state-of-the-art, which can be very expensive, they won't have many of the same conveniences that a house on land might. The major drawback would probably be the limited amounts of storage space that would be available and the necessity of having a large stream, river or lake available for your houseboat. You would have the advantage of a readily available source of fresh water, if on a fresh water stream or lake, requiring only treatment and purification, along with a high protein food supply in the form of fish, etc. Plus putting into shore would also give you the option to do a little hunting on land to supplement your food reserves.

The names of the spaces in a houseboat are different but their basic use is the same as a home located on land. Here are some of the basic areas in a houseboat:

Berth: The bed.
Stateroom: The bedroom.
Galley: The kitchen.
Head: The bathroom.
Cabin: A common living area or room where passengers get together.
Bridge: The place where the boat is steered (the helm is the specific steering station).
Navigation Room: This is the place where navigation equipment is located. This is where the houseboat's radio for communications, navigation charts, GPS, and other instruments will be located.

Everyone's needs are different, but the above rooms are the same kind that can be found in most homes. This is pretty much the same whether or not they're on land or floating on the water. The navigation station and equipment are necessary additions that would be required in houseboats since they have the capability to move about on the water and you would need some way to determine your position. It would also enable you to be ready for emergencies.

Non-cruising houseboats are similar to homes on land in that they're simply hooked up to a direct source of water and sewage treatment. An external hose brings in water from any fresh water system available directly onto the boat. A separate sewage line will suck sewage directly from the houseboat's head (bathroom) away from its location in the same fashion a regular house.

If the houseboat is of the cruising variety, additions commonly include a water tank for drinking, showering and washing. There would be a separate holding tank for waste. This would be similar to an RV in many respects. A head can either be electric, similar to a regular house, or a manual type. There are also several different options for disposing of waste on a houseboat. Some of the systems treat the waste and are then allowed to pump it off of the boat, while other systems incinerate the sewage into ash which can then be legally disposed of into the water.

Power could be provided in several different ways. Alternate sources, such as propane, kerosene, or diesel, could also be used but would require a greater amount of dependence on oil products that may not be readily available. A stationary (non-cruising) houseboat could also be directly hooked up to utilities located on land or at a marina. Cruising houseboats might use generators or solar power with rechargeable batteries. A separate battery source would be needed for the engine. Additional equipment would be required, such as amperage and voltage meters, to monitor the amount of electrical power that is being used or would be available during trips. Refrigeration, running and heating water, flushing toilets, using lights or watching television will use power. Being stranded without power or electricity could cause you some problems.

While considering your options for a retreat location, you might want to consider living on a houseboat. Rental fees at a marina could be expensive or you might just purchase a small lot onshore to give you a place to “park” your houseboat, or merely lease the right to tie up at someone else’s place for a modest fee. You would probably need to be well organized due to limited space and have a location where a lake or river would make it feasible. And if you’re really handy, you might want to build your own!

Houseboats were also used by many people during the Great Depression after they had lost their regular homes. Read a brief story about this here: http://www.seattlefloatinghomes.org/about/history

Living on a houseboat would be a great way of bugging out if needed.

You can read an update here: Boat Living Revisited

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Controlling Cottonmouths and Copperheads - # 9 Shotshells for Your .38 Special / .357 Magnum Pistol

2009-11-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

You can add a little more versatility to your .38 Special / .357 Magnum handguns by shooting #9 shotshells. This is a good option for close shots at snakes, varmints and other pests where the possibility of a shoot through could be a danger to others in the area.

CCI / Speer makes more handgun shotshell ammunition than any other manufacturer. This is a good choice for close range pest control. The cases are aluminum and not intended to be re-loadable (the cases are head stamped NR). They come in a hard pack of 10 rounds of # 9 shot (1/4 inch) with a pellet count of approximately135.

I use this load in my Smith & Wesson Model 65 Revolver. It’s a great little round for my revolver and will take out the occasional copperhead or cottonmouth and other small pests around my property. I’ve got a lot of field rats around my property in the country and they are really destructive little critters, so I try to be prepared with a few rounds to keep those nasty rats out of the shed. This ammo works great from my revolver out to distances of about 10 yards, which is about the maximum range for # 9 shotshells. Most of the time the actual distance is only about 10 to 15 feet.

This round is excellent and very useful for killing snakes which can always be a threat when out in the sticks. You need to be pretty close to achieve maximum effectiveness for this round, but it sure beats having to go at that copperhead with a shovel or a hoe, which have awfully short handles when dealing with a large snake! This makes my S&W .38 Special / .357 Magnum revolver a good tool for use around the property or while on a fishing trip in the country.

Be sure and pattern test the rounds for your particular pistol, as the rate of twist makes a huge difference. In S&W revolvers with 18"rifling, these shotshells at distances of about 10 to 12 feet will cleanly kill a snake shot in the head, but in faster twists they will only wound it and a second kill shot may be required. You might want to keep a couple of speed loaders handy with regular .38 Special or .357 Magnum rounds handy in case you run across something a little bigger.

Around my part of the woods this round is usually called “rat shot” because that is its main use. Eliminating rat problems will keep the snake population down, as you eliminate a primary food source of the snakes.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Food Storage Items - Powdered Milk

2009-11-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Milk is a combination consisting of fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, carbohydrates and water. Milk is a highly nutritious food. It is also used as an ingredient in many recipes. Milk is often difficult to transport or store in its liquid form due to the weight and its highly perishable nature. Storing powdered milk is a better option.

Powdered milk contributes nutritionally and economically to a wide variety of food recipes including baked goods, reconstituted milk, nutritional beverages such as cocoa and other prepared foods.

Powdered milk products have an extended shelf life. By removing the majority of the water, liquid milk is transformed into a shelf stable dry powder with a shelf life of 12 to 18 months. The maximum shelf life of liquid milk is only about 18 days when kept refrigerated.

Approximately 10% of the world's powdered milk is manufactured in the United States.
This makes the United States one of the largest powdered milk producers in the world.

Approximately 60% of the powdered milk produced in the United States is actually used within the United States. Many food manufacturers depend on powdered milk when formulating their food products. The other 40% is exported to other countries.

Advantages of Powdered Milk

1.) Powdered milk requires significantly less storage space than liquid milk.

2.) It does not require refrigeration.

3.) It retains a high level quality during its 12- to 18-month shelf life

4.) Its cost is very economical.

5.) It can be used in an emergency or crisis situation when fresh milk may be unavailable.

6.) It is easily used as an ingredient in a wide variety of foods and beverages.

Powdered milk can also be stored in your freezer. This will extend its shelf life for an even longer period of time.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Food Storage Tips - Preventing Corrosion of Canned Goods

2009-11-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Many areas have difficulty storing metal canned goods for long periods of time. This is usually caused by very high humidity levels, exposure to moist, salty air in a coastal environment or storage in basements or cellars with high humidity. If this is a problem, it is possible to extend the life of metal cans by coating the outsides of the cans. There are several different ways in which this can be accomplished.

Paste Wax Method

Combine 2 to 3 ozs. of paste wax with a quart of mineral spirits. Warm the mixture carefully in its container by immersing it in a large pot of hot water. Stir the wax and mineral spirits thoroughly until it is well mixed and completely dissolved. Paint the cans with a brush making sure to coat all seams and joints. Place the cans on a wire rack until dry. DO NOT HEAT OVER AN OPEN FLAME!

Paraffin Method

Using a double boiler, paraffin is melted and brushed onto clean, rust free cans. Make sure to get a good coat on all the seams and joints. If the can is small enough, it can be dipped directly into the wax. Be careful so as not to cause the labels to separate from the cans. Do not leave in long enough for the can to get warm. Afterwards, place on a rack to dry.

Spray Silicone Method

A light coating of ordinary spray silicone may be also used to deter rust. Spray lightly, allow to dry, and then wipe gently with a clean cloth to remove excess silicone.

Clear Coating Method

A clear type coating may also be sprayed or brushed on the seams and joints of the cans. This is best suited for larger re-sealable cans, but it will keep your canned goods protected from corrosion for years.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Foods - Health Benefits of Turkey

2009-11-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy of Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Turkey is an extremely good source of protein. A four ounce serving of turkey provides 65% of the daily protein needed by our bodies. It also provides approximately 12 % of our daily requirements for saturated fat. This is less than half the amount of saturated fat found in red meat.

Turkey is also a very good source of the trace mineral known as selenium. Selenium is very important to our health. It is an essential component of several major metabolic systems in our bodies. Just four ounces of turkey provide 47% of the daily amount of selenium needed for good nutrition.

Turkey is also a good source of two other important nutrients. This is the B vitamin known as niacin and vitamin B6. These two B vitamins are important for energy production by our bodies. In addition to its DNA actions, niacin is essential for the conversion of the body's proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy.

Vitamin B6 is essential for the body's processing of carbohydrates (sugar and starch), especially the breakdown of glycogen. This is the form in which sugar is stored in muscle cells. Four-ounces of turkey supplies 27% of your daily needs for vitamin B6.

Get healthy! Eat more turkey! You can grow your own or hunt them in the wild!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Cold Weather Rule in Effect

2009-10-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

From: rep.ron.shimanski@house.leg.state.mn.us
To: rep_ron_shimanski_list@ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us
Sent: 10/14/2009 3:10:55 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Representative Shimanski's October 14th Email Update
Dear Neighbor:

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule takes effect tomorrow (Thursday, Oct.
15). It protects residential utility customers from having their heat
shut off through April 15, provided they contact their utility to set up
a payment plan. Those who are having trouble paying their heating bills
are advised to contact their local utility company right away.

Here are some energy-saving tips from the Minnesota Department of
Commerce Energy Information Center. Some of these minor things can save
you money this winter. The recommendations include:

● Sealing attic bypasses. The Attic Bypass Guide from the Energy
Information Center will help you locate and fix leaks inside your home
that allow heated air to escape into the attic.
● Turning down your thermostat to 65 degrees while at home and 55
to 60 degrees when away or asleep.
● Replacing your old furnace with a new, efficient model. Look for
the ENERGY STAR label on all new appliances.
● Replacing or clean furnace filters monthly during the heating
season.
● Placing window film on the interior of the leakiest windows in
your home.
● Calling your utility about having a home energy audit and ask
about a budget plan to spread out your heating costs over several
months.
● Keeping radiators and duct registers clean.
● Calling, write or email for our Low Cost-No Cost Home Energy
Guides that contain many ways to help control energy costs all year
long.

Log on to www.staywarm.mn.gov for details about heating assistance
grants, gas and electric discount programs, weatherization help and more
energy efficiency and safety tips. You also may contact Minnesota's
Energy Info Center at (651) 296-5175 or toll free in Minnesota at (800)
657-3710.

Sincerely,
Ron

State Rep. Ron Shimanski
District 18A
227 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-1534
800-920-5882

Sign up for my legislative email update at
www.house.mn/18A

* Peak Oil and the IEA (What they don’t want you to know…)

2009-09-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Must read:
“We are facing a serious threat”

Dr. Fatih Birol, Chief-Economist of the International Energy Agency (the agency which advices OECD countries on oil, including the US) and “one of the most powerful men on earth” according to the British newspaper, The Guardian[1] has lately attracted extensive media attention.

Indeed, in a recent interview to the British newspaper, The Independent[2], Dr. Birol was reported of saying that the world was heading for a catastrophic energy crunch that could cripple a global economic recovery.

Full article:
http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/281185-lionel-badal/26307-peak-oil-and-the-iea-what-they-dont-want-you-to-know

Farmers Markets

2009-09-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

From: rep.ron.shimanski@house.leg.state.mn.us
To: rep_ron_shimanski_list@ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us
Sent: 9/2/2009 10:02:58 A.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Representative Shimanski's September 2nd Update

Dear Friends:

This is prime season for our area farmers markets and a growing number
of people look to buy their fruits and vegetables locally. Farmers
markets allow customers to pick produce at the peak of flavor and
preserve the freshness and nutritional value.

The markets also stimulate the local economy by providing area family
farmers with a larger share of each dollar spent than other retailers.
I am the owner/operator of an apple orchard and know first-hand how much
area farmers appreciate your support.

The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture puts out a Minnesota Grown directory
each year. You can obtain a free copy at the McLeod County Extension
Service office in Hutchinson, 840 Century Ave. S.W. You also may order
a directory by calling (651) 201-6000 or by logging on to
www3.mda.state.mn.us/mngrown. The Web site includes information like a
what is-in-season chart.

Local farmers markets will close in October. Here is where you can
find public markets in the area:

Glencoe Farmers Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 8 to 11 a.m.
Saturdays through Oct. 3; 1107 11th St. More information is at
www.glencoechamber.com.

Hutchinson Farmers Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to noon
Saturdays through October; parking lot of VFW service club, 247 First
Ave. S.E.

Silver Lake Farmers Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays until mid-October;
State Hwy. 7.

Winsted Farmers Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays ending in October; 211
McLeod Ave.

Also, many supermarkets carry local products and you can look for the
“Minnesota Grown” label if you are unable to visit a farmers
market.

Enjoy the season,
Ron

State Rep. Ron Shimanski
District 18A
227 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-1534
800-920-5882

Sign up for my legislative email update at
www.house.mn/18A

Summer hours...

2009-08-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

With summer nearly gone, the seasonal chores near completion, it's time to get posting again. Of course, busy as it's been, there haven't been any wondrous ideas popping into my noodle about witty, informative subjects. Still, something is going to awaken my slumbering braincells and it'll find its way to these pages.

Until then, please note the letters added, requests for compatriots, information and lots more blogging.

OpSec is a major part of prepping, so be sure to keep a low profile and meet any and all unknown people in open air/public places rather than homes or Bug Out sites until you get to know each other, of course. Don't be quick to give out your real name or address, phone number(s) or vehicle ID. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to have a $10 disposable phone that has not been registered to your home phone/address for such circumstances as meeting new folks.

Which brings up a quick post idea: Operational Security. Being secure in our persons and domiciles is what prepping is about. Know who/m you can trust- even among family members there are those who have neither need to know nor any desire to know. (In my case, there are some I wish I didn't know! OK- just kidding. I love all my family. Umm...err...well...)

A sad state is befalling our country and countrymen in that we are being asked by the person supposedly in charge to spy and 'rat' upon our fellow citizens. Even more sad is that there are those who take this kind of spy game seriously and are not only willing to turn in others who don't believe as they do, but are glad to do so. Some are probably turning in people they just don't like, let alone if they are deserving of any recognition as being 'traitorous' to our beautiful country.

In closing: let your common sense be your guide, be cautious about with whom you speak, what you speak about, and where you speak. Also, be friendly with all you meet. We each have enough enemies that we don't need to antagonize others and create more problems for ourselves.

Bless God, God bless,

Shy III

Letters...Seeking Preppers

2009-08-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

From: srvhim4life@msn.com
To: MinnesotaPrepper@aol.com
Sent: 8/18/2009 1:29:28 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: interested in meeting other twincities preppers

Hello, after reading "Just In Case" we started prepping for emergency situations about 4 months ago. The author of "Just In Case" suggested we join our state "preppers" so we can grow in knowledge and substance. We would love to know if there are any preppers in the st paul area and how we can get in contact with them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Ed and Kim

***************************************************************************

From: kurnet1@msn.com
To: minnesotaprepper@aol.com
Sent: 6/8/2009 12:18:16 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Inquiry

Hi - the wife and I have been growing increasingly concerned about the state of the country and have begun putting together bug-out kits and have started storing some water, food, short term survival equipment, firearms etc. We have enough supplies for a short duration but if things really blow up we'd like to be better prepared. Can you tell me a little more about your organization? It would be nice to network with like-minded folks and brainstorm about being better prepared.

Thanks, Kurt

*********************************************************************************

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Teawhisk@msn.com
To: MinnesotaPrepper@aol.com
Sent: 7/15/2009 12:44:02 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Gardens & Mr Nagant

Good Morning!
A little input from a long time survival gardener. Thought over 50 years experience could help. I grew up the eldest of 12 children & never ate a vegetable that we did not grow & preserve until I went off to college. Mom put up close to 3,500 jars a year.
Kale &/or other Cole crops often are attacked by the little green cabbage worms. A good thing to deal with them is to use un-slaked lime dusted on them after a rain or watering. The lime is none lethal & washes off easily. A 25 lb bag is pretty cheap & with an inexpensive duster can save a crop. It's a sure part of my long term plans as I've seen what these little devils can do to a garden patch. The butterfly stage is the small white moth that you see flitting about your Cole crops (cabbages, broccoli ect.)

If you're not squeamish, a little used kitty litter sprinkled on the garden edges helps ward off bunnies & squirels. They don't like the predator scent. I personally used the air rifle or my long bow. I took the precaution of clearing this with my neighbors who whole heartedly encouraged me. Bunnies have been eating everything in my neighborhood except for the thugs. I wonder if I could encourage them in the thug-o-phage direction?

Just on the east end of Barron Wisconsin is a sign pointing north to a Mennonite store that sells bulk foods. I buy 50lb sacks of hard red winter wheat there for pretty cheap. They also have an incredible supply of bulk food stuffs including some magnificent cheese!!! It's worth the trip. We pack a lunch and visit friends in Cameron. The stop is interesting as they also sell crafts. They're very nice folks too which is a welcome bonus. Nothing beats a loaf of sourdough made with fresh ground wheat. The smell seems to bring visitors though one or more of my brothers seems to show up after we pull a loaf from the oven.

Fleet Farm has a supply of Swedish Military surplus laundry bags with brass grommets for a closure cord. They're heavy duty OD canvas & cost the princely sum of $2.99. I use them for clothing for our Bug Out Kits (GOOD Get out of Dodge) & for a rope bag. Paracord & a couple of hanks of 3/8" & 1/2" rope is an always useful idea & the bags keep them organized & available. Throw in a couple of 'biners & a figure 8 descended & you're good to go.

Mr. Nagant can be a good rifle as it is easily maintainable in the field. Check to make sure that the barrel is not blown out and put together a cleaning & maintenance kit. You can find parts on line & don't need a lot other than a couple of bits & cleaning supplies. I usually suggest a 12 ga for most folks as they are easier to get, relatively cheap & easy to maintain and the shells are easy to come by & are available in loads that range from defense (00 Buck Shot & Slugs) to light hunting loads (low base 8 shot). The Mossberg 500 series is a good bet. Get the synthetic stock & a sling as well with a field cleaning kit & you are loaded for anything short of a T Rex. That being said, the Nagant is a good choice though ammunition may be difficult to come by in the long run & it takes a lot of regular long term practice (which can be fun in itself) to get & stay competent with it. I'd love to have one as a back up on the farm & probably will grab one asap.

My wife & I have just bought 8 acres with a 100 year old farm house about 45 miles south of St Paul. For years I've prepared for survival evasion & escape from an urban environment. Now we have a place to go & a place to stand.

I'm a new reader who only just discovered this blog ....I'm enthused! I've been around a long time & there's a lot of stuff I know & can do. My nature is to share as I'm by inclination a teacher. I taught martial arts for over 30 years. I'd be happy to contribute as I am able though I'm kind of a "word duffer" I'll do my best if you would like.

Regards, Teawhisk

time to get posting!

2009-07-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I think we need to make this blog work... what happened to everyone's enthusiasm?

On my end of things, my garden is doing OK. It's about 15 feet by 30 feet, and I am growing tomatoes, corn, squash (winter and zucchini), radishes, pumpkins, lettuce, beans, peas, peppers, and kale.

Something has been nibbling at the kale big-time, but my friend and fellow prepper suggested that birds might be the culprit, so I have covered the kale with some wire fencing.

I'll post some garden photos, soon...
While visiting my sister down south of here, we stopped at a farmer feed store, and bought their last 50 pound bags of wheat berries - the same stuff that farmers actually plant in the spring. It's edible, because it has not been treated.

As far as technical preps, I've acquired paracord, a grain grinder by Retsel (vintage) that grinds using stones, a flip-out blade knife, books on edible plants, and more. Including a new Russian friend of the portable variety that will be able to confront attackers with doses of high-velocity reality. His first name is Nagant, and last name is M1895.

I have also had training in the use of said friend, and will soon be able to legally take him around with me.

What else? Things look like they are getting far worse on the economic front: my brother, whose middle name has been denial, is now officially worried about the economy, because he didn't make his sales quota last month. For the first time. Late last fall, I remember him telling me that anyone who was jobless was just too lazy to work. I guess he couldn't admit reality until it started to affect him. My uncle has also lost his job, and my sister-in-law out in California has been told that her catering job will be ending, as the company is closing down.

All in all, wouldn't you say you should be prepping?

Preserving food - article from the New York Times!

2009-05-27T06:30:00.001-07:00

It's not often I would end up posting an article from the New York Times here, but they do a good job of making canning and preserving food seem like a fun and tasty thing to do. Excerpt below, click for link:

FOR Eugenia Bone, opening the kitchen cupboard in her SoHo apartment is like dipping into a favorite TV show. “The jars are like characters, with story lines that I remember,” she said recently, scrabbling around in search of a jar of yellowfin tuna preserved in olive oil and salt. “Seeing them brings back the farm where I bought that case of artichokes, or the day we picked all those cherries.”

gardens

2009-05-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I suppose everyone is too busy with their gardens to do any posting, right?
Here in the city, I've finally cleared my somewhat large (for a city) garden plot. It's at a friend's yard, a 10 minute bike ride away.

My only slight worry is that, if things get bad late this summer, I'll have garden raiders to worry about... of the human kind. The furry kind I will deal with using fencing if necessary. I'd like to pop a few rabbits with my new Beeman dual caliber (.177 & .22) air rifle, but I doubt that the friend who is leasing me her yard would approve. We'll see.

I also need to try to bribe her into give me a bit more yardage, because I want to grow some corn. I am also going to try the "secret patriot garden" idea from Big John... I live near the river, and there are plenty of areas that seem out of the way. The problem, though, will be lack of sunlight.

That's all. Let's get some interesting gardening articles on here!

Lay Aside Fear

2009-04-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a week now since all the MSM began its hullabaloo about everyone dying from Swine Flu as the epidemic sweeps the globe to become a pandemic. The first case, it is thought, was with a five year old boy from Mexico in a Houston hospital. Since then, everyone with a radio or tv has been inundated with fear mongering and tales of Woe-Be-We as we succumb to illness.

OK, enough spreading half-truths and lies.

Until yesterday, there had been no recorded or confirmed cases in Minnesota. An elementary child in Cold Spring, MN, has been confirmed to be with the disease. Due to this, both schools in the area have been closed for a week: happy kids getting some extra days off to have fun rather than be brainwashed by liberal teachers.

Enough is enough.

Not being an expert in any field resembling medicine, I won't make prognostications or pretend to tell anyone how to avoid it. But I will, as an American, make a few observations that are strictly my opinion.

First, being a bit more industrious about our personal cleanliness will go a long way to avoiding this or any other disease. Just don't get over zealous and rush to the ER when one of the kids sneezes or says they have a tummy ache.

Second, don't work yourself into a tizzy worrying about this bomb being pushed by dotGov MSM. Thus far, for this pandemic, there have been fewer instances of this flu than any other kind of yearly flu bug, let alone the numbers of deaths due to Swine Flu. With that in mind, I am leery of any kind of programs or 'cures' put out by our Illustrious Uncle.

A reason for that is understanding, from past incidents of flu alerts, is that there are a hundred, or more, variants of influenza virus. Each year governments and medical laboratories create a few drugs for just a few of them, based on estimates of what variant will be predominant that year. So never are we certain we will be getting inoculated against the virus coming down the pike, we just hope we are. Too, influenza virus mutate so readily that even if the proper dose is given, by the time the bug gets to an individual, it may've changed form and become resistant to the drug.

Last bit of advice from here: keep an eye on the virus by using the links on the upper right of the screen, but don't become overwhelmed with concern. Be a bit more cautious than usual, follow directions from your medical professional, but again don't be swept into blindly accepting everything as Gospel or good for you just because Uncle says you should.

And for Pete's sake, wash your hands after changing diapers, going to the bathroom, handling critter messes, cleaning the barn, chopping meat, plucking chickens...dadada. And don't worry- God's in control.

Shy III

Please watch this video on the World Trade Center disaster

2009-04-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

I won't even comment on this video. You can draw your own conclusions. The Danish scientist being interviewed is a legitimate, respected scientist - I checked.

***Note: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no information on 9/11 can be trusted anymore. This is likely to be disinformation, just like everything else.

American Prepper on Radio

2009-04-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tom, originator of American Preppers Network, has been invited to be on "Restore the Republic" radio, with Pioneer Living, who is also a contributor to Oklahoma Preppers Network

04/18/2009 New Show
On "Pioneering Your Way To Freedom" with John Milandred, at 5pm ET.
This show is dedicated to educating as many people as possible the Lost/Forgotten Art of Basic Human Survival and Getting Back To Basics
Special Guests: Tom Martin of American Preppers Network
at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on RTR Radio
http://www.restoretherepublicradio.com/?quiet=1

Please be sure to tune in, and email others, this show will be tomorrow evening. We can rest assured Tom will have tons to say about prepping, preppers, and patriotism. Bound to be a fun program.

In 'other news', spring is finally making an appearance and life has been busy, busy, busy getting ready for summer. Yard work never ends, and the garden must go in.

The Duluth Tea Party was a blast- a wonderful, pleasant surprise with the numbers of people who showed up, flags, banners and placards galore. Some estimated the number to be upwards of one thousand, my estimate was closer to four hundred- but let's go with the higher amount just because it's more fun.

My spirit was certainly lifted at sight of so many people who feel the same as I about the direction the country is going. Reckon I'm not the Lone Ranger I thought I was (color me surprised and tickled pink!).

Shy III

Minnesota Tea Parties

2009-04-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Come one and all to your local Minnesota Tea Party Event!

The following is a list of CONFIRMED Tea Party Tax Revolts planned within the state of Minnesota. Please note that we ONLY list events happening on April 15th.
————-
City: Duluth
When: April 15, 12:15pm
Where:March and Rally - Harbor Drive (Behind the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center)
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group:Coming Soon
————-

City: Fairmont, MN
When: April 15, 5 p.m. to ?
Where: 201 Lake Ave, Martin County Courthouse front steps
Contact: EMAIL
Phone: 507-238-2309
Other Info: Bring friends and signs

————-
City:Mille County (Milaca & Princeton)
When: April 15, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: 145 Central Ave. S (City Museum and surrounding block)
Contact: EMAIL or EMAIL
Phone:320.983.5111
Other Info: Group will be invited to join the Twin Cities Tea Party in St. Paul from 5-8pm!
Facebook Group:Coming Soon

————-
City: Rochester
When: April 15, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Where: East Side of Silver Lake, 840 7 St NE
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group: Click Here

————-
City: St. Cloud
When: April 15, Noon
Where: St. Cloud Public Library
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group:

————-
City: St. Paul ~ Twin Cities
When: April 15, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Where: Minnesota State Capitol
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info: http://teapartymn.com/
Facebook Group: CLICK HERE

————-
City: Willmar
When: April 15, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Where: 1101 First St South
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group: Coming Soon!

Have an event planned for Minnesota? Email Amy and let us know!

For further information, go here: Tax Day Tea Party » Minnesota

The above link will bring you to a site that lists each state's planned parties.

As Americans, we have a solemn duty to our country and its Constitution, its Founders and our children, grandchildren, and ourselves. If you are concerned for any of them, feel obligated to defend them all in any way possible.

We do not want and are not looking for any armed resistance to get our country back on its Constitutional track. Let us follow any means we can to avoid conflict now and in the future.

Protest loudly, protest peaceably, protest with dignity.

Some parties are suggesting 'period' dress- such as worn by the original protesters in Boston. Use your imagination. All parties are asking for each person to bring a camera, video and still.

Perhaps some will decide to include a 'tail gate' party and barbecue as well: use your imagination to make this not only a memorable, but effective, event. Use the event to make new friends, contacts and have some fun in a serious way.

Prep on.

Shy III

Important UPDATES for all preppers!!

2009-04-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

We need to get more organized. Please visit American Preppers Network for just a moment.
Thanks, Tom
p.s. the moderator of this site has my permission to remove this short post as soon as he/she feels everyone has gotten this message. It's not normally my practice to post on other prepper sites, but we need to get more organized and I'm beginning to get overwhelmed with work to do, we need more help.

Group Think

2009-04-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

There's a really good debate going on at Oklahoma Preppers about governing within survival groups, and what kind of people will hope to become part of a group. Lots of food for thought and here is some of my thinking on the subject and a request for others' thoughts on this important topic.
One aspect of prepping is the 'common group-think' that is certainly going to arise when people form survival groups, communes, or whatever. Each of these groups will need some form of leadership, whether it be parental as in a family unit, a mayor as in a community, or a chieftain as in tribal units. In selecting the people to join 'our' group, we will invariably select people who think much as we do and there-in is the group-think dilemma.
Leadership of each group will have different ideas of what makes a community, how it should be legislated or ruled. IMO, since many do not read the Constitution as it is written, let alone believe it, nor does everyone believe in the God of the Bible as being the Ultimate Authority in all situations, there will be many ideas of government. Socialism, as in the old hippy days communes, is going to become prevalent in many of the groups. Democracy will dominate some groups. Some groups will form as Muslim under Shariah Law. Some will form under pre-Saul Biblical tribes with a single leader and legal system. Sad to say, whatever the idea, there will be some who agree with it and will gather under that flag. Not all will have "American Constitutional" goals or desires.

My opinion is that the family structure group will be the most harmonious- at least until the kids decide to rebel (as they invariably do). Still, thought patterns will be common even with the kids and they just may "want their own room" rather than to leave the "tribe". In that case, the group will grow into a tribe. What form of government these tribes utilize will probably be consistent throughout the various family groups, which is a good thing. Of course, strangers who come into this type of group will, hopefully, agree to the current form of rule, especially new-found 'mates' even from other/outside units will agree to local rule and custom.

It's when groups of tribes form within geographical areas the problems arise: which form of government do they choose? Now we get statesmen/women who need selection from the various tribes and negotiate between tribes and resulting in some form of government entity. And we're right back to where we started: forming constitutions/laws for the better of all parties. Without rules, there could be no barter/trade between rival groups, for sure: who will decide disputes that invariably arise? Which tribe has the final say? Will outside groups concur? Hello politicians!

But what happens when one of these tribal units is a Christ believing unit and the others are atheistic/agnostic/pantheistic/Shariah, etc? Which side gets the largest share of control?

Or what if one group is socialist in its beliefs: share and share alike regardless how hard one person works compared to the next?

How we choose who will define our survival communities is going to entail more than "just accepting requests" from people who learn about our goals. Knowing their beliefs will be paramount, their willingness to follow the ruling of the group leader, whether it be an elder "prepper parent", a group minister (and he'd better be walking in the Spirit of God and not the flesh), or even one "elected" leader from those forming the group. Just what are the requirements each new member is to bring to the table?

What say you on this gestalt dilemma?

Prep on-

Shy III

Prepping From Scratch: Bread and Noodles

2009-03-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Putting bread on the table and noodles in your bowl is a pleasure. Doing it from scratch makes it even better. My kids (two, ages four and under) are always curious about what I'm doing when I'm baking bread. I grind the flour using the "Family Grain Mill" with the manual attachment. My son, who is four, likes to crank on it himself but he loses interest quickly. He seems to enjoy the ritual. My daughter just points at the bowl and smiles. She loves the bread when it's fresh out of the oven so seems to look forward to the results.

Of course, bread is more than flour, water, and yeast.

Salt. Try making it without salt. It won't be wasted. You can spread butter over it and shake salt on that. Or you can make french toast from it. It is of course rather flavorless. In general the ratio is 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour. But you should experiment to see what you like. Taste the raw dough to get it right. Also note that some say to add the salt after the first rise to keep it from challenging the yeast. I don't bother with this, but it might be worth trying.
Sugar or Honey. I use about a third of a cup in wheat bread that has 6 cups of flour. Of course this is not necessary in every dough, but I recommend it. It's not just about flavor. Honey and molasses add aroma. But sugar also helps the bread brown. Molasses can be used as well.
Milk products. This includes milk and butter but can also include buttermilk and cream. Butter makes a loaf tender and less chewy. It will also help with the browning of the loaf. The same is true of milk. I keep powdered milk in the dry storage both to keep the kids happy and to substitute for raw milk in recipes. I haven't yet used it for cooking, but there will be time to try that later.
Oil. This can be used like butter. Though it will not have the same browning properties, it will make the bread more tender. Olive oil is a luxurious choice, but vegetable oil or rendered fat can work too and will add a nice savory touch to a bread roll.
Yeast. I buy bricks of dry active yeast. It's vacuum packed and has a long shelf life. Even so, it will be a good idea to get into the practice of using sour dough starters. If you don't have yeast (say you run out), create a starter by leaving a few cups of sticky flour and water mix (sponge) out for 3 days. Keep a towel over it most of the time or just make sure the top isn't drying out by mixing it.
Baking soda and powder. Powder is self-activating. Soda is not. Soda is activated by acids. So if you're going to make a soda bread, use buttermilk for acidity or even add some vinegar to activate it. I generally use powder for quick breads with some soda when there is something acidic in the bread, like bananas. I use soda for bannick which appears to be the same as cowboy bread. Bannick is traditional in the Metis reservations of Canada and I learned it from my native ancestors. Of course, don't call it a reservation! It's first nation in Canada.
Stuff to toss into the sponge include seeds either cooked or raw in the case of sunflower, dried fruits including raisins and others, nuts, cooked wheat berries, etc.

Again, I don't want to go into recipes. Get a good book. I prefer what I call hippie bread cookbooks. Do yourself a favor though and look at recipes as advice, not the law. For one, flour is fussy and will vary in moisture content from week to week, season to season. But ultimately you want to have command of breadmaking. You want to know the feel of a good dough so that when the recipe says one more cup, you know to second guess and stop where you need to stop. Take notes. Write all over the recipe that gave you the ideas. Play with substitution. Cook half the batch to try it. If it didn't work out so well, break it into small balls and serve it as rolls. Too little salt? Dip the roll in salt before baking. Not brown enough? Baste with butter or milk before baking.

Of course, with your command of bread you will know how much will feed your family. Now you can do the math to figure out what supplies you need. Figure out how much you need a week for X amount of people, calculate your portions, and project into monthly supplies. Keep track of how much wheat berry it takes to do the loaf if you're grinding.

Now for the noodles. I love noodles and so does my family. My son can eat a huge bowl and ask for more. My daughter thinks they're fun to eat. I just put stock on them and serve them up. I can toss some together in minutes, including mixing, rolling, and cutting. However, adding a bit of time to let the dough rest makes them even easier to make. The kids can help with the whole process.

The basic noodle is just flour and water. You can take a high protein flour like semolina and simply mix it to the right consistency, which is a hard but pliable dough, and roll it out. The same is true of any flour though the noodle will be very fragile with a lower protein flour. My preference is egg noodles: 1 per cup of flour. But eggs could become a luxury, so I am trying out more no-egg recipes. Of course when I'm feeding my kids a big bowl of noodles, I want the eggs to be there for protein and fat. As with bread, play with the salt content. Thin noodles might not need it at all since the preparation can add that (like brine water or stock, for example). But thicker noodles might be dull without some salt.

I tend to simply cut out noodles in 1/4 inch widths and add them to soup or simple stock. Of course, you can make any shape. You can even stuff as a ravioli and bake them. I also make perogies which I stuff with cheese and potato, boil, and fry in onions. Perogies require a softer dough. I use sour cream to make the dough even softer, but you could also use a small amount of oil or go with a low protein flour and add nothing extra.

I can't think of noodles without thinking about dumplings. I think of a dumpling as a fragile noodle that I don't have to roll. I always add rendered fat or butter to make them tender and flavorful. The easiest way to make them is in the oven basted with stock, but you can drop them into stock on the range top as well. Chives in the dough is a nice touch. You can put just about anything in them. This is worth working on since it's a real nice way to stretch meat supplies (or replace them).

For more information about planning quantities try the Mormon Food Storage Calculator. Also look for a good wheat grinder and start grinding. It's worth the extra fuss if anything just for the extra flavor and vitamins.

In the next post, I'll discuss what I've called bridge items. These are luxuries we can't expect to keep a lot of and should not expect to have on hand long-term. Again, these are to keep you alive and happy while you toil to adjust (in the not-a-hobby-anymore garden for example). They will also be useful for trade and should be thought of as stored wealth, especially while they're still cheap. Just think of a tuna can as a really thick coin and you'll know what I mean.

Prepping From Scratch

2009-03-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

It has long been considered wise to keep a couple or a few of months cash on hand for when times get rough. Lately I have been hearing people suggesting 6 months is probably a better idea. Of course this is sage advice and we would do well to follow it.

Then there is the question of food supplies. Of course, as many of us live paycheck to paycheck we also live grocery trip to grocery trip. Even if we're going to a warehouse type of operation, we're still buying triple-sized Fruit Loops, cheese bricks the size of our heads, Prilosec in bottles traditionally reserved for multi-vitamins, bags of nasty heat-and-serve meatballs, or monster sized bags of boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Of course, to change to a prepping approach is not to simply buy more of this... and when the freezer runs out of room to buy another freezer. No, we need to go to a from-scratch reality.

We need to be ready to make meals from basic ingredients and we need to start now. We need to understand that the food we store now is as important or more important than saving cash. We need to think of some of our efforts now as a bridge to what we'll need to do in the future: an effort funded by what's left of the reality that is about to change drastically.

Those big warehouse stores started out serving businesses like restaurants. Smart restaurant operators make as much from scratch as they can. Of course, this costs less, increasing margins. To serve them, the warehouse stores have 50 and sometimes 100 lbs bags of flour, 25 and even 50 lbs bags of pinto beans, 5 lbs bags of yeast, etc.

Of course, we can go even more basic than this on the flour. We can buy wheat berries and a flour grinder. For this, coops are a good source. However, you will pay more than a $1 a pound for organic. Searching further will probably reduce the cost. I like to use the organics because I rotate the supplies into my weekend bread making efforts. To increase my supplies further, I may find a non-organic source.

I worked for years as a cook and have always enjoyed cooking and baking from a young age. I have enjoyed cooking from scratch long before I realized that we were heading for the crisis of a lifetime. This gives me some insight into what's needed and in what proportions.

I don't think my time here will be best spent talking about recipes. Working back from the recipes you like will allow you to do the math and figure out exactly what you will need. Some Mormon sites I have read suggest making a list of 7 days of meals that will keep your family happy, then working back from that to gauge your supplies. That seems like excellent advice and we'd do well to listen. The Mormons have been prepping for a long time now. Note that they have also suggested that supplies be worked into your daily routines. I think this can be phased in and I don't doubt you'll actually improve your lifestyle because of it.

So let's make some generalizations about the supplies we need.

Beans are easy. Calculate how much you need per day for a good storable protein source and multiply that by the number of days, weeks, years for which you are prepping. What isn't obvious are the things that will make the beans enjoyable to eat. At the very least you will need salt. Calculating 1 tablespoon per pound will give you more than you need. I have to admit, I've also started stocking chicken boullion for this. Sure it's high tech and processed, but it stores well and will make things easier for a time until you adjust to a harder, if more satisfying life.

I'll be drying vegetables this coming season for beans and soups. Don't forget that many vegetables that are being thrown away by coops and other organic stores will be excellent for drying. So in addition to growing your own vegetables, take advantage of the last days of the throw-away mentality.

For breads, we need salt and yeast in addition to the flour. Gluten is a nice processed item to have on hand to make your whole grains lighter if you're going to be grinding from berries. Sugar and honey will make things more enjoyable in desserts, etc. And this can be purchased in 50 lbs bags.

For some luxury, I buy powdered cocoa for the desserts. But I also buy canned chicken (ideally thighs since they taste better). This is a luxury item and a "bridge" item.

Fats are going to be necessary as well. Large containers of vegetable oil are available at the warehouse stores. Those are a good choice. I suggest the cheapest for quantity but also think about oils in different forms. Crisco for example will be good for frying as well as for making pies. The ideal solid fat is lard though it is hard to find in my area. I have already been in the habit, learned from my depression era grandparents, of storing rendered fat from bacon and other meats including chicken. I keep these frozen and use them for beans and dumplings.

In my next posts, I'll go into using the flour. I'll suggest a plan for what will be needed in addition to the flour. Only a few generations ago, flour was essential for expanding meals and filling hungry bellies. Bread and noodles should be a basic part of the menu for a new food reality. I'll also expand on the food as stored wealth and how to use processed foods, not intended for a long-term strategy, as luxuries that can make life easy in the transition and can even be used for trade.

Don't Tread on Me appearance

2009-03-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Looks like I"ll be appearing as a guest host on Big John Lipscomb's show tonight.
The topic of the day will be: "Will cities become death-traps?"

Should be interesting. Welcome listener's of Don't Tread on Me. This site will soon have much more information for those of you interested in self-sufficiency, preparation, freedom, and the ongoing crash of our corrupt system.

Here's some basic info on the show and how to listen:

His radio show web site:
http://www.donttreadonme.tv

How to listen online, live:
Go to the following web address (URL):
http://gcnlive.com/Listen_Live.html

Choose the "Network 1" stream. You have a choice of 4 streaming formats, including Real Audio and Mp3. Just click your choice of format. If your computer has the appropriate software installed, it should start to play automatically.

How to listen to the last show. This is just a repeating stream of the show from the previous evening.
Go to this URL:
http://gcnlive.com/Programs/DontTreadOnMe/On_Demand.html
Again, just choose your format.

How to get the Podcast version. Go here:
http://gcnlive.com/podcast/dtom/pcast.php
You will be able to choose from an extensive MP3 archive of past shows, and subscribe to the RSS feed.

How to call in to the show:
When the show is live, you may call in at this toll-free phone number:
866-582-9933

We debt serfs must plan - but what about the kings?

2009-03-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine - and the only close friend who is a fellow prepper , sent me this email today. It's short and sweet and to the point:

So the serfs will plan. But so will the kings. I have an idea that somehow at the end of this exponent function, there must be a plan for the kings to take everything from the serfs.

Maybe there is a plan from the kings and maybe it started a long time ago.

For example, perhaps home equity loans are part of this plan: Extract ownership which makes it easier to take everything. I think you can still get plastic that takes equity from your home in trade for coffee and a scone at Starbucks. 401K? Sure. Your money in a bank is guaranteed. Having liquid assets gives you a bit more power. Put it in the 401K. Then you can jostle the money out by pouring from the stock cup to the bond cup until the 401K "owner" thinks it all spilled onto the floor.

The other option would be to create an enormous calamity in order to drive people out of their homes and away from their other assets. Maybe that was on the table too. But since the kings aren't as into brutality out in the open as they used to be, they chose financial instruments of extraction.

Of course calamity is still an option if/when too many people suspect they've been had. In this scenario, you make serfs blame serfs for the result which leaves no serf with anything. This leg of the operation depends on years of chipping away at a sense of unity. You need the serfs not seeing each other as humans but as labels. Liberals hate conservatives. Conservatives hate liberals. Protesters are never legitimate whether it's a bunch of gun nuts protesting illegal immigration or a bunch of stinky hippies demanding peace. Any strong communities outside of government corporation are watched closely and in some cases dispatched (Waco). When all is said and done and people have nothing, serfs will blame each other and will not join together to go after the kings.

Then we start to pick up the pieces but only after enough people are dead (insurrection, famine, and wars) and enough assets have been freed up to be resold. Prosperity returns as the hamster wheels start turning again and we race off to the next calamity while convincing ourselves another like the last one will never again be possible.

Baby Coon Hound's Preparations...

2009-03-18T03:59:00.000-07:00

Our thanks go out to Baby Coon Hound for this post, aprising us of his preparations to date and thoughts on purchasing a SHTF vehicle. Without further ado, I present his thoughts...

PICKING A VEHICLE, AND OTHER PREPS

I'm a pretty new prepper, having just got started in the last couple of
months. I've gotten some LTS food, bought a full array of non-hybrid
seed, made plans to install a wood stove in the house, stashed about 50
gallons of gasoline that I rotate, beefed up our medical supplies,
thought about and discarded (after careful thought) moving to an even
more remote location (we're currently two miles out of a small town in
outstate MN) but decided against it because we've got a great house for
sitting tight and inviting some important friends and family to stay in
case TSHTF before we're really ready.

I had a prepper mindset before I "officially" became a prepper. By that
I mean that for about 13 years I was a professional geek in the cities.
I made good money, I lived in a nice house, and had I wished it I could
have been driving a Corvette and had a boat on Minnetonka, maybe even a
home. But I always felt uncomfortable flaunting wealth, and I ferdamshur
felt like the money could be spent more wisely...though I never seemed
to do that well. One decision on a September day in 1997 was one of the
better ones I ever made. I was in Minnetonka at a car dealership, not
sure what I wanted, when I spotted a slightly used 1996 Geo Tracker.
Purple. Vikes anybody? I drove it home. I drove it about 145,000
miles. I drove it until last week.

The alternator went bad. Probably just the brushes, but who knows? By
this time, of course, it also has LOTS of "personality". Rust almost
through both doors, one panel coming off the vinyl top (brrrr.), iffy
ignition on occasion, passenger door that needs grease but is used so
seldom it hasn't been worth greasing, carpet in back coming out, etc.
Anyway, I may or may not keep the critter as a backup, but I decided it
was time to get a new vehicle. Given my relatively new awareness of all
things survival, I thought it would be good to put that knowledge to
work as I surveyed the field.

I'm a bit of a Rawlesian, but very lite. That is to say that I'm wary
of the "Golden Horde" and I like his take on many things, but I'm not
COMPLETELY convinced of all he writes. Geez, I feel like a minor-league
rock musician describing my "influences". Anyhooo...Rawles and those
like him seems to think that you should go for a diesel vehicle, and I
looked at them. Really. I don't know if it's because of the inverted
fuel prices lately around here (diesel more expensive than gas
generally), but diesels are NOT abundant. And those that are are all
newer, with electronic ignition and all the extras that I really don't
care about. The purple Tracker didn't even have air conditioning, and I
loved it. I could care less about electric locks, power steering, and
the rest. I also am not as afraid of storing gasoline as many seem to
be. If it was that dangerous, more gas stations would explode. With
the dumb yahoos I've seen handle gas and still come out alive, I figure
I can do it. (Editorial note: I think diesel is preferred due to longevity of both engine and fuel without stabilization requirements, but I could be wrong. Also, if driving a vehicle with electric windows, always carry a knife or EMT/police window punch to break a window out in an emergency. Shy)

So I decided on gasoline out of partial necessity/convenience. I always
wanted a pickup and they seem REALLY handy for both pre- and
post-TEOTWAWKI, so this seemed like a good time to make the leap.

I like to buy American, and to judge by the business news, it looks like
Ford is the only American company that sells trucks that might actually
know how not to die. (Also, buying Ford keeps Minnesotans working- for now.)

That leaves me with the FXXX line. Speaking with some contractor
friends, they steered me "down" to the F150 for the purposes I had in
mind. When you look at F150 compared to F250 or F350 you get the idea
that it might be small if you don't know much about pickups. Then you
have a wife who insists on a back seat that can carry an infant seat,
and that steers you to the F150 extended-, super- and whatever-cabs, and
you start to see that an F150 can be a formidable vehicle.

I'm doing okay, but I'm NOT "rich" and I don't believe in buying brand
new. Any vehicle loses 10% of its value once you drive it off the lot,
and I just don't see the economics in that. I wanted something less
than $10,000 and less than 125,000 miles. Those of you who have only
driven cars may feel I'm nuts for just stating that. I would have
thought so. Until I entered the world of pickups and discovered that
they both hold their value better than cars AND have a longer lifespan.
Figure that while your average car is likely to conk out somewhere
between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, your average pickup has AT LEAST
200,000 miles in it, and likely 300,000 or maybe even 400,000 or more,
if it's been well-maintained.

Long story...well...less long that it could be, we decided on a used
F150, 150,000 miles, total cost including tax, license, etc. right about
8 grand. Carfax says it's been immaculately maintained (how many people
have their oil done professionally for 150,000 miles, with the greatest
deviation from 3,000 miles being about 100 miles?), the engine and body
are spotless, it comes with a REALLY nice topper and all the
accessories, and it is just plain a sweet-looking and -running vehicle,
so I'm guessing it has a better-than-average chance of seeing 400,000
miles. Not so good on gas, but then you're ahead of the game if you can
find a workhorse pickup that gets better than 15 anyway. It's got a
"super crew" cab, which means that the back seat is basically full-size
and it's a 4-door. Short box and not much room to put in a long-range
box-held tank, but I may do that anyway. First, it only has the one
tank so I'll likely look up auxiliary under-body tanks soon and see
what's available. I'd like this thing to have a cruising range of at
least 1,000 miles fully fueled, as I could see a trip to the cities
possibly in my future if TSHTF and I need to pick up a few friends that
live there to come home with me...and it's always good to have something
left over for, you know, LIVING, right? (Ed.note: with the saddle tanks on my F-150 4WD stick I can cruise close to 800 miles without refill: and it's easy to throw a couple jerry-cans in the box with extra gas. Shy)

So there's the short story on how I arrived at my decision. I have a
wife who isn't on board with the prepping thing yet (though I see signs
of hope there) so this was the best I could do. I'm not unsatisfied. I
fully realize that this vehicle will not fare well in the event of an
EMP attack, and I'm just hoping that doesn't happen. I happen to live
in the only house I've ever seen that has a 3-car tuckunder garage. The
topography of our lot is such that our cars basically sit in our
basement. I'm hoping that might give them some protection, as they sit
there usually 2/3 of the day and chances are really good that that's
where at least one of them will be at any given time. For that reason,
I'm planning on not habitually using the truck, hoping that it will
survive such a thing. But in all other ways, I'm happy with my purchase.

So while not all preppers would be happy with my decision, I think it's
the best I could do given my personal set of circumstances and pressures.

Next up:

1) Making that wood stove purchase and getting it installed ASAP.
Anybody who hasn't done that, be aware that the stove is the minor part
of the purchase. The flue is the major part in most cases, including ours.
2) Buying a whole lot more LTS food and stashing it in the basement.
3) Planting at least 4 fruit trees on our property within the next 2
months, two each (for cross-pollination) of apple and some other fruit.
4) Buying a whole lotta canning equipment.
5) Planting at least a few seeds of every single variety of heritage
seeds I have, if for no other reason than to get a new batch of seeds
for next year. They're supposed to keep for several years at least, but
you never know, right?
6) Convince at least 3 other people in town that I'm not crazy. It's
not general knowledge to anybody but my wife and parents that I'm a
prepper, but this would be a whole lot easier, and even fun, if I had
somebody else to share it with. (That's why we're here, Baby Coon Hound :-D )
7) Buy a handgun (probably 9mm) and start the process of getting a CCW.
8) Buy a shotgun. I have a .22 and a .30/30, and I want a
9mm and a 12 to go with them. Maybe also a battle rifle, but I don't
feel a pressing need for that right now. I feel that the .30/30, a
shotgun and a 9mm would suffice in our position to defend anything I see
us having to defend, if we have enough ammo. When I feel wrong about
that, I'll buy something else. (Don't forget a good supply of ammo for each.)
9) Convince my wife to learn to shoot. I think I could at least get
her hooked on the .22 (an excellent "gateway drug"), and see if I could
move her on to the .30/30 and so forth.
10) Get a gasoline fuel tank of at least 200 gallons
installed somewhere unobtrusive on the premises. Maybe underground, I
dunno, but I want something to last us out at least 1 winter with
whatever happens to be in our NG tank when TSHTF in combination with my
soon-to-be-installed wood stove, our stored food and our 4000-watt
generator (probably to be upgraded to a >10kw generator in the
medium-term future).
11) Install a solar system and/or wind system, grid-tied to begin
with, that will fully support our electricity usage. Start with one,
then the other, and when we have the kinks worked out, get off the grid
entirely. My understanding is that if there is an EMP attack, if you're
hooked to the grid, you stand a much greater chance of having your
panels and so forth fried. I'd rather that not happen. Plus, I just
like the idea of not depending on the grid, and it would be cool to be
the only kid on the block with power when the electricity dies. I got a
taste of that after a bad thunderstorm a few years ago (due to my
gasoline generator hooked up to power my house as long as we didn't run
the microwave, the stove, or any other major appliances) and was able to
win major brownie points with the neighbors by running extension cords
to keep their freezers and refrigerators going.

There are others, but these are the majors.

Keep on prepping. Two years ago, looking at a guy doing the things I'm
doing, I would have said that guy's crazy. But I'm a college-educated
guy (alumnus of our fine Minnesota State University System) telling you
here and now that while it's not a foregone conclusion, the shit could
very well hit the fan in the next few years. I'm prepping for all I'm
worth. I've cashed out nearly my entire 401K and converted to "physical
assets", as they say. No gold or silver yet, but that's next after the
meat-and-potatoes stuff.

Now if I could just convince my family. My brother-in-law is from El
Salvador and has intimate knowledge of the troubles of the 80s. I'm
pretty sure he's a closet prepper. I'm soon going to open the
conversation with him. Wish me luck. (We do.)

FKN news - we're f&$d!

2009-03-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

I hope this video doesn't offend anybody. It's extreme, entertaining at times, and, well.. disturbing!

Taking A Stand

2009-03-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

"A worthless person, a wicked man, is one who walks with a false mouth." (Pr.6.12)

"...words. Just words." (BHO campaign speech)

To people without Honor, they are just that: meaningless sounds uttered to deceive.

To those who understand Love, Honor and Duty, words are a bond written on their heart.

These are such men and women...Oath Keepers .

Following is the ten points of their Declaration. Read them. Absorb them. Understand them. Live them. Follow them. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Declaration of Orders We Will NOT Obey

Recognizing that we each swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and affirming that we are guardians of the Republic, of the principles in our Declaration of Independence, and of the rights of our people, we affirm and declare the following:
1. We will NOT obey any order to disarm the American people.

2. We will NOT obey any order to conduct warrantless searches of the American people, their homes, vehicles, papers, or effects - such as warrantless house-to house searches for weapons or persons.

3. We will NOT obey any order to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to trial by military tribunal.

4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state, or to enter with force into a state, without the express consent and invitation of that state’s legislature and governor.

5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the Union.

6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.

7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.

8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control” during any emergency, or under any other pretext. We will consider such use of foreign troops against our people to be an invasion and an act of war.

9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies, under any emergency pretext whatsoever.

10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually affirm our oath and pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. Oath Keepers

Now go to their site and read the testimonials. Consider your own. Sign it with your Word.

Bless God, God bless.

Shy

Convincing arguements...

2009-03-09T10:24:00.001-07:00

One nice aspect to being single is there's only one person to talk into or convince of anything. Knowing Myself as well as I do, it's really easy for Me to talk Myself into some kind of mischief (Myself is a pushover).

But when it comes to talking another into something, I'm pretty convinced that the person being persuaded has to be 'in the mood' to being receptive to the project or idea.

Which is the dilemma many preppers face: convincing Better Half of the need for particular items of interest and need. As Publius commented, "Got any ideas on how to convince Dearly Beloved of the need for preps?"

No. Sorry. Zip. None. Nada.

But I do have a story about how an acquaintance got his Better Half fully on board until she became the Prepper and he sat back and watched. Consider this...

...around the early 70's I was stationed in a Nameless Place to learn some military things. Being there quite a while, I made friends and learned to influence people. One of them was 'Bill'. ("Hi, my name is 'Bill' and I'm a closet Prepper.")

Bill was a Prepper First Class. Ex-military, Viet vet, and a jack of all trades. He'd returned from Nam and decided he wasn't going to be caught up in the nine-to-five of the rest of the world and went about making a decent living doing whatever came to mind. Scrounging was his specialty and he could find anything, could talk a snake out of its fangs.

Except for the Missus.

At the time, they had been married only a short while- less than a couple years- and with her career as a police officer ahead, she wasn't about to put on a tin foil hat and espouse tales of doom and gloom for this country. (Jimmy Cahtah hadn't been elected yet.) Needless to say, Bill was in a quandary.

True to his Prepper code, however, he wasn't deterred. One way or another he was going to get Sally on board.

Surrounding a campfire one night, consoled by a bunch of us beer swilling military types, he brought us into his nightmare. Brainstorming ensued and the plan was...

...0300 and the tires made a helluva racket in the driveway as Bill screeched to a halt, slammed open the door and ran into the house screaming, "Sally- get up! We gotta run!"

Of course, awakened from a deep sleep, Sally was kind of confused as she watched her husband load guns and packs on the living room floor, telling her to get busy.

About five minutes later, several (half drunk) buddies race into the drive, honking horns and shouting, "It's happening!"

Of course, we helped Bill and Sally load their BOBs into Bill's truck, offering advice and encouragement, totally ignoring Sally's questions.
It didn't hurt that Sally knew some of us, that we weren't nuts and one even had a really serious position in the military establishment.

Less than 15 minutes and Bill and Sally were racing off to Bill's hideout, Sally still confused but obedient. On the way he explained what had happened: Israel had been attacked and the U.S. was under red alert as well, Russian subs spotted off the coast (which wasn't that far away) and people were being warned to prepare for missile attacks.

(If Sally had been smart enough to turn on the radio or call her department, the gig would have been over. But that's another story.)

We saw Bill a few days later and he was grinning ear to ear: Sally had really been pist when he told her the truth, but had listened as he explained the current events and how easily this country could be in turmoil even by something as far away as Israel and Egypt. By the time he was finished, she was fully convinced he was right and willing to help any way she could.

Now, I'm not going to say Bill's technique was proper or right, but it was effective. And IMO, it's up to we who are paying attention to world and local events to show the non-believer how it all fits together. Such as how the markets have been dropping- no one can miss these events without hiding from the truth- and how our 401Ks and other retirement plans or being wiped away. Of how leaders of other countries are implying the 'only way to solve the dilemma is a world bank and one-world leadership'. Even the MSM is coming out with news about possible civil unrest due to the scarcity of jobs, medical assistance, lay-offs, decreasing food supplies, hoarding, increased gang activities, border troubles with Mexico- the pending war within that country and its law-v-drug cartels, how this is heading north of the border. There's enough danger going on that the denial response has to be exposed for what it is and acceptance of responsibilities follows. Hopefully, anyway.

Another opportunity may be to drag them to the screen and force feed them wisdom from others of their gender on reasons for being ready. After all, setting aside for a rainy day is a normal American reaction.

We just have to convince them of that.

One serious comment: Millennium Ark: Hot News

God bless, prep on.

Shy

Considerations...

2009-03-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

Take your twelve year old daughter or son, or your spouse...

Now stand them in front of a man-silhouette target placed 20 feet away. With your shotgun loaded with number #8, #6, or #2 shot, or buckshot... aim at the silhouette and tell me you're willing to take the shot at the 'bad man' holding your child or spouse hostage.

Using the same scenario, this time, use your MBR (Main Battle Rifle) or a pistol that you practice regularly with.

Get my point?

There are a great many scenarios making the rounds these days about what the future is going to be. Short of a Zombie-from-Mars invasion, most of them are not only frightening, they frighten. From Mad Max to the current crop of Jericho, theories run rampant, with good reason: none of us knows what will ensue. (Although we can rule out Martians, unless Mork decides to pay a visit.)

Being an 'original' Mad Max enthusiast (I saw it at a drive-in theater) , I empathise with this scenario, but do not prep for it in the truest sense. I do have a feeling this is very close to what will ensue eventually, minus the Lone Ranger Maximilian and the crazed biker horde.

With the tremendous influence of South of the Border drug gangs; with the ghetto-minded youth with 'nothing to live for but the group'; with the vast number of 'regular' people who did nothing to prepare, I feel this society is in for some very tumultuous days.

The question is: How do we prepare for this? What kind of guns will I need to protect 'me and mine'? Depending upon who one asks, the answer is quite often, "The best M-15 (.223 M-16 clone for civvy market) and a hundred magazines and 10,000 rounds of ammo". Or it could be, "You need a 12 gauge loaded with number 4 buckshot," or even, "You definitely must have an 'Uber-Gestalt-double-barreled Uzi-heat-seeking radar bazooka rounds loaded with thermo-nuclear individual stomping devices that never miss a barn wall sniper rifle."

Another train of advisers recommend every day hunting rifles and enough ammo to get through a protracted period- including reloading supplies- of hunting seasons that run throughout the year. (I fall into this group for the most part.)

Getting back to our loved one behind the bad guy...

When it comes to home defense, I have long questioned the advisability of the shotgun, regardless how wonderful a sound it makes chambering a round. (That story is so old it nearly makes me feel young.) And that is one reason I always question someone who advises it as being the 'ultimate home defense weapon'. Because, if one seriously looks at that weapon, it isn't. The slugs will shoot through several walls- go ahead: try it. So will a .223 or .9mm, so the question is really moot. If you add horsepower, the damage will be even worse.

But honestly: who cares if the damn round will go through four walls and trash the neighbor's car when our child's life is at stake? So going through walls is a stupid thing to worry about.

The pattern put out by the shotgun is something to consider, though. My advice is simply to think the 'shot' through before pulling it off.

But I am an advocate for handguns when it comes to interior defense or 'clearing' a room in my house. Actually, I advocate handguns for any defense needs at less than 15 yards. That's 45 feet. At that distance or less, with a handgun, I am certain I can hit what I aim at and not have to worry about wounding bystanders. I'd never try that with a shotgun- I've shot birds at closer distance and left myself with only a pair of wings to mount.

Back to long guns...

Does one really need an M-15 or M1-A1 or other kind of M-forgery MBR? (I love these weapons.) And, why does a person 'need' anything more in an auto weapon than such as an inexpensive SKS? Why won't the 'average/common/every man's' hunting rifle be fine?

Let's consider the MBR clones as M-15/M1 or any other semi-auto, clip fed, shoulder fired 'battle' rifle, including the SKS and AK.

Load the clip to the max- usually around 20 rounds, more with some such as AK's- and go to the range. (Or go to the range then load it.) Now shoot ten shots at a target at 100 yards. Nice group? Now shoot them fast...one-two-three without stop. What does the group look like now? Nice group?

Okay- now move the target to two hundred yards. Repeat with ten shots, then shoot one-two-three again, fast. Nice groups?

Move the target to three hundred yards. Now repeat. Nice groups?

I doubt it.

The single shots may well be on target, but you can bet the burst shots are so far off as to be missing the whole barn let alone the wall.

Unless you're well-versed in shooting long distances, that MBR M-15 is no better than the 'average' hunting rifle. Maybe not even as good if it's not in .308 or better caliber.

However, that M-15 will still be a good hunting rifle for short distances. The .308 caliber will be even better. So the gun does have merit. My point in this exercise is that the 'common average every day person' is not going to have enough experience with the MBR to utilise it's full potential. Don't discount it as a weapon, but think the possibilities through.

I can hear the wheels grinding now... "What if the horde is attacking and I don't have time to work a bolt action or reload a magazine?"

If they're that close, why not use a pistol?

Currently, the Springfield Armory XD series is the 'hot' item in handguns. The XD-M more so. From 9mm, .40 cal, to a .45 Colt Auto Pistol round, they're proven reliable and battle tested rounds. As are many of the semi-auto handguns on the market today. If the 'enemy' is that close, why not choose a more maneuverable, lighter weight, fast-to-action semi auto pistol? They may not hold 20 rounds, but 19 is close enough. Too, I'm willing to bet nearly anyone can reload a pistol faster than a rifle. Besides which, this is one weapon you can pack on your belt and no one is the wiser. Try that with any rifle or shotgun.

A real problem in purchasing the MBR-type weapons today is the availability: you're probably going to have a three to six month wait, same for the ammo to feed it, before you get it in your hands. So the question arises: do we have that long? How much time will anyone have to practice with the weapon? Will the order be cancelled due to governmental restrictions suddenly imposed? Will the ammo be restricted? Odds favor a common every day weapon in this sense.

Only one person should be telling anyone what kind of weapon to purchase: the buyer. Then buy only after considering what you expect to happen, what scenario do you see upon the horizon? How deep are your pockets? How necessary is a military type MBR to your arsenal?

However, one thing every one should be telling the purchaser is "practice practice practice". You will never get enough practice regardless which weapon you choose.

Just some food for thought.

Shy

Counterpoint to Mad Max type doom

2009-03-05T08:02:00.001-08:00

Here is an excerpt from an article on the ArchDruid blog, entitled "No Different This time." Click first paragraph to go to full article.

This writer, John Michael Greer, is quite good and worth reading. He's written a book entitled, "The Long Descent: A User's Guide to the End of the Industrial Age" (New Society, 2008)

I realize this kind of writing, which is a bit abstract and philosophical, is not completely pertinent to prepping. However, Greer doesn't believe that the "Mad Max" type scenarios painted by the Survival Acres writer are very likely. He believes that a decline and contraction is underway, but that we will adapt and form new types of social and economic arrangements, with few big "die-offs."

Who is right? Time will tell. Let's discuss it below. And then the next articles will be more practical, I promise.

My argument, basically, is that the narrative of total collapse is another example of the same kind. Since the late 19th century, when religious apocalyptic began to lose its grip on the Western imagination, a narrative as stereotyped and dysfunctional as the narrative that drives speculative bubbles has circulated in the industrial world. That narrative claims that the world faces collapse of a historically unprecedented kind: sudden, complete, and final. Like the bubble narrative, the collapse narrative brings its own rhetoric with it, and applies that rhetoric to currently favored catastrophes – peak oil, global warming, the Y2K crisis, nuclear war, race conflict, every major comet of the last century and a half, you name it – in the same way that the bubble narrative applies its rhetoric to the asset class du jour. Like the bubble narrative, in turn, the collapse narrative always insists that the failures of the past don’t matter, because it’s different this time.

The narrative of collapse shares another feature with the bubble narrative: it produces consistently inaccurate predictions about the future. Again, people have been predicting collapse in the terms of the narrative for around a century and a half, using arguments identical in form to the ones now being used to justify the same predictions today, and the results have not exactly been good. This isn’t simply a function of the future’s obscurity, for other approaches – based on other, more nuanced narratives – have yielded better results. Arnold Toynbee and Oswald Spengler both made predictions about the cultural evolution of the modern West, for example, that have proved quite prescient. For that matter, the central argument of The Limits to Growth – that unlimited economic expansion would bring industrial civilization up against hard planetary limits in the first half of the 21st century, leading to an age of crisis and contraction – seems far more plausible now than it did when first published.

This reasoning undergirds my suggestion that it’s crucial to recognize the collapse narrative for what it is, and set it aside as a guide to the future, just as anyone hoping to make sense of economics in the real world would be well advised to start by setting aside the bubble narrative. Insisting that it’s different this time, and a way of thinking about collapse that has consistently produced false predictions for a century and a half is going to turn out accurate this once, just doesn’t seem plausible to me.

I suspect Dmitry Orlov is right that America is facing a collapse along the same lines as the Russian experience. If that happens, though, it’s just as likely that twenty years on, something like the rest of the Russian experience will have replicated itself as well, and an approximation of today’s United States will have undergone some degree of recovery from collapse. Equally, other regions of the world will likely be experiencing their own trajectories through the twilight of the petroleum age, and some of those trajectories will include sudden downward jolts of varying severity. Over the long term, as I’ve suggested, all those trajectories will trace out a broad pattern of decline, but history shows that the decline of a civilization is a complex thing, and there’s no reason to think that it will be different this time.

follow up on prepping paranoia

2009-03-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

Is this really far-fetched, or not? (clicking will bring you to full article):

Protection & Defense

The downside to collapse is the danger this will pose from fellow humans, who will be quick, ruthless and capable of exploiting any weakness or vulnerability they find. Psychopaths will thrive. Desperation will turn mild-mannered book worms into dangerous bone-crunching cannibals and I’m not picking on bookworms either. Housewives, teenagers, soldiers, even the elderly will have nothing to lose.

See this article, Prepare For Your Defense for suggestions on rifles. A real battle rifle is a hundred times better then a hunting rifle, simply because you can lay down covering fire so quickly. Accuracy is reasonable and can be excellent with some tuning and in the hands of good marksmen.

Even if you don’t intend to fight off the mutant zombie hungry hordes, you will still need some type of protection as your defense. Hide. Stay out of sight and stay put if you can. Moving around exposes you to all kinds of things. Unless you are really remote, staying put makes the best sense if possible. You will avoid roaming hordes, exposure to disease and lower the risks of hurting yourself.

Hide underground if possible. A basement, root cellar and hidden dugout will work pretty well. The problem with existing underground structures is they are fairly easily identified. It’s not hard to figure out which houses have basements for example, and basements are known to contain food…

Prepping and paranoia, Big Brother and collapse

2009-03-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

This little essay is going to discuss a subject that has slowly started to concern me more as the collapse intensifies (I'm not claiming that all-out collapse and Mad Max is imminent, just that things are progressing).

Some of the bloggers and preppers out there are extremely paranoid about what is coming. A great example is the guy who runs and blogs at www.survivalacres.com . Here's a link to a sample essay of his (click on long excerpt below):

Survival is personal warfare, not in the sense of ‘attack and destroy’, but in the sense that all the rules are thrown out. All of them. We saw this with 500 law enforcement officers quitting during the Katrina disaster. It just didn’t matter anymore when their world was totally destroyed. We saw looters, assassinations, rapes, murders and probably much more. And that was in a regional disaster, actually fairly localized compared to what could occur on a global scale now.

Loyalties got thrown out with the dirty flood waters and people reverted to self-preservation mode very quickly. Of course, not everyone did (or will), but many did, bearing in mind that they all expected rescue. What about when there is no more rescue? No more larger society to come tooling along and fix the problems? This is when things will really reveal themselves, the will to live, struggle, survive and go on will be the daily challenge, hour by hour, minute by minute.

It’s when the food runs out (or runs low) that people will start getting really afraid (and really wierd). Food is comfort, safety and security. Food is life itself, few really seem to consider it’s critical importance or fragile nature. Civilizations and tribes throughout history have risen and fallen according to the food supply (duh!). I emphasize this because that is the very issue at risk. Humans can live without power, and humans can even cope with climate change (to an extent), but 6.8 billion humans cannot live without food that was raised with cheap power, cheap petroleum, vast distribution systems and predictable climates. When these go away, and they will, cheap energy, vast crop lands, affordable transportation, distribution systems and stocked shelves disappear, desperation will set in. And then violence will set in, with a vengeance.

I thought a fairly long excerpt was warranted, and I suggest that you read the whole thing, and check out some of his other essays.

This blogger really thinks that it is very dangerous, perhaps suicidal, to stick your neck out and be a public "prepper," or try to get involved in politics, etc. He did it, obviously, but he has taken steps to remain anonymous.

According to this line of reasoning, when collapse sets in, the government, or even local gangs and bad guys, will seek out preppers to take their stores, or to prevent them from forming any kind of coherent opposition to the fascist-type government that is coming.

Other thinkers, like the wonderfully witty Dmitri Orlov, do not think that there is really any great danger in standing up and blogging, writing, and getting involved in your local community in a political way. There will be dangers and challenges, but it will be caused mainly by human stupidity and the economic and social challenges posed by a collapsing economy and political system. I recommend the following link for a look into Dmitri Orlov's thinking:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dtxqwqr_19gjjvp8

But I highly recommend his other essays, and his book, Reinventing Collapse.

So... what is the truth here? Do preppers have much to fear from our increasingly (it's true) Orwellian government, with its thought-police and computerized spying systems? Are we at risk of being targeted?

In a fast collapse, what is the best way to avoid becoming the victims of local gangs or warlords? If the collapse is slow, how do we avoid becoming the victims of government confiscation? Did you know that the government has, in the distant past, outlawed "hoarding," and still has the power to do so?

At the very least, I believe it is prudent to hide the extent of your preparations from neighbors, and all but the most trustworthy friends. If a friend is not a prepper, he should not know about your preps. It's time to start blending in.

But how paranoid should we really be?

Big John tonight

2009-02-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

Looks like I'll be on Big John's Lipscomb's show tonight to talk about one of my interests for the future: living on a houseboat or "shantyboat."

I'll be talking about the great book Shantyboat, by Harlan Hubbard.

Addendum: Big John erroneously thought that I was the only blogger here, and had written the essay below on "What to Wear." I corrected him, so I hope Shy Wolf doesn't think I was trying to take credit for it!

**Note: you can listen to the latest show on-demand (that is, not live) here:
http://gcnlive.com/Programs/DontTreadOnMe/On_Demand.html

And I guess I should promote my own personal blog on the economic collapse while I'm at it:
http://economicdeathrattle.blogspot.com

What the Well Dressed Prepper Wears

2009-02-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

Finally we're getting to the post so many have requested the last couple of months: "What do I wear to a come-as-you-are Depression?" But first, a disclaimer, kind of.

I have to admit that quite often I am accused of a need to 'grow up'. Here, I am going to insist we all act like grown-ups. How do we do that? By accepting responsibility for our own actions is a good start. Do so now. I am not, do not nor will not accept responsibility for what actions others decide to follow. Let your own thinking be your guide. Also, what I say is not the ultimate authority. Every word that follows has been debated and argued, factified and falsified by too-numerous-to-mention authors in every venue available. Not only that, some of the people with whom one will speak with about these thoughts will still be wet behind the ears kids with little real world experience and, as I, have opinions that may be a bit prejudiced. However, their opinion will be predicated to aiding their employer through increasing a sale. I have no such agenda. I will mention names without endorsing those names as to being superior to any other, just that they are well-known and available.

Several actions we, acting in adult fashion, need to consider are:

1) Perceived needs should be the leading factor in decision making.

2) Do not- repeat: do not- allow yourself to be talked into something that does not fit your perceived need. All sales persons have their livelihood in mind, not yours. On other words, don't buy an accoutrement just because a sales person says you need it. Every weapon you buy should 'need' only one item to make it work: a box of bullets. Anything else is decorating the frosting.

3) Get the best you can afford, yet remember what is 'best' for one may not be 'best' for you.

4) No matter what tool you buy, get some training. Learn to use that tool to the best of your abilities.

5) No tool is fool proof and fools should not use them. Don't be a fool. Also, do not act like a child when handling tools.

Now we've cleared the legalese of this project, let's get to some meat.

Training is even more important than the tool. Without training, the tool is useless. The following tools have some basic training rules that must be followed to insure a lack of unintended consequences. (See #5 above.)

Rule number one: Treat every weapon as though it is loaded. Do not assume it is not until you have verified. The same goes for when you need it: don't assume it's loaded and discover it isn't when it should be.

Rule number two: Be very aware of where the muzzle is pointed.

Rule number three: Be aware of what is behind the target.

Rule number four: Keep all fingers away from the trigger until shooting.

The toys:

When it comes to hunting, I am an archer. Longbows and recurves predominately. I do have a compound, and like it, and for a nearly perfect long (read: decades) term weapon, I feel the bow cannot be beat. I can manufacture a bow and arrows from available materials where as a firearm needs components beyond my ability to hand make, other than reloading (which ability I recommend). That said...

My perceived need of weapons is predicated on the (oops!) assumption that I will be living my life 'normally' during the coming future. I do not feel the need to be armed with the latest 'black' rifle and a quadrillion rounds of ammo. I do see a need for some weapons of self defense, and do carry every waking moment and have firepower near to hand while sleeping. Following are my ideas and suggestions from that perspective. (Other perspectives will follow.)

Everyone should have a gun. Period. But what kind? May I be so bold?

Minimally, one should have a .22 Long Rifle caliber. Perfect as a forager for the kind of hunting that will dominate any survival, or sport, hunting: small game.

My favorite rifle is the Marlin 880, about 20 years old. Bolt action, seven shot, a 4.5-14 Mueller scope tops it. My son's favorite rifle is the Ruger 10/22 topped with a Pro-Point red dot. Accurate and fast out of the box, this is the most remodelled .22 available. More accessories are available than can be imagined to make this a very formidable weapon, even to resemble the dreaded 'black' rifles. My auto is a Remington 547. As good as the Ruger but not as customisable. Winchester, Marlin/Henry, and others, also make .22 lever guns. Fine weapons.

With either of these, I am comfortable knowing I am armed well enough to handle any situation short of a grizzly bear attack.

Final comment on .22's: any will be a good investment even if just for the enjoyment of shooting. Ammo is plentiful (well, getting scarce now) and cheap, allowing ample supplies for practicing weaponcraft. For every .22 you own, have 5000 (thousand) rounds. That's just ten bricks. About $200.

Pistols and revolvers (pistols are semi-auto firing, revolvers have cylinders) are an excellent addition and partner for a .22. My recommendation is the Ruger MK3, a Smith and Wesson 22A in semi-auto. Again, I am prejudiced in that these are the only two semi-autos I've shot. I like them both and their accuracy is all I can handle. I have no preference or experience with .22 revolvers other than a full-blown Iver Johnson competition model my dad had sixty years ago. Again, include the ammo as above.

If I'm going gun hunting, you can bet it's after birds. No hunting excites me so much as hunting partridge, ducks, geese, and pheasants. If I'm going to freeze my bunns off, it's going to be over a spread of deeks. And for reliability, power, accuracy and pure cussed toughness, the best of all is the 12 gauge pump.

Shotguns come in five flavors: single shot, double barrel, bolt, pump and semi-auto. Each of these comes in differing gauges: .410, 16, 20, 12 and 10. (There are oddball gauges, but stay away from them. Also, unless you like to torture yourself, stay away from the 10 gauge. It's a goose gun suitable for Cape Buffalo.)

My recommendation on shotguns is going to be a pump. Remington's 870 and Mossberg's 500 are the reputed best available. I have shot a Marlin 550 for thirty years with no malfunctions. Other makers are probably as good as, maybe even superior to, the Remington and Mossberg. Maybe. Military and law enforcement love the 870 and 500. Whatever you buy, get it in either 20 or 12 gauge. Sixteen gauge are becoming popular again, but ammo is not so easy to find as 20 and 12.

I love my over-under 12 gauge, too. But not as a SHTF weapon. Ditto on dad's single shot. They are great hunting weapons, however, and for the price, are well worth considering.

Rifles dominate the shooting market. They are also dominate in the gun control media. Reasons being, they are as accurate as the shooter can be, are powerful and appealing to the American mystique. Remington, Mossberg, Marlin/Henry, Winchester, are the more well known makers of guns for the 'common' man. Available in single shot, bolt, pump, lever and semi-auto configuration, high power rifles can be as expensive as one would want to spend on a gun. (Though I have seen $10,000 12 gauges as well. Seriously. They get even more.)

Let's be real: we aren't going to spend that kind of money on a survival gun.

If I am of limited funds, or want to go as cheaply as I can, I'd get a single shot rifle in either .223, or .308, caliber. Reason being: ammo availability. Probably the two most common calibers now. They come in any caliber desired, however.

For $10 more, a serviceable Mosin Nagent can be had. The M-N are military arms, very durable and accurate enough for big game hunting. The M-N is probably the most endorsed low-cost survival weapon to date. Not a beauty, it's a tough, reasonably accurate bolt action, cheap and every where. Ammo availability is great at the moment, but may be scarce in the near future. One will not go wrong buying this weapon. Other military weapons of great fame are the British Enfield .303 (British) round, and the Mauser, usually in 8mm. I have both and they are very fine shooters, mil-tough and accurate for hunting. Expensive to play with unless reloading, though. Even then, more expensive than the 30 calibers.

Savage, Marlin, Remington, Ruger, Winchester, Mossberg...all excellent makers of firearms. (Notice which brand is 'first' on my list? :-) ) Again, purchase in the very available loads of .223, .243, .308, 30-06, 270. My fave is the 30-06, but I like pain, too. (kidding.) I do like the 30-06 simply because it's a long time favorite. Savage has the Accu-trigger (tm) and their guns do shoot well, are very accurate and on the lower end of cost, the upper end of available.

"Automatics". Oh, yes- the bane of the anti-gunners and most dreaded of all weapons upon the face of the earth, bar none. Not even an atomic bomb frightens an anti-gunner so much as an "automatic" rifle. I have five words for those kind of people: "Grow up, get a life."

Semi-auto rifles available come from many makers. Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Springfield, to name a minimum. Available in calibers from .223 to the magnums, these are the rifles Everyman loves to shoot but is afraid to tell his wife he wants. Currently, the most popular of the lower cost semis is the SKS, a Chinese weapon in military configuration. (Incidentally, along with the AK, the SKS is the minimum- but not most desired- weapon most militia suggest.) It is a reasonably accurate, fast shooting, readily available rifle.

More well known, the AK clones are the second choice for cost/availability. Again, reasonably accurate, fast shooting, high-count magazine and fun to play with, they have the reputation of being the toughest military arm ever created. Even our military SpecOps people like using this weapon.

Going up the line, DPMS makes an AR-15 that is on the low cost end of military look-alikes that can come in whatever caliber one desires. Usually that is .223 (similar to M-16 military round) and .308 Winchester (M-14 military similarity). Other makers are Colt, Remington, Springfield...the list is endless, really. Google M15 and you will find hundreds of makers all claiming to have the best.

Probably the most sought-after semi auto today, for those with a few bucks to spend, is the FN1aL in .308 caliber. If you're 'into' getting what many consider to be the 'ultimate survival rifle', google Fabrique Nationale and you'll learn more than you ever wanted to know. (Not my cup of tea, obviously- but I'm a 'frugal prepper'.)

Assault and Black Rifles...

If you want one of these, join the Armed Forces or a Law Enforcement Agency because, contrary to popular myth espoused by the Brady Bunch and other anti-gun lie fabricating organisations, these weapons are not available on the Common Gun Show Market. Nor can you walk into any gun selling store and buy or order one. Ain't gonna happen, Jack.

However...

One can buy a can of black paint and cover their M-N, SKS, M1A1, Ruger, Winchester, Savage, Marlin, Whatever brand rifle and paint it. Then I guess you've bought a 'black' rifle. Also, the M-N, SKS, Mauser, Enfield, M1 are actually surplus military arms, so I imagine they can be classified 'assault' weapons. You decide.

Oddballs...

Cowboy Action shooting is the fastest growing shooting sport out there. They shoot the guns our 'cowboy' ancestors shot. .44/70, .38/70, 32-20, 45 Long Colt, etc. These are the configuration for the most popular deer cartridge ever- the 30-30. Lever action rifles, these can be bought almost anywhere and are probably the only repeating rifle that will be available if the new AWB comes into effect. Light weight, for the most part, accurate and mid-priced, they are very viable survival weapons. More on these in a minute.

Handguns...

Probably the most fun anyone can have an still be within the law is shooting handguns. For the moment, anyway.

From single shot Thompson Centers to semi-auto 'grease guns' such as Kel-Tec and Hi-Point 9mm's, pistols are the 'fun guns'. Everybody should own a handgun.

Easily concealable, these are what we carry for self defense today, what every cop has on his belt (and the reason they hitch their pants continually) and the most viable of guns to own, simply for self defense.

A .22 for practice/skill gaining and fun should be in everyones gun cabinet.

Minimal for honest self-defense/CCW, but a bit on the anemic end of performance, is the .380 caliber. It's an abbreviated 9mm, but it will cause some intense pain and no person killed by it has come back to tell the shooter it was not enough gun. Up the scale is the 9mm, by many deigned the minimal self defense caliber. Again, no one has come back to whine about being killed by a wimpy Nine-em-em.

For nearly a hundred years, policemen the nation over carried the .38 caliber. Even the military had adopted it in the 1800's, notably the Marine Corps. Again, we have no reports of dead people coming back to... However, historically speaking, the lack of 'stopping power' against the Moros by Marines using this arm lead to creation of the 1911 and .45 caliber semi-auto. A .38+P cartridge, pronounced "thirty-eight plus pee", has quite a fine reputation as a self defense round. A .38 Super is available in semi-auto pistols and are a bit more potent than the .38 Special.

Big brother to the .38, and using the same caliber bullet, is the .357. (As an aside, there are lever rifles chambered in .357 as well.) This is a man-stopper and beginning of the magnum cartridges for pistoleroes. Available only in revolvers, to my knowledge anyway.

Reasonably new on the market is the .40 caliber. (New being just catching on.) Many military and PDs are converting to this caliber and, as some gun gurus point out, the caliber does begin with a "4", so it's okay to shoot people with.

From the days of Yesteryear comes one of the oldest pistols made, certainly the most famous: the Colt 1911 in .45 flavor. This is a man-stopper. Period. Now manufactured in many calibers by many companies, the 1911 design is reliable and tough.

Made famous by Dirty Harry, the .44 Smith and Wesson magnum was the most powerful handgun cartridge made. It has probably also broken more wrists and eardrums than any handgun ever made. This is a two-handed gun. Of course, I'm going to get lots of letters from gargantuan wristed people who shoot it one handed (including from a brother-in-law), but for the common man (color me common),this gun requires two hands to shoot. But it will stop anything hit with it. And you'd better hit with the first shot 'cuz the second shot is going to take a while.

Monster handguns are now on the market making the .44 mag kind of the wimp of the Big Boy calibers. Among them, the .454 Casull. I have heard rumors of a .50 caliber Casull, as well. Wimps need not apply to use these weapons. That leaves me out.

Black powder...

My Hawken .50 caliber is fun to shoot. Nothing quite comes close in fun as popping heads off squirrels with a weapon that is nearly as old as firearms. Slow to load, using only black powder or the modern equivalents, these are the weapons used at Lexington and Concord Green, the Civil War and on all continents of the planet. Fun to shoot, a bitch to clean- and they gotta be cleaned after every use- these may qualify as survival weapons since the powder can be made from charcoal, salt peter and sulfur, the bullets can be manufactured from any lead type found and, in flintlock configuration, nearly any rock can be used to strike a spark. After all, these are the guns carried by Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Jim Bridger...

Answering the ultimate question...

So, James: what do you suggest for Common Man as survival weapon selection? My personal choice, and keeping cost to almost a bare minimum are:

.22 rifle, Marlin Model 60 with four power (4X) scope. This is "Americas Most Popular Rifle". Period. And for good reason. Accuracy, availability, durability. The Ruger 10/22 is my next choice.

Handgun: Springfield Armory XD (or XD-M) in any flavor: 9mm, .40 or .45. (I will also include a revolver here: a .38 or .357 Detective Special (type) snubby. With either handgun, find an Inside Waist Band (IWB) holster and carry it over your appendix. Sometimes referred to as AIWB holster, it's the most logical (to me and many others) place to carry a handgun for concealment.

Shotgun. 20 or 12 gauge. Cost effective single shot or a pump- I will not be brand specific here cuz they're really all good. One word about the Remington 870 and Mossy: they do come with a choice of second barrel. Called a 'slug' barrel, these have sights like a rifle. My opinion: don't get it. If you need a rifle, get a rifle. I know southern MN is shotgun only deer hunting, but we're talking survival gun, and a slug can be fired from a 'normal' shotgun barrel.

Rifle. A single shot break action in .223 is a good choice for the low-cost, good quality rifle. Beware that some do have plastic sights. Ignore these and find another gun. I do feel the smallest caliber one should go with is .243. Ammo availability for this will be good, I think, because it's not a military caliber as are the .223 and .308. Also, the .243 has a bit larger bullet than .223, therefore more stopping power. But not much.

Up the price range, a Savage bolt action in .243, .308 or 30-06.

Lever action 30-30 is an excellent survival gun, even for combat situations. Perhaps, in combat, a better choice than a bolt action for CQB (Close Quarters Combat).

Combat/militia or "Black" rifle. On the low cost end, SKS, rising in price to the AK or the clones of same. DPMS in .223 or .308. Get the basic rifle, use it, get used to it, then decide what accoutrements you need for it. Again, these are not "assault rifles", they are semi-auto (single shot) rifles of military origins.

What I'm going to be carrying...

Daily carry is either a S&W 9mm with 13 round clips or a Charter Arms Police Undercover in .38 (with +P).

My trusty old Marlin 12 gauge is plenty of gun. In a SHTF situation, I will hacksaw 12 inches or more off the barrel and carry it in a shoulder holster, similar to a back quiver.

For survival purposes, I will carry the Savage 30-06 until I run out of ammo. Then I'll reach into the pack, string the bow and live happily ever after.

Hopefully this has kind of given some ideas what to think about and look for. A complete arsenal can be had for less than $500 if one is not concerned with needing a warriors bag of tricks. The first rule to not break is "When going to a gunfight, bring a gun." If you're good with it and remember to get your bunns off the 'X', any gun will do. It may just take longer. If one trusts pawn shops, guns can often be bought for less than new prices. What's that expression? Caveat Emptor?

Whatever weapon you buy, it is useless without ammunition. That is a whole other post...egads...well, it could be.

Suggestions on ammo- and this ain't gonna be cheap!

For .22, have at least ten thousand rounds for them. You'll go through plenty fast. Small game will make up most of the hunting, so it makes sense. I like CCI Stingers.

For shotgun, get 250-500 rounds of various shot. A good mix would be five boxes each of number 6 shot, Double Ought buck and slugs. That is, figuring 25 rounds per box.

Rifle, my suggestion is as much as you can find, but a minimum of 500 rounds for each caliber. If you're looking at some sort of militia duty, even as a Lone Ranger, get five thousand rounds at least.

Cabella's, Sportsman's Guide, B.A.S.S. Pro Shops, others sell ammo at bulk prices and by the case in ammo boxes that are worth their weight in gold. If you can 'get in good' with a local store, you may be able to buy ammo at his cost and that will save a few bucks. Whatever caliber you decide, buy lots of ammo. Also, think of spare parts for the weapon. Things like firing pins, extractors, springs and guides do break or wear out. It never hurts to have spares.

Along with the ammo, if your weapon of choice uses a separate magazine, buy as many spare mags as possible. You'll never regret it.

Now, before you run off to the store...

Shy's "Dream" collection...

When the rubber meets the road and if I had all the money I wanted, these are my choices when asked, "If you could have only one choice of weapon, what would it be?"
I'm going to set the bow aside and stick to a gun, in this instance.

If I had all the money I wanted and could buy what I wanted, I buy two (ROFL) of these...

Lever action rifle in .357 or .44 mag caliber. And an accompanying revolver in same caliber.

God bless, happy hunting.

Shy

Rejoice and be glad

2009-02-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

We interrupt our usual preparations to bring you some good news from the Minnesota Legislature.

Authored by Thomas Jefferson and ratified July 4, 1776, by a unanimous vote of the Continental Congress, signed and ratified by We the People, Minnesota has become one with 26 fellow Patriot States to declare its Sovereignty according to the Constitution of These United States.

It is now time to call all Minnesota State and Local officials and give them a huge Minnesota "Attaboy" and pat on the back.

Sponsored by Seifert ; Gottwalt ; Smith ; Urdahl ; Severson ; Dettmer ; Drazkowski ; Davids ; Lanning ; Anderson, B. ; Anderson, S. ; Shimanski ; Scott ; Torkelson ; Hamilton ; Loon ; Downey ; Beard ; Buesgens ; Kiffmeyer , HF 0997 reads, in part: (the Short Description)
"Federal government memorialized to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states for purposes not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States and affirming Minnesota's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States."

The Bill can be read in its entirety here: H.F. No. 997, as introduced - 86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

Please be generous in lavishing your praise upon these (above) stalwarts of Liberty. Far too often they hear from constituents when those same people are displeased with their efforts. Now is the time to call, write and Email, even notify local press persons, and tell them how proud we are of them.

Prep on, however- this show ain't over yet!

Shy

We now return you to our currently running program... "What the well dressed Prepper Wears"

Forming Survival Groups

2009-02-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

As an addendum to Shy Wolf's great post, I'd like to recommend the article below. (Click on the excerpt to get to the article). The writer is somewhat extreme, but who knows... maybe it will be that bad.

Trust cannot be bought in a survival sitatuation, before or afterwards. Trust is earned, the hard way through time, committment, loyalty and experience. Societal collapse will expose every lie, distortion and assumption you can possibly imagine. Trust will be suddenly of paramount importance, but the factors necessary (time) will be gone.

Get started now if you intend to do anything at all. You’ve little real time left and what remains needs to be used wisely.

Family has always been the core for groups and will remain so. Blood is thicker then water. For most families, the commitment is already there and the desire for the family to live will be there too.

Important reminder and a good code to live by. Watch what people actually do. Applies to absolutely everyone. Not what they say, but what they do. This reveals their true heart and intentions and why you can see right through them so easily. Lying, backstabbing and gossip in a survival situation will get you very dead. Pay attention to this now.

Survival groups will form, but I no longer believe that small groups will survive. I’m not suggesting that the commentary above is wrong, I’m stating that small, isolated survival groups will have a very hard time of it because of a lack of diverse skills, security, infighting, resources and even opportunities to ‘better’ then situation.

Community survival has many advantages to small groups and I think this is a far better solution then winging it on your own or with your family. But even with the community, there is still the core groups. Community survival will (probably) be built upon these core groups, made up of many families. This is in effect, what we have today in our small towns.

A community will have a better chance because of the diversification of skills, labor, land and resources. They will also receive and wield authority and recognition of that authority, whereas a rogue band of survivalist won’t. This is going to be pretty important as lawlessness will be very prevelant.

Here we goooooooo!

2009-02-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The United States Constitution, Second Amendment.

This post was planned (mine, anyway) for a bit farther down the road. (Chuckling as I write it 'cuz it's a subject very dear to me and close to my heart.)

Publius brings to the fore some excellent points in his post, among which is self-preservation and that of loved ones and neighbors.

Not to detract from the most excellent job most Law Enforcement Officers do, but it should be common knowledge, if not understanding, that police forces are not here for 'protection', regardless what is written on their cars (To protect and to serve). Not totally, anyway.

They do serve as a deterrent to crime and violence, but not all. In some instances, such as at a street/bar brawl or fight in progress in a home, they may help to save a life by stopping the altercation. There's an adage in CCW that is simple and direct, completely covering this topic: "A gun in hand is better than a cop on the phone." That is where most peace officers are found when trouble strikes. Not at the scene stopping an intruder from breaking into your home. Not at the home when the drunken husband decides to beat on his wife or children. Not at the bridge when the mother decides to take her children to the bridge and drop them into the water below.

Also, if you ever make a 9-1-1 call and tell the police there is an armed intruder in your home, don't expect them to be 'right there', because they won't be. And when they do arrive, don't expect them to come charging in on white stallions to gather you in their arms and carry you safely away. Because they won't.

Most likely, they will set up around your home, or wherever you are, and cordon the area, take time to set up their SpecOps platoon and a few others, call in a shrink to talk to the intruder/hostage taker...you get the idea. None of them wants to, nor will they, come charging in to take the criminal element under fire. Nor should we, as citizens, expect them to. No one should have to die as part of their job, though in police circles it is an occupational hazard.

This would be a perfectly safe world if every person had a police officer at their side continually protecting them.

But we don't and this is where the Second Amendment of the Constitution comes in, one small section of it, anyway. (Other Amendments that protect our right to guns are the Ninth and Tenth.)

The Second Amendment is constantly under attack because some people who want all the marbles know that a civilian populace without weapons becomes a herd. When only the police and military have weapons, everyone else is a sheep. (For evidence of this, refer to what Hitler did in Germany and other parts of Europe, or what is happening in parts of Africa or South America today.) Our Founding Fathers knew this and gave us the power of their wisdom in the Second Amendment, and the others. All people, not just Americans, have the God given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those are inalienable rights. Rights guaranteed Americans by our Constitution.

So it behooves every legal, law-abiding American to exercise their freedom, for a freedom not exercised is a freedom lost. "The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Exercise that right. Buy a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun. (I'll get to what kinds later, so be patient.) Check the facts about gun 'control' in any city or state or nation that restricts gun ownership and you will see that crime rises in every one when civilian gun ownership is taken away. Australia, England (especially), Washington D.C., etc. At the opposite end of that, states that allow concealed carry have reductions in crime. Prime example: Florida. Don't take my word for it, check the F.B.I. statistics.

Now, as to the remainder of the Second Amendment. The part that reads, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state..."

We have to first answer the question, "Who is the militia?"

Succinctly put: The militia is any person who lives in the community/county/state/country and who is not part of the standing military.

In short: every able bodied man between the ages of 16 and 60, according to the Constitution. If the women want to be included, that is fine, there is no prohibition against it. I encourage it, even. Who better to know when they need defending than the person being attacked?

The Militia Act of 1903 enabled the National Guard, it did not abolish the militia. What it did was establish a reserve military component that was also instructed to aid its home state in times of emergency. At no time can a Guardsman/woman enter a private home uninvited if they are acting in their military capacity. That, too, is in the Constitution, Amendment Three. (There is a 'prescribed by law' clause there, but it's beyond this at the moment since the country is not under direct attack nor has martial law been established. But I can feel it coming.)

Militia units are still a very viable and active component of the Civilian Army as envisioned by our Fathers, verifiable in their correspondence. So, again I ask, "Who is the militia?"

When under attack by anyone, I am the militia. I am the one most responsible for my defense or demise. Therefore, it is in my best interests to be ready for that attack.

(Do you realise that Switzerland requires each citizen to not only be armed, but to practice regularly with that issued weapon? America should have the same law. Crime rates in Switzerland are among the lowest per capita in the world. Plus: No country has ever attacked Switzerland.)

So, we have settled 'who' the militia is. Let's examine 'unorganised' militia a little.

Let it be known, I am not in any militia. I want to be, but have got a little long in the tooth (those remaining) to be of much value to them regardless how young I think I am.

Minnesota has the 32nd Field Force Militia. It is part of the unorganised American Militia, so far as I have been able to discern. Not all states have an unorganised Civilian Militia, but they should. If they were following the Constitution they would have. A standing Civilian Militia is the only honest, real force to follow what the Fathers adhered to in the Constitution.

In part: "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government..."

And that is one part of the Constitution liberals and socialists would love to abolish. That is the sole aim of any person who wants to "change the Constitution to be a more forward, modern and understanding document" (Re: Mubarack Obama).

What that sentence in the Constitution says is that 'We, the People' - the actual employers of those in the Capitol- have the right to rebel against the government, even to the raising of arms.

(No, I am not advocating an insurrection, rebellion or take-over of anything. But if the need arises, so be it.)

The expression, "Freedom is earned, not given," is what the militia is about. Those people are taking their responsibilities to their loved country very seriously. As I believe we all should.

Is joining a militia for everyone? No, not at all. Some are just not cut out to defend themselves and will always need someone to do the dirty work for them. No offense meant by that, it's just life. Some people don't feel a need to defend their homes, their country, their lives or their loved ones. Some people do. More power to them. Here again, if you don't feel your rights are worth defending, you don't deserve those rights. Our Founding Fathers knew this. They pledged everything they had to it, that's why we are where we are today.

However you look at it, joining a militia is up to the individual- they don't 'draft' anyone. Nor do they send their emissaries overseas to fight foreign wars. They strictly defend the Homeland. That is their job. Your job. My job. Our job.

Now- will we need the militia one day?

If events keep on as they are, my opinion: yes we will.

If the government continues to corrupt itself, spend itself into bankruptcy, erode our rights and take what they have not earned from those who earned it, we most certainly will. I have no doubt of it.

But the militia will not be our police force. That will be up to the individuals of the community.

Consider this. Taking another page from history after the Civil War and the West was wild and woolly and hard to curry below the knees. Did you ever see a movie where the outlaw gang took over a community? Do you think it would have happened easily? I don't. Every man in the community had a gun and knew how to use it. They'd just fought a war. They fought Indians. They fought each other. No outlaw gang was going to ride into a town and take it away from the citizens unless the citizens wanted them to. Every window, door and rooftop would have been an opening for a marksman. Those outlaws would all have been worm food in Boot Hill.

That is going to become the responsibility of every citizen of every community if a worst-case scenario evolves. We will have some people 'hired' as 'town Marshall's' or lawmen, but total safety will be up to the individuals. A lawman's job is to give a semblance of peace, to patrol and prevent so much as possible. It is not to jump in front of a bullet to save anyone. It should not have to be, it will not be.

A neighborhood watch is a good idea. Neither militia nor police force, they are a deterrent to crime, even encouraged by Minnesota law. Drive around any community and you will see the rectangular sign with the blue eye, its caption: Neighborhood Crime Watch. Should these people be armed? Of course. Everyone should be armed. That is how peace is kept. Seriously- you don't think the blue uniform of a policeman stops attacks, do you? Of course not: it's the gun they carry, the ability to use it and the criminal's knowledge of this. That's what stops the crime. Imagine now if every honest citizen was armed. There's your police force, your crime deterrent, your militia. That is your Home Guard.

So there you have it, self defense, in a nutshell.

One further thought about the current police forces throughout the country. When the money stops coming in, where are these men going to stand? Are they going to continue their positions for little or no pay? Or will they be as the rest of us: trying to 'get by' ? Of course, we could barter for their services, if they were willing. Or if the community was willing. Here again, there are so many unanswered questions about what is going to happen that we all are playing this by ear. No one knows the music. Or else we can't read it.

As to answering another of Publius' questions: Yes, most certainly there are preppers who are militia members. I don't know any, wish I did, but they are among us. Thank God.

Now, a few links to militia matters, in case anyone is interested in getting to know them a bit more.

Here is the Militia Act of 1792:The Militia Act of 1792 and it's an excellent read.

Minnesota's 32nd Field Force website is: http://www.32ndff.net/ and it is an interesting read. They have the Standards for joining, equipage and regulations.

Overseeing many militia sites is the Well Regulated Militia. Their web address is: www.awrm.org/ and you can find all the standards and reasons to belong to any state militia there.

Again, consider how much your freedom means to you and yours before you decide to not join a militia group. But do understand, joining a militia will be tough work. Not hard, tough. It isn't something to do if you just want to bang guns on a week end or stroll through Como Zoo. It's going to be tough- worse than Basic Training. And rightly so because you're learning to defend your home. Also, militia do not provide the weapons or equipment: the individual does. A valid reason being, it's the individual's responsibility and if that person puts their own money into proper gear, they're not going to be wasting others' time and be more willing to do what needs doing- which is train.

Prep on, Folks. Thanks for stopping by. Up next: what the well dressed Prepper packs on his belt.

Shy

The chicken and the egg problem of security

2009-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

Well, looks like the Black Monday I predicted happened today - the DOW down a whopping 3.5%. Not that I have any stocks, or can really afford to buy them despite their increasing cheapness.

The day is not far off when due to lack of resources (e.g. strong dollars), the government (local and national) will start to falter. The financial and economic bloodstreams are bleeding dry as I write. AIG is going to come back to the government soon for another $60 billion. The government is squandering limited precious resources on bailing out the Wall Street investor class.

When collapse of some kind happens in Minnesota, we the people will be forced to fend for ourselves. We will have to learn to barter, trade, and help each other.

A predator class more localized than Wall Street will soon arise: groups of armed men will steal from our farms and cottage industries, or will demand protection money. The government that remains will be too weak to do much about it - heck, it enabled the looting by Wall Street, why not enable looting by gun-toting warlords?

At some point, the people will be forced to rise up and form some kind of militia or police force to protect themselves. That leads to a chicken-and-egg problem. Right now, the official government would never allow such a force to exist. Oh, sure, you might get away with a neighborhood watch program, but even that is likely to get criticized for being a bunch of "vigilantes." However, at some point the need for protection will become so pressing that we will have to organize.

How do we know when it's time to reconstitute the militia of the people, like the ones that existed during the Revolutionary War? I realize that even broaching this right now would scare or anger most of our sheeple neighbors, but at some point they will be begging for protection.

Perhaps the future leaders of such an organization already exists in the blogosphere, among the preppers? I would say that pure survivalist types will not be very interested in the communal good to this extent. But most of us care enough about our neighbors, and realize that we ourselves need the strength of numbers and community, so that we will be willing to help organize and man a force that exists for the sole reason of protecting the lives and property of the people (that is, us).

John Locke pointed out that when the government ceases to protect the lives and property of the people, it ceases to be lawful. It has ceased to fulfill its function, and may be ignored or replaced.

It is also conceivable that the various state governments, or some of them, will continue to do the right thing and protect the citizens. I hope so. Minnesota should pull all of its National Guard forces out of Iraq, and bring them home to do what they were meant to do.

The history of the National Guard is interesting: the Militia act of 1903 in effect made what used to be the state militias into subservient units of the new National Guard.

It may be time to revisit the issue, because the individual states will likely soon need their militias back - to do what they were meant to do, protect the people, instead of occupying foreign lands.

Stage One, Scene Two

2009-02-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Let's continue the discussion of city-country a few more sentences, then travel to the store for some preps...

When it comes to "who is better equipped to do what, where", I am reminded of Paul's explanation of the body. "Can the eye say to the ear that it is more important to the body?" In my thinking, each part is important to the survival of the other. No matter what time period we look at, cities and rural areas have co-existed, each relying upon the other for various needs. So as to which is a 'better' place to be in a SHTF scenario is a debate that will only be settled by experience. Regardless our locale or situation, we will all be coming to the party and will have to adjust to the kinds of entertainment the host provides.

Life in the city will surely be an experience in survival. Shopping centers will be more plentiful, if they can get products to sell, and providing one has the funds to purchase. And what kind(s) of store fronts will be open is certainly going to be up for debate. Will people be buying flat screen TVs or new cars or salad foods in January? So much depends on the availability of-- oil. If the product can't get from A to B, where one lives is going to become a moot point. If the cost of transporting products is exorbitant, who is going to be able to afford it?

Life in the rural/country will surely be an experience in survival. Finding parts to repair or equip machinery or fuels to operate them is going to be expensive, if even available. Who will make them, transport, stock them those products we can't grow or jury-rig? If the farmer can't sell his product, growing more than needed will be a waste of time, effort and seed. I don't see farmers or ranchers being that senseless.

Regardless where one lives, there are going to be problems with looters/freeloaders/et-al (these are the 'sheeple' who either did not prepare or prepared too late or too little). The dangers of living in small groups is certainly valid. How many neighbors can one trust to give aid when it's needed? How many will decide they 'need' what another has and do their best to take it? We live in a society of 'keeping up with the Joneses' and this leads to a mentality of 'share and share alike' (sound familiar? it should: it's the Dark Lords current policy). Those who have will always be prey to those who don't. Regardless where we live, it's going to be a challenge to keep what we have, or don't have. Abel had the blessing and Cain killed him because of it. Are we to think complete strangers will be more kind?

Scene Two

Eo-ipso, trade routes will be something that will be not only necessary, but mandatory for people living in either situation. Farmers will need to get products to a market, city folks will need to get the products. Both sides will need to get their noodles together and decide on how this is accomplished. Products produced in communities will need end-users, and rural folks will need a way to find them. The solution? Compromise and free enterprise. Living where I do and having the equipment I do, part of my 'plan' is to provide fuel for heat and cooking, building and repairs. How do I get paid for the product?

If our esteemed Uncle deflates the value of currency in his foolishness of printing more useless paper, why would anyone in their right mind want more of it? (Unless they didn't stock toilet paper or fire starters.) Rather than 'sell for cash', I barter for needs. Now I need a trade route. (DUH!)

Options for trade routes are limited only by our imagination: we can use the hiway system, rivers and lakes (in MN). Air and rail will probably be exorbitantly cost-prohibitive as well as, in my mind, useless for the 'common man'- which we will most all be. All our trading is going to be localised. So in trade routes, we have to travel back nearly a century for our examples.

(I'm 'thinking on the fly' here, so bear with me.)

Perishable garden produce will be certainly shipped shortest distance to market at the opportune time. I see opportunity for enterprising people creating 'canaries' in their homes and marketing these locally. Or groups- one 'cans' tomatoes, another corn or carrots, whatever. The barter system grows. This, of course, implies those people have several thousand reusable jars and lids on hand.

Some foods, such as cabbages, some fruits and spuds, carrots, onions, beets and 'begas, etc, will be able to survive longer periods with proper root cellars and people will be able to store them until needed- if they have the cellar. Those who have large areas to create the cellars will be able to barter throughout the year for such produce. My imagination tells me any people living north of California and Florida can pretty much eliminate oranges and grapefruit from our diet, as well as any other citric fruit. Unless someone can come up with a barter-trade route for them. And someone will, don't doubt it.

Ranchers will be capable of getting their product to market 'on the hoof'' as was done a century ago. Someone is going to open a neighborhood slaughterhouse. Of course, the Bambi/PETA crowd is going to raise a stink more irksome than the slaughterhouse, and keep it up til their bellies are screaming. (Just had a thought: is a society in such scenario going to tolerate those kind of people much longer, if at all?)

All this is considering that all neighborhoods will be relatively safe environs. In efforts to insure this, I see a growing need for 'neighborhood watch' groups. (Especially if the law enforcement agencies continue to cut back personnel and equipment.) Here is another opportunity for an enterprising group- so long as they are kept in check and don't become a criminal, graft, element. Here again, the neighborhood will have to be part of the solution, guarding each others interests.

Another aspect of the barter system is going to be money: either the lack there-of or those who desire to 'barter' in gold.

My personal opinion- and please, I am not an economist, have no aspirations to be, nor am I familiar with bullion other than experience in attempting to use it a couple of times- is that those who try dealing with 'common' people through use of gold or silver are going to be sorely disappointed. Having done some prospecting in the past, I know a little about gold, but not much. I know what it looks like in the wild, have held a couple gold coins and still am not sure I could tell the difference. For one, neither gold nor silver will be part of my barter system. I suspect the same will be true for the vast majority. Who is going to be set up with the tools to decide if 'this' is silver or 'this' is gold? (Especially those of us with store-bought teeth?) My opinion is that those who want to deal in gold or silver had better have some marketing tools and products to trade. (Does "a loaf of bread will buy a bag of gold" sound familiar?)

F-o-o-d is going to be the rule of barter in nearly all circumstances.

And how this food gets to market is going to be the big opportunity for an enterprising few who have already considered the problem and worked on solutions. Horse drawn wagons? Bicycle? Trade fairs/farmers markets?

Publius brings out some interesting questions.

Just some food for thought.

God bless, prep on!

Shy

(Apologies for the rambling.)

Peak oil - what do we do now?

2009-02-19T07:04:00.001-08:00

by Robert Hirsch

The history of world peak oil production has been truly remarkable. Modern day concerns were rekindled in 1998 when Campbell and Laherrere published their peak oil thinking in Scientific American. Not surprisingly, they were largely ignored. Some in the establishment took the time to utter “Bah-humbug,” but a few independent souls decided to seriously consider the problem.

ASPO was formed soon thereafter and began annual meetings, fostering communication and helping to create increasing interest in the subject. Peak oil concernists began to form a community and momentum increased. Counter arguments buttressing the no-problem point of view came from OPEC, CERA, EIA, IEA, and some of the major oil companies. The denier proclamations grew in intensity, indicating that the serious consideration of peak oil was beginning to trouble parts of the establishment. Various new studies supporting the peak oil threat emanated from independent individuals and groups. Forecasts for the onset of peak oil went from being up to 20 years into the future, to roughly 15 years and then to less. The establishment continued to argue that the problem was so distant that people need not worry.

There were a number of significant milestones along the way - one of special note being Matt Simmons’ book, Twilight in the Desert. As time went on, IEA and some of the major oil companies began to join the list of those who were openly concerned. Momentum grew, influenced in large part by the remarkable increase in oil prices.

In mid-2008 the economic crisis struck. As world economies slowed, oil demand declined. To the surprise of almost everyone, oil prices dropped from near $150 per barrel to less than $40. With gasoline prices in the U.S. retreating to what was considered generally tolerable levels and economic threats avalanching, it’s no wonder that peak oil slid to the back burner of public consciousness.

The world is now in a period of epic economic chaos. People are disoriented and unsure of what it will take to restore their economies. Many serious economists, financiers, and executives are loath to even forecast when an economic recovery might begin. It’s easier for me now to understand how my parents and grandparents must have felt during the 1930s.

But the peak oil problem has not gone away. World liquid fuels production reached a plateau in mid-2004 and has fluctuated within a relatively narrow range in spite of mighty efforts to increase world production. In mid-2008, benefitting from the work of Campbell, Laherrere, Skrebowski, Aleklett, Simmons, Robelius, Gilbert, Bentley, Al Husseini, Deffeyes, Koppelaar, Birol, and others, I came to believe that world liquids production might stay on the existing plateau for the next 2-5 years and then go into a 3-5% per year decline

Recently, OPEC cut back oil production in an attempt to stem the oil price decline. How much might their cutbacks delay the onset of world liquid fuels production decline? Assuming the plateau model and five years to the onset of decline, each million barrels per day of oil production withholding buys roughly three weeks delay, so a steady, continuing reduction of say four million barrels per day over five years might result in a delay in the onset of world oil production decline by maybe three months. That’s not very much.

We’ve now in a period of major human disorientation, but geology does not become disoriented on the human timescale. The impending peak oil problem may now be generally absent from the media and the public consciousness, but it has not gone away. We would do well to continue meaningful studies of peak oil production and mitigation during this period of peak oil quiet. More studies of practical physical and administrative mitigation options are needed. Totally remaking our cities and transportation systems are wonderful goals but will require an extremely long time. In the meantime, we have relatively little in-depth thinking about what we can do when the will-to-act suddenly appears. We need better analyses on such options as rationing (how to do it), carpooling (how to force and police it), telecommuting (how to make it happen), rapidly switching to more fuel efficient vehicles during a deepening recession, rapidly implementing EOR, CTL, shale oil, etc (business-as-usual won’t do), etc. Between now and the wakeup, we can develop carefully thought-out mitigation options for when people are ready to begin to seriously mitigate peak oil. Working on practical solutions represents a high calling.

Robert L. Hirsch is Senior Energy Advisor at MISI. Previously he was Assistant Administrator of U.S. ERDA; EPRI VP; ARCO VP; and Chairman of the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems at the National Academies. He was lead author of “Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation and Risk Management” (Feb 2005).

Why can't we believe in Doom?

2009-02-18T14:37:00.001-08:00

It's kind of funny - even as a so-called "Doomer" (at least according to my wife), even I can't really believe in the reality of what is happening.

My reason tells me we are going downhill fast, but my emotions tell me that everything will be just fine.

Is it just human nature to not be able to fully comprehend reality until it is too late? I don't think so. We modern humans are all here because our ancestors were very good at predicting the future and adapting. They had to be paranoid and watchful to survive in a world of enemies and dangers, without the benefit of a police force or a central government.

Why, then, are most of our fellow citizens what some preppers and survivalists refer to contemptuously as "sheeple"?

I would wager that most Western World citizens have been brainwashed by the ideology of Progress. The Enlightenment gave birth to the idea that using reason and science, humanity would be able to take control of its own fate, a very different view of history than existed in the Ancient world, where history and fate were seen as cyclical. The idea of the Wheel of Fortune of the goddess Fortuna are examples of that world view.

Descartes and his ilk thought that by reducing the material world to atoms and equations, we could predict and control it. Well, it's worked out pretty good for a long run. The element left out by Descartes and the Enlightenment optimists, though, was the limited nature of the physical world. The Earth has limited resources. Darwin explained that all species tend to overpopulate to the point where there is a crash in the population. The crash tends to overshoot in the other direction, due to a depleted environment.

Peak Oil is a reality, and despite the currently low gas prices, the reality of Peak Oil is a rabid bitch that's going to soon bite humanity in the ass. Another reason to prep. Those who are prepared do not guarantee their survival, but they certainly increase their chances.

City and Country Partnerships

2009-02-16T12:17:00.001-08:00

A lot of preppers either already live in the country, or they wish to escape there. I understand that - if necessary, I will relocate my family to the family spread up north.

Unless things become quite degenerate, however, cities are going to remain centers of commerce and sources of resources. Just think of how many junkyards and surplus stuff is lying around in the city. I was just in a store named Ax Man on University Avenue in St. Paul yesterday. I hadn't been there in years, and it was still a great place to go to find... well, just about anything. Old surplus electric motors, electronics parts, storage cases... even a Swedish stomach pump, whatever that is.

Those of you living in the countryside - do you REALLY think you will be able to get along without any help from the city? What if something in your country dwelling wears out? What if you need a solar cell, or you need your generator fixed?

The fact is that cities came about in human history, because when humans live together in a concentrated population center, synergy is possible. Synergy is the idea that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Change encounters and ideas discussed at the coffee shop or bar can turn into life-saving ideas or inventions. Something about just hanging out with other people and talking leads to a higher level of commerce and invention.

Thus, even in a TEOTWAWKI scenario, we might expect human commerce and markets to survive in some form, even if it requires barter or a new currency.

With that in mind, why not start to form the commercial alliances and marketplaces of the future NOW? Why not form a network of like-minded people in the city and the country who can trade with each other, even if it involves travel by horseback, canoe, or bicycle?

If you are at all interested in discussing this idea, or forming a future trade relationship with someone in Minneapolis, just leave a comment.

The time to start talking about these ideas is now, because our government seems hell-bent on destroying our currency and therefore the economy. We need to reinvent the meaning of "economy" now.

Prep now, save later.

2009-02-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

Optimism and "hope" may be an important part of prepping.

I say this, because as someone who thinks the system as it is has entered the terminal stage of systemic collapse, I often have gloomy thoughts. How will I support my family? Will there be civil unrest in my city? What about the danger of disease, or government repression?

If you start on a chain of collapse reasoning, you can easily find yourself in a Mad Max world. I doubt it will come to that. Minnesota Nice may take a hit, but I do believe that a good portion of society will find ways to adapt and cooperate.

However, the portion that does not adapt is certainly a worry. Crime is a problem in Minneapolis in the best of times. I am sure it is set to skyrocket. That means securing your home - metal bars should cover glass doors, basement windows should be secured with something more solid than the old-fashioned paned windows. An alarm system is not unwarranted.

Getting too gloomy, however, is bad for your state of preparedness. It can lead to a lack of energy, hopelessness, or even depression. That is certainly not going to help you get prepared.

If you have a religion, start going to church again. Join a community group. Start a new neighborhood group on preparedness. (With that in mind, if anyone living in South Minneapolis would like to start such a group, place a comment under this posting with your email address).

Furthermore, even after a systemic collapse, there will still be an economy of sorts, even if it uses the barter system or some kind of alternative currency. The barter system has recently seen a resurgence in Russia, due to the economic troubles there. Thus, it is important to learn skills that will be valuable in the coming economic environment. Skills and products that people need, as opposed to just want (luxuries), will be in high demand. The fact that the local governments will be far too overwhelmed by budget woes means that you will be able to get away with working as an unlicensed tradesman. Just learn the skill, and forget about the government's roadblocks.

However bad it gets, have faith in the good half of humanity's nature, while being vigilant to avoid being victimized by the evil half that is sure to manifest itself as times get tough.

Watering the Basics

2009-02-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

We've covered some basic at-home preparedness and the time has come to broaden our horizons, step outside our boundaries and taste the freedom of a new wind blowing refreshingly against our faces.

Our homes are safe, ready for some minor (because we are prepared) inconveniences: we have food, water, heat, self-defense implements, a gennie for power and clothing to get us through what can best be described as common, ordinary, day-to-day preparedness. Consider it our insurance policy.

There are three or four general categories of 'prepping', all based on one's idea and world view of what could happen in the future.

First, the lowest common denominator is our homes, the lives of those closest to us and we've covered those in fairly general terms. These always should be our first priority. Get the basics squared away and the rest falls into place. Consider this kind of preps being for elemental/weather related, perhaps a temporary loss of income due to lay-off, firing/down-sizing, etc. Nothing serious, but inconvenient.

Second, and my personal preparedness plan/ideas, are the changes that will ensue due to economic collapse, with small societal changes that will be a direct result: job loss/no income per-se, increased numbers of vagrants/migrants trying to find employment, higher prices for store-bought items- if they're even available, and possibly some looting from these vagrants who are just trying to stay alive. This stage will be relatively peaceful, but due to the larger population today than during the 1930's, the crime will seem much more rampant. It will be a repeat of the Great Depression of last century and be named The Greatest Depression. Which leads us in ever growing stages to...

Three. Closely related to our second scenario but escalated a lot, is the complete societal breakdown, the rule of Martial Law and perhaps foreign invasion, of race riots and a general free-for-all/every man for himself situations. Only a complete idiot would want this to happen. This is the idea shared by most people who have an inaccurate view of preppers and survivalists. Not to say there cannot be such a breakdown of Rule of Law, loss of the Constitution, or (which is my nightmare) the United Nations sending troops here to maintain "peace". Hopefully the American populace will awaken before such as this occurs. I pray so. This, for me, is the ultimate scenario and we cannot ignore it in our thinking of preparedness. This is the point at which TSHTF and many 'preppers' will be in their Bug Out Location. The last, and most highly unlikely circumstances for which we prep are...

Four: green headed-knobby fingered-laser-bearing-mind reading-can't-kill'em-without-an atomic bomb-full-fledged-Zombie from Mars invasion. Truth be told, I love reading C.J. Cherryh and Heinlein (and Heineken labels) and Welles and...dadadadada... but so far as that kind of stuff actually happening. Don't lose your tinfoil. We won't be going there. For some, this is also the "Armageddon scenario"- but those people who predict that aren't up on the proper interpretation of The Scriptures. These "doomers" are living in a no-man's land of wishful thinking due to laziness, immorality, ignorance, whatever. For clarification, I understand Armageddon to be the Final Conflict in the Valley of Meggido- which is in Israel. We won't be going there, either. Not yet, anyway. The time may come, but not for our purposes here.

This post, we'll begin the breakdown of the various scenarios and what we do to prepare for them. As you learn, each tends to lead to or overlaps the next, but in varying degrees. It's your personal world view that dictates how far you will prepare, how much you will decide to defend- and prepare to- what you have, how charitable you will be and with whom (or is it 'who'?) you will be sharing the fruits of your preps, and where will you be living?

Stage two...

Again, this is the period following an economic collapse. If not that bad, then some serious unemployment, vast numbers of vagrants looking for work and food, a place to live. Here is where I believe the majority of our preparations should be viewed. It is in this world we are now extremely close to living.

For those living in large metro areas, or apartments, even to mid-size communities, this stage is going to be difficult for several reasons. Mainly, the extremely close proximity to vagrants (some term them as 'refugees'). Right on the heels of this is the 'no-land/property' factor. Gardens need some kind of land. True, we can grow small crops of veggies in planters on our decks and porches, our window sills or in raised gardens, but nothing on the scale we will need. If we're lucky, we can even keep some small live stock such as chickens and rabbits on personal property, if the Powers That Be will allow it. Community living tends to frown upon raising farm animals. I don't know why, they just do. But we won't be capable of keeping the numbers and kinds of animals we'll need. Think of this stage as being the "Victory Gardens" of the 1900's only today we call them "Liberty Gardens". For obvious reason: they give us liberty to live, which is what preparedness is about.

For this scenario, there will still be electricity, natural gas/propane, automotive gas available. But we'll need to be well-heeled to afford it or scrimp and scrounge very well. There will be food available in groceries, but at what cost? Again, those better off will be able to afford the 'better cuts' and the rest will do with less.

Having skills with which we can barter will be a prominent factor in how well we live, feed our families and continue trying to live in the 'style to which we are accustomed'. (I know: that's really going to become an oxymoron very soon!) Being able to grow sufficient crops and raise livestock will be invaluable. As will repairing a house (building skills: carpentry, electrical, plumbing, typical blue collar jobs), repairing mechanical equipment. Medical (doctor, nurse, veterinarian, dentist, EMT-type skills, which we should all have) skills with an eye to bartering on a more community level rather than insurance payments. Barter will become fashionable again as both a lifestyle and profession- the nomadic tradesman referred to as 'tinkers'. Neighborliness will once again be the rule of the day rather than far-flung acquaintances who will be useless when needed, for the most part.

Here we will need seeds for crops- the basics as a minimum: beans, peas, corn, potatoes, rutabagas, spinach, cabbages, carrots, spinach/char, tomatoes, some salad foods (I don't 'do' salads) such as lettuce and its family. Expect these seed's availability to become virtually nonexistent, so 'heirloom' varieties will be necessary (see suppliers on the sidebar). Learn to grow them ASAP because we really don't have much time. Having the tools and skills for canning our vegetables is a requirement for these coming days. (Google 'canning' for information on any aspect of this nearly 'lost art'.)

For those living in more rural areas, growing the gardens and raising livestock will be much less of a problem. Perhaps a more insidious problem for rural areas will be the 'horde/refugee' people who will have figured out there is likely more food and shelter in the country side than towns. I expect most crime to be located in such areas just because of this. People ignorant of farming and gardens will imagine being able to gather food all year round in the country. (It's amazing how many people think food grows in stores and money grows on trees. I even know people who believe brown cows produce chocolate milk.)

Heirloom seeds and animal husbandry skills will be mandatory, of course, and should be practiced or at least studied by everyone. Other rural skills will be the ability to harvest animal food- hay- in large quantities; having those old-tyme tools will be mandatory in some instances. Ability to use a scythe is nearly a lost art. As is felling trees for firewood, making lumber for home and out-building repairs. Culinary skills will include animal butchering, distasteful at times but necessary.

This is the stage of prepping that guns begin to enter for both survival hunting and self defense, a stage none of us wants to enter but may be forced upon.

Rural areas will be more in tune with the earlier days of our history, having root cellars and a population more attuned to 'work', people more prepared for hardship than city dwellers.

In all aspects, an economic breakdown will be a totally new world for the greater majority of us. We will be required to think and act in ways we really never imagined. New skill sets, ways of living, learning to accept those things we cannot change, being always watchful for those we can, will become a way of life for us. We will survive, however. Because we have prepared.
Prep on, keep your powder dry.

Coming next, Stage Three.

Shy

Flick that light switch, will ya?

2009-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

As we pass through the kitchen, we grab the remote and turn on the evening news.
The talking head is announcing more trouble for the storm stricken central states, a whiny voice comes on and squeaks about not having any power and the 'when is the government going to help us?' refrain is chanted by several in ten second sound bites.
We think about our preps as we continue to the garage, decide to make a check on what's out there.
Beside the house entry door is the fire extinguisher- we check the date, even though we know it was refreshed just last month. The blast of cold air hits our face as we walk in- air temp is nearly ten below because we don't heat the garage and the reason we don't store canned foods or water out here.
We flick the light switch and close the door, stop and look around. Beside the door we see the glow of the rechargeable flashlight hanging on the wall. A comforting tool on a dark night.
Is there any clutter that will trip us up or block passage if we need to move around at night? Are there any unusual smells- propane or natural gas, smoke, rotting meat (dead mice or a cat that strayed in and died), hot electrical wire smells? Is the door completely sealing or is there snow and ice holding it above the apron? Any way for someone to get a good sized lever under it?
In a small section to one side we have our dried food preps, sealed in air tight five gallon containers and hidden in the little room we built especially to hide from prying eyes and little fingers. Beans, peas, lentils, spaghetti and macaroni, sauce mixes, powdered milk, dehydrated fruits and veggies, soup mixes, jerky, egg powder (ISHKA! talk about overseas flights at night- horrid breakfasts of powdered eggs cooking fill the fuselage!)- you get the idea: nothing with liquid. Stacked neatly against the wall is our supply of toiletries: T.P., soaps, toothpaste, floss, laundry soaps, paper towels (a few rolls, anyway; I like shop towels best).
Our BugOutBags are packed and ready, easy to grab and run with or throw in the trunk. We check the straps, open one, insure it's been refilled from the last practice run when we camped out last fall.
Our gunsafe is still locked: open it and check a couple weapons for hints of moisture. Ammo, too. Any rust or mold on lead bullets, discoloration of the brass? Good- we know it's solid. Lock it up and continue our inspection.
Tucked under the workbench is our generator. When was the last time you checked it? Did it run well? Was there clean and proper amount of oil in the crankcase? Tank full? Battery charged? Was the pull-start rope in good condition? Give it a slow pull and check again. Are the extension cords with it? (We do not run our gennie in the garage: keep it ten feet or more from the house walls to prevent exhaust from filling a room or getting in through the soffitt vents.) A few minutes run time to test won't be drastic, but no more. And open the door to get fresh air.
A word on extension cords: don't get the cheapie 16 gauge wired ones. We need as little impedance as we can get, so go with larger wire, 12 or 10 gauge, especially the longer ones. On the gennie- get the best you can afford, but don't scrimp on Watt output. A 2500W gennie will barely run a skilsaw. Go at least 5500W capacity for any kind of multiple equipment use, such as fridge or freezer and some lighting, the TV and furnace. In gennies, diesel motors are king. They last longer, run more efficiently and the fuel doesn't deteriorate as rapidly as gasoline. But it will be expensive. Again, let your pocketbook and perceived needs be your guide. (A good source for gennies is http://www.northerntool.com/ and they ship world wide. Actually, they are a good source for many prepper items, so check them out.)
It's not recommended, but we have a few five gallon containers of gasoline at the juncture of wall and door and we shake them as we pass, insuring they're full. (Preferably, keep petroleum products in an old refrigerator or steel shed outside and away from the house/garage/shop. Yet I don't know anyone who doesn't have a full gas can sitting in their garage.)
Hanging on the wall on those cute little red hooks are our gardening and logging tools. No need to worry about them but we check for rust anyway.
Memories of pleasant summer evenings with the Clan gathered around laughing and chatting away fill our mind as we walk past the barbecue. We know how to use it, have plenty of briquettes and starter fluid (or LP tanks if that's your type), in case we really feel the need for a Super Bowl party Sunday. (Yep, I BBQ year round.) Not far away are a few armloads of firewood for the fireplace (or fire ring outdoors). Stacked against the back wall of the garage is that pile of wood we gathered from the blowdowns during last summer's windstorm.
Satisfied the house is secure, we return to the kitchen, open the fridge and grab a brew. As we twist the top off, we are glad we're set for nearly any incident that can befall our home. Our family is safe and snug as visions of touchdowns and party raucor fills our imagination.
The game goes on. Go Vikes.
Wait- they ain't playing this week end! Drat. Oh, well- nothing new.
Shy

Death Rattle of our current economic order

2009-01-30T11:13:00.000-08:00

First, thanks for inviting me to join this endeavor, Shy Wolf.

My first entry will explain why we must start preparing now for what's to come.

Most people, my in-laws and many friends and family included, believe that Obama's fiscal "stimulus" plan will save us.

They think that a crisis caused by too much debt and credit can be solved by moving the bad debts onto the public's balance sheet (the bailouts), along with a jolt of government spending (the stimulus).

That's like trying to cure an alcoholic by giving him more booze. The government boondoggles will risk making the US government insolvent, and at the very least, put a crushing tax burden and inflationary environment onto our children's shoulders. A good web site with primers on this mess can be found here:
http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/

I also recommend: http://ashizashiz.blogspot.com/

The nail in the coffin is the proven fact that the world's oil output has peaked. That does NOT mean we are out of oil... Peak Oil theorists have never made that claim. There will always be more oil in the ground. The important question, though, is at what point the remaining oil becomes too difficult or energy-intensive to extract. There is a concept called ROEI, return on energy investment. If it takes more energy to drill, pump, extract and refine the oil than you get out of it, then it doesn't make economic sense to produce it. We've hit the point where energy production at most of the biggest, oldest oil fields around the world (Saudi Arabia, Mexico, etc.) has started to decline at startling rates.

Once the economy starts its pseudo-recovery due to the stimulus program, oil prices will shoot through the roof, snapping the American consumer in the ass like a wet gym towel.

The DEATH RATTLE of our economic system has come. In one last, futile effort that costs trillions of dollars, the powers that be are going to make the system breathe one last horrid shuddering breath, before it all comes crashing down.

Please see Dmitri Orlov's site for details on what to expect:
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/

The conclusion: it's getting close to too late to start a serious prep (maybe). Or maybe we have another year or two as the stimulus package jolts the terminally ill economy one last time.

Start prepping now.

For those interested, I am started a new blog to document the the "death rattle" - maybe it's wasted effort, but at the least, I will post links to the latest data and best articles I can find on the subject. My new blog is here:
http://economicdeathrattle.blogspot.com

On that subject, everyone in my company just got an email saying that one of our biggest suppliers is going out of business suddenly, today, with 3 hours notice to their employees.

Foolishness Exhibit A

2009-01-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

updated 5:05 p.m. CT, Thurs., Jan. 29, 2009

CADIZ, Ky. - Hundreds of thousands of ice storm victims hunkered down in frigid homes and shelters Thursday, expecting to spend at least a week without power and waiting in long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries and bottled water... (emphasis mine)

...Utility companies in Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas and West Virginia warned that many of the estimated 1.3 million homes and businesses left without electricity wouldn't have power back before Saturday at the earliest, and at worst, as late as mid-February....

...We're buying up anything that we can eat cold," Tracie Augustinovich said...For heat, the couple were using a kerosene heater loaned to them by a friend — at least until the fuel runs out. When it does, she said, they would go to a shelter....

..."I'm sleeping in a car, which is just fine," Eason, 74, said. "There's nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm."...

...Tony Cipolla managed to keep warm by building a fire at his powerless home near Seneca Park in Louisville, cooking a pot of soup over a gas stove. But there wasn't a long-term plan (emphasis mine)for Cipolla and his two children, ages 5 and 9, if electricity wasn't soon restored....

...We expect it to take at least a week before all our customers are back in service, maybe longer in some areas," Entergy operations director Brady Aldy said in a statement...

Ladies and Gentlemen: I give you "Exhibit A" in why you should be a prepper.

And so it goes: one difficulty after another. One cold, hungry, homeless family after another. Two commonalities among them: all are heading for gov't sponsored housing and none of them were prepared.

Is this where you want to be?

So many 'environmentalist/Gaia' like to think 'mother earth', using the phrase to show a need to protect the planet, to pass their foolish laws on carbon emissions- without carbon, nothing lives on this planet, so WTF?- yet do not prepare for the most elemental, simple problems their 'mother' throws at them. Then their one hue and cry is for the nanny.gov to bail them out. Supply them with clean, sweet smelling dry clothes, tasty food, dry sleeping quarters.

What fools.

How much time did these people all have before this storm hit? How much preparing did they perform, showing love and concern for their families, themselves? How much would it have cost them to be prepared as to what it will cost them after, in home repairs alone?

Foolishness and laziness are the real problems these people have.

Foolishness because they did not prepare for the most simple of activities: maintaining a livable lifestyle in their homes. Lazy because to have thought about it and done it was too much bother. Foolishness because preparing for the Super Bowl was much more important than caring for their family. Speaking of the Super Bowl- how many know more about the Super Bowl than survival?

People are heading to shopping malls and hardware stores at the last moment to buy what they need. "The last 5500W generator," and the man was ecstatic to get it. What will it run? For a survival standard, 5500 Watt is the minimum of power.

"...anything we can eat cold..." and almost useless at warming the core to aide in keeping one warm. Why cold? No dual-fuel campstove? No propane campstove? No campfire making abilities or tools? There is absolutely no reason to go without something warm/hot in our diet at any time of year. Winter especially. A cup of hot broth, a cup of hot chocolate, a cup of hot coffee, a cup of soup, will go far in healing pangs of doubt in ability to survive. Yet they went without, eating little nutritionally worth while and, after that, head for gov't sponsored aide.

Do you see anything wrong in this picture?

Shy

Prepper Tea Bag Party

2009-01-26T11:41:00.001-08:00

Be sure to get your tea bags in the mail to our non-illustrious prez and Congress and Senate critters by February 1.
Addy for Oberstar (8th District) is: Congressman James Oberstar
2365 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515

Any Klobuchar is: Senator Amy Klobuchar
302 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

Since Coleman and Frankenstein are still embattled in the election process, I imagine we can send a proxy tea bag to : Senator Harry Reid
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

Let's get the message to our politicians we are fed up with their wasteful spending of our money and the irresponsible ways they are denigrating our nation, ignoring their constituents and blaspheming our Constitution.

Shy

Every BOB needs a BUG

2009-01-25T13:17:00.001-08:00

Just a finishing touch on the DCB/GHB from the last post. We will have a small medical kit in our bag- bandaids, aspirin, etc.; some kind of refreshment-drink and food (comfort food, even); a flashlight- trying to keep this pack small since we will carry it with us almost continually. One item we should probably consider- if you're licensed to carry- is a small Back Up Gun. Something close to hand if we lose (God forbid!) our belt gun.

First, a disclaimer of sorts. I'm a 'Prepper' and want you to be a 'Prepper', too. (Hmmm, do I recall a commercial with that for a slogan?)

Disclaimer: I'm a prepper, not an expert. What I am describing is what, more or less, I am doing, not what everyone else should do. These are guidelines, only. Not the definitive answer to anything. Since these are what I am doing and how I perceive events to unfold, they are opinion- untested in the reality for the kinds of situations being discussed. My military background has taught me much, my on-going lifestyle taught me more. But only in how I would do what I need to do, not how everyone else should do it. Also, my prepping has always been accomplished with minimal expenditure. Always buy the best you can afford. However, just because it's a Corvette, doesn't mean it's the best for any situation. Ever try hauling firewood in a 'Vette? (Hopefully that gets the point across.) Also, though I was reared around firearms and love them, I am no expert on firearms. I say again: a Corvette may not be as practical as a station wagon or pickup truck. What works in my world, may not work for yours so add your input to your thinking.

Also: I do not, will not nor ever will accept responsibility for your actions. What you decide is upon you, not me. We're all adults here and can make up our own mind as well as be adult enough to accept responsibilities for our well being and that of those we are concerned with.

Clear as mud, right? You'll get the idea soon as you disagree with what I say, however.

(Chucklin' a bit as I write this.)
Now, on to the next phase of preparation.

On our way home, we stop and fill the gas tank: never allow it to get less than half full. Reason being: how far can you get on a half tank if you need to G.O.O.D at zero-dark-thirty and the tank is empty? (G.O.O.D is Get Out Of Dodge- an old cowboy expression, I guess, from the days when the lawmen rode horses after the bad guys.) Now, the tank is full. Good (the best good), head on home.
En route, we're thinking of just what it is we need to make a pit stop for. Cheese and wine for the football game tonight? (After all, the Vikes are gonna WHOMP on the Pack tonight, right? Yah, sure.)
Our home is our castle and as such, our point of refuge from the world. In some scenarios for the 'coming times' (which is how I will refer to what we dunno is gonna happen) people advocate heading for the boonies to a completely stocked, moat surrounded stone fortress of solitude. We will get there eventually. For now, we're at our current address, whether in large or small town or rural community. Here is where most of our preps will be.
Minnesota gets such a variety of weather, we can prepare for almost any natural occurrence: drought, heat wave, blizzard, tornado, flood, even earthquake (to a small degree). About all we won't concern ourselves with is hurricane or himacane. To the natural disasters, we're going to add just one man-made problem: intruders, from the lone thief taking our jewelry to the street gang Zombie invaders taking everything, including our lives.
As you park the car, check the house. How visible is it from the street? How is it laid out? What are the avenues of approach? How visible are they from the main windows, the doorway(s)? If you were a thief, how do you think you could enter unnoticed? Escape? Are there choke points you couldn't get past as a family group, where you'd be separated, possibly totally apart and, in confusion and darkness, be seriously jeopardized by this?
What about your fire escape plan? Got one? Is every family member aware of their duty(ies) during such an emergency? Who's going to grab the baby and diaper bag on the way out the smoke filled house? Who has the girls and who gets the boys? Who grabs the cell phone? Where do you meet?
No plan for that? Make a note and write it down to develop one. Got a plan? Look for loopholes and close them.
Going to the door- notice the shrubbery: any place for someone to hide, especially at night and where the yard/porch light does not strike? Check the yard for tracks: in snow it's easy, on grass not much more difficult. Do they belong to people who live here?
What kind of door is it? Steel? Wood? Wood core steel? Or a wood frame with lots of glass to let in the light? Part of the problem with 'keeping up with the Joneses' is that the Jones just like to spend money. Quite often spend it on the most impractical stuff they can find. Like big glass doors and windows. Aside from being energy inefficient, they're easy to bypass. Might be time to think of letting the Joneses do their thing, you do yours.
Inside the house: lock the door when you get in, drop your keys on the entry table and hang your coat in the closet, or on the wall rack. Nope. Pick those keys up and put them back in your pocket so you know where they are. Don't leave them laying where the kids can play with them or the pizza delivery boy pick them up. Near the door, in the closet or behind (when open) is a fire extinguisher: checked the test date lately? Is it of sufficient size to handle a medium electrical fire? is it an ABC (no, not Already Been Chewed, but wood-gas/chem/liquid-electrical) extinguisher? When was the last time you imagined using it? Do so now, keep these things fresh in your mind so there's minimal fussing around when needed. Are there a couple good flashlights there as well? (I like one in every room. Ditto with extinguishers, but I burn wood so it's almost mandatory.)
Walking through the house, thinking security. Are there windows left open during the day? Why? (If you're like me, cuz it gets hot and stuffy in the summer, of course. Not a good idea even in the country.) Checked the latches on them lately? The frames? Is the glass secure in them? How easy would it be for someone to get in them? Are there 'open' areas with no clutter? Consider putting plants or some furniture in front of them to slow someones progress. However- consider that furniture as concealment, possibly cover, for an intruder as well. (There's always a drawback to some things, isn't there?)
Does your home have a safe room? A secure room, steel doored with small window(s) where the family can gather in time of need? A room with a lockable door, phone for 9-1-1 calls? Is there a cell phone there? Any large furniture that can be placed in front of the door to retard entry? Are there a couple of flashlights available? A fire extinguisher or two? How about the self defense weapons? Are they within easy reach, loaded?
A note about calling 9-1-1 from a safe room: once entering a safe room during a home invasion/robbery and the police are called, no not leave the room, even after the police get there. Have a spare house key hanging on a stick or piece of wood you can pass to the police when they arrive- after insuring yourself it's the police. Let them clear the house for you.
Let's go to the kitchen for a snack now the house is safe.
What do you have for food preps? Got a week's worth of good nutrition for the whole family? No? Start there: take the food preps in small bites, like all preps. Unless you've got deep pockets, then you can get more. Buy what your family eats normally- unless it's Big macs and Pizza Hut. In that case, begin getting the gang on a good diet: meat an taters and s'ghetti and lots o' veggies and w-w-w-water. Set aside an area in your basement or walk-in cupboard, a spare room, whatever, and shelf it up. Start stocking some canned goods- things you eat every day. Rotate the stock as you go: First in-First out/FIFO rules.
Set aside one section for water. Quite often the dollar store in this area has cases (24 bottles) of water for a couple bucks. Get some: the average person uses about one gallon a day. As noted earlier, I don't drink water as a norm. Usually it's sport drinks and I find them by the case at two-fer-prices. Water is good for bathing and coffee, cooking and fishing. (We'll get into water purification later with SHTF scenarios.) A note about water: it's main enemies are oxygen and sunlight/light. Keep it darkened and pakages closed.
Again, stock what is normal for you. I like beans- lots- and soups. Give yourself quite a bit of leeway with dried foods, also, but have the water handy to prepare them.
MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) are a real Prepper item. Some people advocate having tons of the stuff on hand. It'll last for years and keep you alive. Who knows, you may even be able to get fat eating them, though I doubt it. At current prices, MREs are hard to find- most distributors are back ordered. Possibly due to a number of factors, the military using them is one. Other reasons may be that people are beginning to see the Prepper Light and are stocking up. If you can find them, they're good to have but not as primary diet. Mountain House is a real winner for MREs, are very tasty and can be stored til the next century if desired. Well, maybe not that long. We'll see when archaeologists dig up the remains of our civilisation. (Check the sidebar for MRE/Survival food links.) What we're looking for is about a 12 month supply of food on hand- just in case 'things' get really bad.
So for now, take a look around your castle. Is it a Keep? Or is it in need of some Prepper remodelling? If so, get at it. Remember s-l-o-w is good, no need to 'buy the store' unless you need to and can afford it.
Next issue, we're going to sneak a peek in the garage/playroom and see what we can come up with for home security. Then it'll be everyone's fave topic- unless something comes up to make guns more of an issue.

God bless, happy prepping.
Shy

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