What If Nothing Happens?

by | Jul 7, 2012 | Emergency Preparedness | 259 comments

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    The following article has been contributed by The Berkey Guy Blog. For essential survival supplies and accessories like Berkey water filters, heirloom seeds and long term food storage visit LPC Survival.

    Yesterday, I spoke with a gentleman in New York who tried to educate me on preparedness. He mentioned so many different concerns, many of which were legitimate and some were just out there. With so much going on in our Nation and throughout the world at large, it’s tough to ignore so much writing on the wall.

    Now, let’s take that conversation into context for my focus of writing an article this morning: What if nothing happens? That’s exactly the question I’ll ask you. You, the prepared individual. You, the prepper who purchases food to have in the event your employment situation loses its revenue temporarily, or a minor movement of the earth closes local markets and grocers. You, the healthy student of nutrition. You, the responsible parent who works to provide the necessities of life for your children and grandchildren and works to secure those ongoing needs. You, the involved citizen who talks with your neighbors and cares about the safety of your neighborhood. You, the owner of a vehicle who pays auto insurance for security against an undesired vehicular event. You, the purchaser of health insurance for a family whose health is fundamental and essential. You, the ardent securer of water storage, just in case another 5-day boil-water-alert happens this month. You, the consumer who also produces constructively while others are socially-secure thanks to your payroll contributions. You, whose money is lent to banks whose bail-outs secured enormous pensions. You, whose income tax returns without interest.

    What if not one thing happens this year to drastically- or even minimally- inconvenience your lifestyle?

    In the event that your storage of food, water, medical, and other resources remains unmoved out of necessity, then count yourself fortunate. This is what we hope for, although we’d be willfully ignorant to discredit the vulnerabilities of our current environments, local and global!

    If your application of primitive or pioneer skills finds use within recreational or standard homestead practices instead of emergent necessity, then continue enjoying their practice in peace. Please carry on and experience the following in your endeavors to be self-reliant:

    • the joy of cultivating your plants and harvesting the literal fruits (& vegetables) of your labor
    • the satisfaction of knowing basic skills to make many of the leisurely staples such as flour, pasta noodles, sausage, buttermilk, cheese, bread, and so much more
    • the stewardship of slaughter & butchery
    • the responsible care and maintenance of firearms and useful weapons/tools
    • the autonomy of filtering and purifying water for all-things-related to its supply and use
    • the comfort of attending to basic medical issues, affording you the avoidance of over-crowded emergency waiting rooms, and unnecessary exposure to other contagious pathogens
    • the peace of mind that your food is not unnaturally grown and crammed into compact living conditions
    • the security that comes with protection against a failing economy and currency, through precious metals
    • the integrity of enjoying life’s experience as a perpetual learner, an ever-studious pupil
    • the unmatched fulfillment which attends precious family moments of teaching, learning, and sharing
    • the limitless advantages of perpetual personal progress

    Natural disasters are going to happen as part of life. Adverse events are somewhat out of our control, so we prepare for those things which we can control: having something rather than having nothing. Knowing-by-doing rather than not knowing and doing nothing.

    And if nothing happens, we have the satisfaction of having prepared for when it does.

    Follow the Berkey Guy Blog for regularly updated preparedness tips and videos. You can also visit LPC Survival for preparedness supplies and accessories.

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      259 Comments

      1. you also need to evaluate the threats to you and yours

        in my case

        biggest threat is financial/job loss
        the biggest natural threat,the one most likely to happen is a hurricane

        evaluate,prioritize,plan,execute

        and if your well prepared for one type of threat
        chances are your in pretty good shape to deal with the rest of them

        • Well said, each one of us are in different situations, we can only do what we can do. But do what you can and make a difference with others who do NOT see or understand what we do. I enjoy helping people prep, it could save thier life.

          • There is a steady stream of people waking up to the financial fraud. There are even a few of us pushing the limits of freedom and doing the work of enforcing Natural Law on behalf of the Almighty God.

            The vast majority will still not wake up until they lose everything they have, individually. Our task is to get them up to speed as quickly as possible after their own personal tragedy wipes them out.

            As time goes on, the number of the awaken will increase steadily. So will the number of those awaken that will endeavor to be truly free.

            The question we must all ask is what can we do to stop the corp before it literally attacks us as physical collateral rather than treating us as debt slaves?

            Survival of the People as a political force requires the banks be destroyed by any means necessary. That will not take guns or bombs. Just an understanding of the fraud and the WILL to stop it and punish those involved. And an understanding that there is only one enemy and one solution.

            The corp must be killed by removing it’s source of control. Privately issued debt with it’s forced use as money. Nothing happening is NOT an option.

            If nothing happens, the People will lose and darkness will cover the earth for centuries.

            • Gc…you mean we need to pull an ‘Iceland’ and fast.

        • What if something does happen..?

          possee

      2. I liken it to buying life insurance. What if I don’t die? Well that’s good as I’m preparing for the worst case scenario. If I don’t die young, that’s a positive thing and I just spent some money.

        In the case of prepping, I’m planning for a worst case and at the end I have the peace of mind that if a disaster strikes and impacts us for a week, we’re ready. In addition, we have a nice supply of food/water/etc for future consumption. Yeah, I spent a little money but not like I have nothing to show for it. Also, I’ve taught myself how to live on less which is never a bad thing.

        I don’t think any of us want a financial meltdown as our very comfy way of life will change for the worse. If nothing happens, I’m all for it.

        However, that is putting off the problem and our kids will deal with it. But our kids will be ready as we’d teach our prepping ways.

        My fear is all those that are not prepping. If things get tough, their reaction is what I don’t look forward to. The below outlines why I think people decide not to prep.

        http://www.thehomeforsurvival.com/2012/05/20/5-reasons-people-not-prepping/

        • I sure think something happened on a minor league scale on the east coast. People have now spent 10 days without air conditioning or even fans to cool off, and some of those have died because of the heat. I have seen on the news all these upscale neighborhoods around Baltimore that have no power, WHAT?

          How much does a generator cost when you have the money to buy it. You can get a small inventor generator that powers down when the load is reduced, like a Honda 1000 watt, that will use about 1 and 1/2 gallons of gas a day powering a window air conditioner. That is 15 gallons of gas for 10 days and having a room or maybe a couple of rooms that are comfortable to sleep in and take refuge from the searing heat. A more powerful generator and you can run the refrigerator and or more power air conditoning. At least have some fans going. Electric generators can get you through minor disasters, yet few people have them/

          To me it would have made a lot more sense to forget about going to a few Baltimore Oriole baseball games, the Orioles have finally been winning after years, and get an electric generator and some fuel back-up. People WASTE money on entertainment and pure junk, and then when they have no power, and or no markets to get food and supplies, they whine and tax the aid groups for their next meal. These aid groups are for those that have been devastated because of an earthquake or a flood or something, not because of lack of power that people should have food, water, supplies, and an electric generator is reserve for.

          I am not talking about people that cannot afford an electric generator either. Right now in a brochure I am looking at right now from Harbor Freight Tools, you can purchase a 800 watt, 900 watt portable generator for $89.99 with their cut out coupon. This would be enough to power a small air conditoner or several fans and a couple of lights. $90 plus tax and you have power for the minimum needs. Get some 5 gallon plastic gas holders, fill them up, and you are all set.

          How many people in Baltimore and other east coast areas will actually prepare for next time, especially with hurricane season rapidly approaching? About 1%. You would hope 10% or higher, but likely after the danger has passed, most individuals will forget it and go entertain themselves hoping to catch a baseball at the big game. One outing omitted from the weekly entertainment routine and you could have peace of mind, AND not suffer for days from heat the next time the power blacks out. This logic escapes most people. THANK GOD FOR THE PREPPER THAT THERE IS STILL PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH COMMON SENSE LEFT, AND INTELLIGENCE.

          • I live in the middle of this minor inconvenience and generators that were purchased by people after the power went out are already showing up on Craigslist with descriptions like “only used for a week.” Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

            • I know I shouldnt but that made me laugh out loud!

            • @ Prepared Pastor. You know I have had my generators for 12 years, and the mere thought of getting rid of them and being without them is a sickening thought. Talk about frightening, how someone could see the shear benefits of having something that literally saves them from misery, and then dumps it. What are these people, retards? It is like it is evil or something to try to be prepared. I will be perfectly honest with you and everybody on this site that I cannot figure out how these individuals “think” the way they do.

              The thought of an ad, “only used for a week”, for a lifesaving device that will almost certainly be used again, makes me think that some of these people have some brain disease or some worm or something eating away at their minds that is inhibiting their rational thought process. I am at a loss for words how anyone could throw away safety and an item that will be there for them in the future. This does not make an ounce of sense. Someone please help me understand the psychology behind this if it is not some physical brain disease.

            • I bought my generator in 1991 and have used it every year since either on a building site or at the retreat. I have slowly weaned myself from it for non-essentials with alternatives like solar, wind, and an inverter that will power my A/C or fridge from my vehicles, but I too would never sell mine.

              They way I see it we can complain about these people or profit from them. Three of my four pressure cooker/canners were given to me by people who see no use for them.

            • I bought my generator in 1996 between hurricanes Bertha and Fran. I have never “used” it. I just have to fire it up once a month to keep it ready. I will never sell it willingly.

            • @ Prepared Pastor. I to profit from individual’s lack of any insight everytime I pick up something useful at a garage sale. It just blows my mind how people can give away so much fantastic survival items that I know that someday they will need. The prepper sures benefits from this massively. These really large garage sales put on by non-profit groups or churches, you can pick up all sorts of items really cheap.

              I to since 2000 have used my generators so many times. You know I spent an entire night through cold snow without heat to power the stove, no lights, nothing, and this one time was enough to convince me to get electric generators so this would never happen again. I have had to use these at least 50 times since then because of the vicous thunderstorms entering the area more often that knock all the power off. A person that uses an electric generator just one time for an extended period of time should treasure that survival aid, but just about 99% don’t. Like you said, there is much to profit from those that cannot see the necessity to prepare for the future, as someone I know just bought a good electric generator for practically nothing.

            • Informed says

              makes me think that some of these people have some brain disease or some worm or something eating away at their minds that is inhibiting their rational thought process… Someone please help me understand the psychology behind this if it is not some physical brain disease.

              The disease is Propaganda Syndrome, used by the corp to subliminally suggest that Government is the Sovereign over God, and will take care of you when things get bad.

              It starts the day one first sees a television commercial and the people are bombarded with excessive crap for their entire lives. Everything is decided for them, from the best laundry detergent to which smart phone they should use. And the decisions are always thrust upon them by those who benefit from the choice.

              There is an escape. TURN OFF THE TV AND THINK FOR YOURSELF. However, that is beyond the point of maximum effort most are willing to put out.

              My kids start looking for the remote to MUTE the sound as soon as commercials come on. They have been well informed that EVERYTHING on ANY commercial is somebody trying to sell them something they do not need.

              The TV is the master control of the masses. It is NOT just for entertainment, unless YOU take control of it and understand it for what it is.

              The ones to feel sorry for are those who get their news from it and believe they are informed and given truthful information.

              Sadly, the awake can do nothing until those who rely on the TV for information admit they have been fools. A gold standard in money is more probable.

            • I was able to purchase one a larger one for two hundred ditey bucks. i live in hurricane country and people just sell them agter one year. do they not think another one may come or a storm that leaves ya without power. i also pirchased a lil winsow ac unit this year incase a heat wave and wleft without power. long before this event. well i llack alot of preps but i have food water and can keep cool at least. I get nuts when i am hot so at least i will have ny senses about me if for a lil while with my nerator. I will NEVER get rid of that investment. I got such a good buy in it. my first large prep item was that. Ig it is just a short term event I thank God I have it. looking into more long term plans for grid down situation but have to start somewhere. i think people get rid of generators thinkin that they can get another one if needed they are all part of the instant gratification society that has become the norm. besides Harbor Feight my dad turned me onto Northern tools I have purchased from them better quality stuff and cost is still chep varying prices….love the site, if you like good tolls this is the place (argh argh, sound of tim the tool time taylor LOL) LOVE this site and have several stores. bought a wood stove from them.Everything you could think of at this site, Not typicak girl here know my tools 🙂

          • Hello there Be Informed

            Thank you so much for your suggestion about Harbor Freight Tools… I had heard of them, but honestly thought it was jut heavy equipment, for people in the trades like my dad. (I’m a computer science teacher, didn’t get his unique ability to work with his hands — the man is pure genius!)
            Anyway, I’m glad to see that they have such reasonably priced generators. I’m thinking about combining them with a Black and Decker Nu Cool compressor-less mini fridge for keeping medications cold. One thing that all of the nay sayers and sheeple who mock us don’t understand is that things don’t have to go all “Mad Max” to seriously fuck up your life. Some of us have to worry about losing medication that
            A) keeps us from ending up crippled or dead
            B) you can’t just get at the corner pharmacy, even assuming that one was open in the event of a serious emergency

            One other thing that I’d like to know, and I open this to everyone here: what are the options for deep storage batteries? Being a computer nerd, I had thought about UPS (un-interruptible power supply) from American Power Conversion, but if there are other options out there, I’d definitely be up for hearing about them.

            stand strong until freedom dawns

            • @ SonOfSam. Everytime one of us helps another see a good deal, think of a new idea, help improve our survival chances for WHEN something happens, it makes it all worthwhile. I am sometimes amazed at some of the wonderful advice people come up on this site, there are some quite intelligent and free thinking people that comment. I just hope that many more people will share what they know that have not commented that visit here. There is still much to know to be able to survive what is coming.

              In regards to your question about deep storage batteries, I have heard that many compaines that use forklifts and other machine driven batteries often dispose of them for real cheap or free and reconditionong them are a fraction of the cost of buying one new. Also many boat owners have deep cycle batteries that they sell or give away for free. Junk yards to sometimes have good batteries for sale cheaper. I have seen deep cycle batteries for sale in the classified sections of newspapers and in those free brochures at supermarkets.

              Solar can be used to recharge batteries, but wind can be more effecient. Also people use the power of water to recharge battery banks such as streams or even people that live by the ocean can use the tides to move a turbine to generate power.

              Anything that has to do with refrigeration necessities also can be solved by constructing a mini-icehouse in the backyard. People could literally dig a hole for various sizes of how much storage they want and then insulate the storage unit heavily. People use to use straw, but Styrofoam and attic insulation (the higher the R value the better), works even better. The ground itself is a wonderful insulator as ice houses have been used for hundreds of years way before any modern refrigeration. Use of snow and ice when you have it, or just keep making ice from your refrigerator.

              It is incredible how long it takes for ice to melt in the ground, especially in the shade. An excellent ground cover is essential as this is where most cold loss will occur. This can be a way of storing important medicine or other items that need coolness if you cannot get power because of for example a super EMP. People kept items cool enough in ice houses for months during the pre-refrigeration days.

        • Life insurance–A bet where you win if you lose and lose if you win.

          • Life Insurance – A bankster scam that ensures you can still pay their fraudulent loans of fiat credit if you die.

          • I only buy liability insurance for my truck, don’t buy homeowner’s insurance since my property is paid for, and never bought life insurance until I had children. If I am going to ask my best friend to raise my children in the event of our death, I want to provide him the funds to do so. Life insurance proceeds go directly to the beneficiaries so creditors get nothing unless it is ‘credit life insurance’ where they are the beneficiaries and that I agree is a complete waste of money.

      3. How fortunate we all would be if nothing at all happened to cause us to dig into our stores or to use our skills to survive a SHTF type of disaster.There is still something coming and it is called inflation.
        Just look at the year to year, heck, month to month, price increases at the supermarket or the sporting goods stores :-). The foods , the paper goods, the tools and yes, the sporting goods :-), which we have purchased years ago and even today, will be less expensive than in the future. So, I guess we have set up a savings account that is earning better interest than any bank is offering today. Not even the Fed can match what we are earning on ALL of the commodities we have purchased.
        Money not spent in the future is money saved and earned.

        Be well.

        • Hco/75th-1st aircav 70-71

          • None of us were phased in to the 75th. Anyone before 01/01/68 missed out.
            I was in DetA LRP from 11/65-11/67 with 4 months TDY in Korea in between.
            We were attached to the 1/7 AC while in country.
            Be well.

        • Doc,

          Such an excellent point. Well said. I also like the insurance analogy. I use both when attempting to break through to the hypnotized. The conditioning of the hypnotized never ceases to amaze me.

      4. If nothing happens my children will grow up spending weekends in the wooded mountains surrounding our retreat. This will be a great place to pass along the skills my grandfather taught me and some new technologies like solar and wind power.

        They will have a place representing their roots which will serve them in times of need be it simple solitude, a place to stay in the event of divorce, or the eventual collapse as every great empire has suffered throughout history.

        Certainly, some of my food storage or nuke pills may expire unused, but those costs will be offset by savings in other areas. It would be of great comfort to me if my children are laughing about something I bought but never needed thirty years from now.

        • Thinking the exact same thing here.

          Canned food in good condition can last a very long time, and I can rotate that out as needed (and either consume it, or donate it to the local food bank).

          Weapons? I use them every time I go hunting, goofing off at the local shooting grotto, or passing them along as family heirlooms.

          Skills? I use them right now. I garden and I forage (which provides dinners that many of my visiting city-bound friends find at once ironic (I’m not normally the new-age organic type) and delicious. My engineering skills get put to use in my car, the neighbor’s boat motor, another neighbor’s house, etc. In the course of learning how folks did things 150 years ago, I find that I can contribute to local historical societies and museums.

          The wood stove? Hell, it keeps my power costs down, and since power does go out on occasion around here for up to a week at a time, it has a use.

          Living outside of the city? I really don’t miss the city that much anymore. The residents out here are more genuine, and while I would miss out on higher-paying career opportunities due to the commute, I honestly don’t care anymore about the money. I care more about sitting on the porch and watching the sunset into the woods. I care more about standing outside at 2am, and seeing every star in the sky. I care more about the smell of fresh wildflowers growing out back. Finally, I care a lot more about hearing the laughter of friends and family. If there’s something in the city that I want or need, I’ll drive in and go get it.

          If I’m wrong and nothing happens? So what? I’m having a great time while civilization is still around, and will continue to do so.

          But if I’m right…? Well, that’s a whole other bucket o’ fish, now isn’t it?

          • If nothing happens, you’ll find me out on the water or in the garden. As long as I can do the things I enjoy I will do them. I can always enjoy my preps, wherever I am.

          • OQ – EXACTLY.

            Today we just saw 2 big Canadian geese fly over our house in the woods. We’re always seeing deer. We put a salt lick in the back so they’ll come up close to the yard. We just saw a beautiful hummingbird outside our window yesterday. You do not see that in the city.

            My husband and I are semi-retired and we live frugally.
            Our homes are paid for. We also clip coupons (I’m in the process of learning how to be an extreme couponer) and we go to the goodwill and garage sales for things we need now. Our local goodwill is packed everyday. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like happy hour.

            We live in rural areas where the people ARE friendlier and kinder. I love going outside at night to watch the blanket of stars. It’s lovely.I can sit on my front porch and listen to the frogs, the crickets or see an occasional red bird.

            My family is still in the city with the rat race. They’re always in a rush and the kids are obsessively texting. They think I’m crazy for prepping and what I do. I don’t care anymore.

            I don’t know what is going to happen but I smell it on an intuitive level. It could be a solar flare, a pandemic, government shutdown, nuclear reactors going off, anything. Better to be safe than sorry.

            But like one poster said above, I still have car insurance in case something happens. If my truck were totaled I’d be screwed. So I pay for car insurance, just in case.

            So I prepare. On another article a poster said to keep mums about your preps. We both do. I don’t want any trouble from those who didn’t prep. And if they think we have nothing, they’ll move onto the next house.

        • If nothing happens? Im afraid we’re in mid stream already. Because “IT” …. IS happening before our very eyes. The S is HTF slowly but surely. Fortunately, we haven’t all arrived at the “cliff” together in one great big catastrophic event. However individually, people are tumbling over the precipitous and it’s going unnoticed.
          If the “great event” doesn’t occur this year, then great!!! But really, what is the “great event” that everyone’s prepping for? An earth quake, a flood, WWIII, an economic collapse? Collapse of the Dollar and Euro? Revolution or Civil War? Martial Law being implemented or maybe it’s just a complete down grade of living standards and a real time loss of a few more million jobs which would put more untold pressure on the social system?
          Personally, everyone here is preparing for “something” that we can or can’t yet see. I don’t agree too much with preppers gearing up for an invasion from outer space by reptoid beings or with preppers awaiting brain dead zombies in their millions, drooling up and down the highways. But please, keep your comments and feed back coming if you think this is a possibility, because we all need a good laugh from time to time.
          I personally feel that the threat is economic (and that’s a reality now) There is no possible way that the US and most European countries will ever be able to pay back the trillions owed. Short term, the collapse will continue slowly and unabated. Controlled by the Bankers and their political manipulators. Some European countries will attempt to pull out of the European Union and it will cost them dearly. And so too the United States. In the near future, some States may attempt to suscede from the Union and this will be at that or those States peril.
          I really feel that the S will HTF when Russia and China (BRICS countries) are forced into a position where they become the West’s fallguys and Patseys. The Western bankers get their third world war, make trillions in the process, halve the population of the planet, wipe out Western debt by ignoring it and sweeping it under the carpet.
          What’s left over will be forced into a global system of compliance and we’ll all live happily ever after with a micro chip in our foreheads in order to live.
          Keep prepping folks. Don’t let em fool ya!!!

        • Amen. I’d rather be the crazy prepper mama than not.

      5. If nothing happens then i get what I want, if something does happened means Im prepared for what I need. My ease of sleeping tonite being prepared for whatever happens tomorrow is my solice! Thanks Mac for helping with these things and helping to be more awake to the world in which we live! My family and I are greatfull and in debt to you!

        If it’s just the same I think I’ll keep prepping double time just in case!

        • Its funny, but we spent trillions of dollars preparing for a nuclear war with the communists that never took place. So maybe all that money we spent may have deterred it from happening. So maybe the fact that we are not trying to eke out our lives on a radioactive cinder proves that being prepared for a disaster that never happens is way smarter than not being prepared for one that does.

          Either way, I LOVE growing my own food, and the more I learn, the more I love it. I also like to cook using ingredients that my wife and I grew. That’s not prepping, that’s living 🙂

          stand strong until freedom dawns

      6. PP- couldn’t have said it better myself in fact didn’t!
        Be safe brother!!!

      7. Being age 41, Social Security will be broke by the time I get to retire. So I’ll start slowing consuming what I prepp and replace…

        I paid 18.00 dollars two years ago for a 50lb bag of rice. Now that same bag cost 23.00 dollars.

        • I paid 8.00 for the first bag @ 25 lbs..just 6 months later, it was 9.50.
          I hear ya. And that was Sam’s club.

          • @ JayJay. That same bag of rice that is 25 pounds will cost several hundreds dollars if the society is around long enough to see the U.S. dollar collapse when OPEC and other oil producing nations decide to stop using the US dollar. $9.50 is an increase of 18.75% over 6 months, or about 37.5% over a year. That is higher than what credit cards are charging in interest on the most expensive cards.

            Now look at what 37.5% would mean to some common other costs if they follow the same pattern.

            Gas at $3.50 would be $4.81 a gallon.
            Lean Chicken pieces at $5 a pound would be $6.88.
            Milk at $3 a gallon would $4.13.
            An electric or gas bill at $95 would be $130.63.
            House taxes at $1200 a year would be $1650.
            A new car at $16000 would be $22000.

            How about this one in reverse, if someone is getting paid $10 per hour after all taxes taken out, the money is now worth only $6.25 per hour. Or $400 a week in net money would now only be worth $250.

            When you see these increses in food and other necessities you can see why people are outraged at the economy. Your money doesn’t buy anything anymore. All the while that total mongoloid helicopter ben wants to print up even more money and credit to accerelate the U.S. rocketing to the poor house. Maybe this is the plan all along. “Nothing happening” is no longer possible, the suicide run down the slope of the volcano is already in full motion and cannot be stopped.

            • Coming soon –price increases for everything…droughts everywhere.
              Pray–Prepare–Pray some more–

        • In my mid forties I though that after 25 years of trying I would not be having any children. A few years ago, however, I met and married a great girl and we are expecting our second child. It did not originally occur to me in the 1980s that I would be relying on my children to take care of me in my old age. This is how it has been throughout history with the exception of a handful of recent years. Today children are institutionalizing their parents because that is what their parents did to them when they were little. Treat your children well for everyone reaps what they sow.

          • Be nice to your kids-they will choose the nursing home.

            • Will future generations be able to pay for nursing homes, or will they be forced to return to taking care of their own?

        • still $18 at GFS stores around me.

      8. If nothing happens GREAT!!! that would be what we all should want! If something does happen I will be ready for most things.
        My goal in being more self sufficient is to not spend any money that I don’t have to. What will I do with all the money I do not spend on essential, everyday things? Save and spend it on other things, vacation, trips, etc etc.
        My main goal is to be completly debt free and not owe any money to anyone or any govt. body!! That to me is true FREEDOM. Yes prop tax and ins will be the only things I will “owe” anyone. They seem to be necessary evils we will never get rid of. But for what I will owe in those two cat. I could in all possiblity earn by picking up cans and metal scrap through out the year.

      9. I guess I could always use my cans of spam as targets for the .223 I’ve been saving.

        • My favorite recreation is a couple of hours at the range. Unless I die in the near future (in which case I won’t care) I will use my ammunition for a long time & thoroughly enjoy doing so.

          I would much prefer shooting at targets. But what will be, will be.

          And I really like canned corned beef……..

      10. I truly hope nothing happens, but would it not be prudent to be set up for anything from fire to flood to tornado?
        Also my property (BOL) hopefully will be a retirement spot, soooo set up for anything. It will be a joy to be self supporting and dependant on myself and clan. I hope that everyone can do the same, where ever you are in life’s road….

      11. Being prepared is having peace of mind. My wife and my kids are not worried because they know they will be ok. I hope nothing happens. I hope this country rebounds stronger then ever. I have faith in that happening. I am prepared incase it doesnt. That my friends is peace of mind.

      12. If something happens I will be prepared. If nothing happens, at the time I decide I have reached that point, we wont have to go to the grocery store for a while. I agree about the garden. It is one of the most relaxing things I do now. It also really makes me feel good to set out a dinner consisting of things that mostly I have grown.

        My father told me, “plan for the worst and hope for the best. You wont ever be dissapointed.”

        • All our grandkids love vegetables because if it came out of grandpa’s garden, it had to be good.

      13. As crazy as this world has gotten and as I see the crazier this world gets then something tells me prepping won’t be in vain.

        I’m talking a crazy world where an individual rips his clothes off, then proceeds to eat the face of another human.

        When I see a meltdown in Greece, and as Nigel Farage warns the EU that a similar meltdown in the EU is coming, when you read the world has over 800 trillion dollars in toxic debts and maybe one tenth of that in combined assets.

        When I see France’s President who thinks a debt problem is fixed with even more massive debt, it’s insanity. I’m sorry but I think prepping is not only prudent but mandatory.

        I’m in my mid 50’s and lived thru Jimmy Carter’s awful economy. What we are currently living in and the impending implosion of all the global economies, you gotta prep because the meltdown is coming. I have never seen such instability all at once. It’s frightening at how crazy the world has gotten.

        • Could not agree with you more…

        • Totally agree!!!!
          My only question is: is their a line between hoarding and prepping?
          Managed to pick up a box with about 1500 loose tea light candles, two full wood boxes full of various nails and screws and bolts. Several old shovel, spade and garden folk heads ( minus the handles) and a heap of half size plywood panels (4×4 in size) Is this prepping or hoarding?

          • That is investing. Does it make you feel good to add to your retirement plan, IRA, whatever, like you’re doing the right thing, being prudent, etc.? Well, then, you should feel just ecstatic about this, whether you realize its true value now, or later. “Realize”, in both definitions of the word…

          • Prepping. You can melt the tea candles and make bigger ones if you want. The hardware will be priceless if the ability to manufacture more disappears. You can always buy handles for the tools or make them yourself. And there are millions of things you can build out of half-sheets of plywood.

          • @Redcoat…..I personally believe it is prepping because you may end up giving or trading a good portion of these things for “stuff” that you don’t have……

            I would look at the things you acquired the same as $$…1500 candles x $1.00=$1500.(just using that as an example.)….Most of us wouldn’t hesitate to put those $$ away for what’s coming.

            Just saying…

          • I ask myself that. But hoarders don’t even throw trash away. I prefer to be called a packrat.

        • Hey Rodster,

          Say, remember the wonderful Carter years, when prices were being raised WHILE you walked through the grocery store? Remember gas lines, and “odd-even” days? Like you, I sure as hell do and it was back then, when I was just a teenager, that I determined that I would NEVER be utterly dependent for my life on any government agency, not ever! People keep waiting for “the government” to solve our problems, but I see two inherent difficulties with that:

          A) As Reagan said, “government is not the solution to our problems, government IS the problem”

          B) There is no such thing as “the government”: just a bunch of guys who want to spend your money so they can run your life. And they’re not even the “best and brightest”, not by a long shot

          Think of the average person. Then understand that “average” means that HALF the people in this country are STUPIDER than that guy! Now imagine how many of that lower half are in “the government”

          stand strong until freedom dawns

          • Sure do and those were some awful times much like today but this global instability takes it to another level maybe more.

            Unfortunately other than Nigel Farage there are no Thatcher’s or Reagan’s out there. So instead we have Socialist ruining the EU and the US. Not a good sign which lends to all the instability.

            Maybe a 200 year reset is in order where we farmed our own property if we wanted to eat. 🙂

          • Good Grief-The Carter Years. They turned my mild mannered mother into a Warrior for Reagan. She answered office phones, walked streets distributing fliers, and talked to everyone she met about getting rid of Carter. I think the gas lines/odd-even days were her breaking point. Being a traveling RN, she not only spent a fortune on gas but was constantly terrorized about needing gas when it wasn’t “her day” at the pump! Yep, I was the teenager in the car getting lessons on a Representative Republic, the pitfalls of socialism, and how dangerous Roosevelt was. They must have stuck, but I can’t imagine not preparing for natural disasters, joblessness, or WW3. I often wonder why so many people are so afraid of being a Free and Sovereign Citizen in a Free and Sovereign Country.

            • I’ve read and truly believe that our leaders have gone out of their way to dumb down America over the years. No wonder creative TV has been replaced Reality TV. We know more about American Idol, MTV or our Sports teams than we do about who our Representatives in Wash are and what Bills they have or are trying to pass.

              Our so-called leaders have purposely created a Nanny State for the sole purpose of keeping their jobs in Washington. The beneficiaries are more likely to put them back in Office. I literally shake my head at how anyone could vote for Barney Frank and kept putting him back in Office until he recently retired.

              So now that dependent generation they’ve created and those babies born into those dependent households are more likely to carry an angst towards rich individuals because those leaders they vote for say they are the problem. I’m certainly not rich in fact quite the opposite but I see how our Country has turned Socialist and that will have major implications when all the economies around the world come crashing down.

              So your Mom taught you right to be self reliant as my generation taught me. I’ve been down on my luck so many times and just worked my way out of it and never took a dime from either the State or Federal Govt. Now i’m self employed just to pay the bills.

      14. If nothing happens I am buying a new big ass Cadillac and going back on foodstamps!

        NOT!!!

        I am confident that the only excitement we are going to have in 2012 is the election of the same or the next presidential family of organized crime to move in to the white house and lead us all into bank lead government slavery..

        Let’s prep for that next.. Shall we?

        Keep thirsty my friends!

        • Got a laugh out of that one! Great!

          If nothing happens we better damn sure remember what a country is in the first place and get rid of this globalism farce. I did hard work, starting on the shop floor, paid my own way to be an engineer, then a mid level manager, and now a bit higher than that, and I do want that f’ing caddy that was part of the deal when I signed up. A big fat CTS with all the aftermarket crap you can put on and 800 hp. You’re damn right. And I want to drive it straight up china’s ass with my hair on fire.

          Once that’s done, I’ll just go back to the woods and work on my fly tying.

      15. Something’s gonna happen. The only questions are ‘when?’, and ‘how bad?’

        • The ‘pucker-factor’ is already very high out there in the streets. The ‘children’ are becoming increasingly aware that all is not well there in ‘Who-Ville’. Although it’s probably way too late for most of them to do anything really constructive about it at this late date.

          I know that the PTB would dearly love to kick the proverbial can on down the road past the November Elections and then on into 2013. I seriously doubt their ability to keep all the balls in the air until then. I look for things to start coming seriously unglued in the September/October time frame.

          God Bless & good luck to all.

      16. Cool then I will have lots of cool toys fr days off and vacation time and wont hv to buy ammo for ……quite some time. Long story short, IDe rahter have it and not need it than need it and not have it anytime. Where I live and my life style, I can use most of my preps anyway.

      17. If nothing happens I just have more time to prepare, and by he way I’ve noticed a lot more ” deals” at a lot more garage sales lately. I’m really doing well with $20 or $40 accumulating tools and other goods I know would have great value in a sad state. Due to our wonderful economy people are unloading stuff. I just got a great reloading press with 38/357 dies and scale for a $100 bill….Cabellas would ship me one for $350ish

      18. The Bible says it Will happen. I Will prepare.

      19. AHHHHH ……you see ….this article was written because somebody else even has their doubts ……I mean cmon now , its year after year after year of the same crap ……YES WE ARE IN A RECESSION but a total collapse….I don’t buy it

        • At what point will you ” buy it?”.

          • When I see all areas recessed ….my locale is not bad at all

            • Rich, I agree about hearing the same thing year after year, but there are sooo many other reasons to prep, losing your job, health costs, inflation, weather related problems, I could go on and on. I don’t think most of us are expecting just a financial collapse, I think most of us prepare as a lifestyle, for whatever happens. But prepping is a LIFESTYLE, not all tin foil hat stuff.

            • Why would you look at a trailing indicator? I get it – the rumours of this crap are quite old. however, the evidence, economically speaking, is screaming from the rooftops. Leading indicators have a large degree of variability, but should never be ignored.

              How long have you been investing, or running a company? I have twenty years in both. This is new by any measure. I almost hate to use the term now, but the sheep are going to have short notice, which is useless. The fact that they will be trailifng statistics should not be a concern, really. Consider yourself fortunate that you simply don’t like the reading of the tea leaves.

            • 4.5% unemployment here. And has been for awhile.

        • Yes, and the people that have their doubts are the ones this article speaks to. Sorry, RICH99, but it looks like collapse to me. I prepped for Y2K also. When it didn’t happen, I cut my preps way back until 2008. I never lost any money. Every thing benefited me by either avoiding inflation or providing extra food when I needed it.

          Now, I have a friend that has 100 cases of MREs that half are probably bad and a probably 200 thousand rounds of ammo that he’ll never let loose of. Now, thats gambling.

          Prepping is part advantage and part gambling. Less than 10% of what I have spent is gambling (water filters, long term storables, etc). The rest is rotational foodstuffs and extra ammo that I end up using in the end and avoiding inflation.

          Total collapse? Might be a few years but the way Europe is coming apart, it might only be a year or so, then, its our turn.

          Everything happens slower that preppers expect. It looks like its going to happen in a month but it takes 6 months to unfold because of everyone’s normalcy bias. Total collapse won’t happen right away. …and, if there is an upcoming election collapse always waits until after that.

          -TCC

          • Looks can be deceiving

            • yes, precisely Rich99…”looks can be deceiving”… that’s why you can’t see the evidence that’s right in front of your eyes. We are in the longest recession of our lifetimes — there is no “recovery” right now, and the Fed pumping trillions of dollars of funny money into Wall Street to make it look like a recovery does NOTHING to help the millions of unemployed. We are utterly dependent for our energy supplies upon a region of the world that is being overrun by radical jihadists, yet our own government rejects the idea of building a pipeline to get oil from Canada; because GOD forbid we get fuel from a friendly nation not run by woman beating, bomb throwing zealots that hate our guts. Our government lies to us about inflation by excluding the price of food, yet anyone who actually lives on their own — and not in their mommy’s basement — can see prices going up while the size of everything shrinks before our eyes. The average middle class family has lost 40% of the value of their assets, and millions of people are either underwater with their homes, are months behind in their payments, or are about to be evicted and foreclosed. The biggest banks in the country have had their credit ratings slashed despite all the trillions in bailouts they have received; the biggest one, Bank of America is worth $7 a share, which is an eyelash above “penny stock” status. Our government has piled up 5 trillion dollars in new debt in the past three years, and no one wants it, not even China; so we now have the Fed buying our government’s debts with yet more money the Fed creates out of thin air. The Supreme Court has ruled that our trillion dollar government can force all of us to buy a “service” from billion dollar insurance corporations, and if we don’t like the rates they charge and refuse to comply, they can sic the IRS on us, and threaten us with fines and jail time. Apparently, its also perfectly legal for our government to spend billions to spy on midwest farmers with predator drones, and to build a supercomputer out in Utah that will record all our phone calls, instant messages, blog posts and even our responses to clueless chuckleheads like you.

              But no, there’s absolutely no reason to worry. Everything is just fine 🙂

              stand strong until freedom dawns

          • +1 CC. The wheels might turn slow but they DO turn.

        • once again Rich, what is wrong in being ready? DO you buy life and car insurance? If you dont get into an accident, you threw that money away. Not so with the preps I buy. They will not be money thrown away. Go away Rich if you arent going to write anything useful.

          • Nothing wrong with being ready. Collapse will come, but Rich99 is right. THIS is not it.

            Keep prepping.

      20. By preparing we gain everthing and by not we lose everything. It is our responceability to provide for our families and protect them. So in the long run we win. I hope that this draws us closer together as families and we appreciate what we have and not take it for granted.
        Live Free and Love Your Family

      21. even if nothing happens, it give us the chance to fight against those idiots that try to control everything, and IF nothing happens, well you can still live off your canned food and sleep well at night, its still hard to believe that nothing will happen

      22. All of our efforts to prepare will not be in vain friends. I know some of you aren’t religious…and thats fine…but let me share a thought or 2 with you all. I have been a prepper for a while now….noticed the world imploding on itself and figured it was a good idea. I have been mocked and ridiculed by my whole family as if I were a crazy person. They think putting away food is showing lack of faith in god for some crazy reason. I am a christian myself and always refer them to the story of NOAH. This man was labeled the village idiot for years as he built a big boat. He worked very hard to build the boat that took many years all the while being mocked by everyone. He stocked the boat with food, water, and other necessities of the time. Then last but not least animals came aboard. Then they got into the boat and closed the door. The people outside the boat continued to mock NOAH and his family. The fun everyone was having mocking NOAH and his family turned to absolute horror as the waters began to rise. Many of then wanted on that boat now….but it was too late. Every single one of them that weren’t prepared for the flood died. I see the EXACT same situation today in AMERICA. The prepper is mocked by friends and family. Those same people having all the fun mocking preppers will not be laughing when the trucks stop rolling and the shelves are completely empty. When there is no power they will not be smiling. When there is no clean water to drink it won’t be a party I assure you. When they wake up one moring soon and the stock market crashes and the dollar is completely worthless they will then realize their terrible blunder.

        prep up skeptics before it’s too late…..in fact…is that thunder i hear in the distance?

        • Don’t forget about Joseph either.

          • ~~~Then they got into the boat and closed the door.—

            Oh, no, the most important part….Genesis 7:16…Then the Lord shut him in.

          • Joseph the eunuch? He couldn’t even take care of himself. His ‘sons’ are adopted, most likely his ‘wife’s relatives.

            (In Ancient Egypt eunuchs could marry, although no sex was expected. It was more like a political marriage. Potiphar was an eunuch, that’s why his ‘wife’ wanted Joseph to begin with.)

            They eventually led the rebellion against Solomon’s son and went their own way, since they were not sons of Israel to begin with.

        • No, thats not thunder, thats the future grumbling of their stomachs that are EMPTY.

        • Use this one next time a christian doubts you;
          I Timothy 5:8….Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

      23. Yes I prep but the thing that worrys me is a government that can and will tell us preppers to hand it over so they can share the wealth. Why buy silver just for private ownership of it to be outlawed by executive order?

        • So, are you saying you would just comply with such an order?

        • Preppers are also, mostly, big second amendment supporters. Not only that, I would say 100% of the prepper community that are second amendment supporters know that the second amendment wasn’t created so we could duck hunt.

          I’ll have the same reaction to taking my preps away as I would have with taking my guns away. Only one reply is required:

          BANG BANG BANG BOOM!

          TPTB know this. They can’t “outlaw it”. They can make it “illegal”, there is a difference. If you understand law you’ll understand that most of what they tell us we must do or must not do has nothing to do with “law” but simply desires of the state. Not law but statutes, codes and ordinances. While it is dishonorable to break a law, no such dishonor exists when talking of statutes, codes and rules. If you break a law, you create a victim. The only victim of statutes, codes and ordinances is *YOU*. …if they catch you. Mostly, they don’t catch you, you can’t yourself. Your subconscious mind knows it not unlawful to speed so you do it, but, when you get caught, your subconscious mind takes over and convicts you because it has been programmed to do just that. Any time you create a victim, that is dishonorable. So, now, you can see where the dishonor exists. IT IS WITH THE STATE.

          I don’t encourage people to wilfully break statutes, codes and ordinances. Often they are common sense rulings that you should not break unless you need to, however, some are simply there with the knowledge that YOU WILL BREAK THEM and it, essentially, is a tax. If it is not a tax then why is the “fine” only $6 for a $75 speeding ticket? Court costs? Uh, wait, I didn’t go to court. Fines are punishment. Court costs are taxes.

          99% of all the “color of law” in the USA that we call law is just simple bullshit.

          So, if they “outlaw silver”, they can in plain and simple redneck street language: “GO FUCK THEMSELVES”. I will still trade in it and if they try to stop me, I’ll simply go around them. If they try to steal it, I will defend it like any of my other property.

          Their “LAWFUL” authority does not exist. When it comes down to it, the second amendment was designed so that the government did not have a monopoly on violent, deadly force.

          Read the Constitution. I don’t see anything in there about the federal government’s lawful authority to ban the use of silver or gold. It was successful back in the 30s because people actually trusted the government back them. There were foolish. There is not so much foolishment now. Were I back in the 30s when they demanded people to turn in their gold, I would have been buying it, knowing that they were going to manipulate the price up 40%. I would have held onto it in such a way that they would have never know, and then I would have made a big profit on it later.

          Our government is dirty, violent, dishonest and crooked. The virtues developed by opposing it are many.

          • The second amendment is basically gone already. The president can now detain American citizens or assassinate them without due process. Get over the second amendment. It’s the whole bill of rights that’s important.

        • What silver? I’m sorry officer that was in my boat that captsized when I lost my guns.

          • Some of you all on here sure do carry some strange items to go fishing with.

      24. If nothing happens, I can save 500 a month and feed family for a few years from pantry WITHOUT replenishing….since we eat out of it now.

        • SWYE:EWYS – Store What You Eat : Eat What Your Store

          I do the same, and also with:

          Fuel
          Ammo
          Batteries
          Clothing Items
          Other Supplies

          • Its all we do. you gotta with youngins.. a kid will STARVE themselves to death before they eat what they dont like…. so ya gotta get them eating it from the start. 95% of our eating is pantry….. fresh steaks and meats exception, but all of our beef cubes, pork loins, chicken etc is all home canned. I also can meals in quart jars so all we do is cook a starch and were ready to go… with only about a 50% increase in cost, buying bulk lets me make that nights meal in canner….and 6 more meals with same batch at same time.

            • What’s with these kids not eating this and not eating that.
              Mine’s been out of the house now for ten years, but he ate what was presented.
              Had a 9 yo neice for an extended stay, and this kid wouldn’t eat anything but a chicken tender and mac and cheese. That’s it. I mean NOTHING else!
              I couldn’t believe it. I mean I really could not believe that this kid’s parents raised this child in such a way.
              And make no mistake, your not born like this.
              In a SHTF scenario, this kid would probably stay with us, and either starve or get with the the program in a hurry.

        • I bought 8 can fruit was on sale today. I bought beans and rice in very large containers. I have spam and other can meats as well Roman Noodle. I have been buying for sometime a little each month. I have more items I am not listing. But I will tell you. In 2000 my health went I had bought item in case Y2K that was fear.
          I had soups and dog food and other food I pick up. When nothing happen that New Years Eve my friends thought I had been very foolish. That month my car died and I did newspaper delivery so my job was gone. And then my back went I could not even get out of bed I had no health insurance so what was left was drag myself downstairs and feed dogs and warm soup. That how I lived for several months. Till my friend force me to sign up for SS.

          So I say stock up. Something will come and make those supple a great value. And if you have children it their lives you put in danger if you do not.

          • Gwyn;

            That just proves that stocking up can be used for all occasions when you hit your own personal Y2k or SHTF , but in your case it was .., OMG!

            The ones that thought you were foolish, will be the first to show up at your door. 🙂

            Thumbs up., take care and keep prepping.

          • Y2K I had nothing since my uncle was a programmer for hospital equipment and soaking the sheep for 200 bucks an hour and he said it was a scam. However I learned that my father in law had 1500 gallons in stored fuel, after looking at it through someone else’s eyes I could see the worry. He in turn used the fuel in his truck and nothing was wasted. So there is no waste in prepping as long as you use it, but there is waste in not prepping because if something does happen…..

      25. I don’t have the land to grow my own food or raise my own animals. I have thousands of dollars spent on stuff with little value to myself if there’s no economic collapse. But all that is irrelevant since all the evidence points to a collapse of the dollar and an economic collapse in the US.

        • Your spending your money incorrectly then.

          Just sayin.

        • well sell your crap, stock up and its no longer irrelevant!!

        • @ Barn Cat….I heard a program today on our Canadian CBC radio station regarding “preppers”…boy, did my ears perk up, as we don’t normally hear too much about preparations of any kind!

          They were comparing gold bullion to “chicken” bouillon…(not sure if either are spelled correctly or not)….but in the end, you can guess which one was chosen when SHTF ….the chicken of course as it produces eggs(which one or more eggs will turn into more chickens…..

          also on the same program, I learned that our Canadian Dollar is NOT backed up by gold(as I thought it was)…they said that our gold(all but one-hundred and fifty million $$ worth) was sold off in the 80’s & 90’s…..who knew? They also said the only thing our $ is backed up with is the US $ and that will definately go SOUTH!

          • I don’t mean to laugh, but how does a Canuk feel when they realize their “strong” Canadian dollar is backed by the reserve currency of the world?
            In your defense, (not that you need it), you would absolutley not believe how many U.S. citizens think our $US is backed by gold.
            The day the masses wake up and realize what they really have been “saving with” for all these years is going to be blockbuster.
            For those who don’t know. IT IS AN ILLUSION!. This stuff you are working hard for should be used to trade with, but do not save it. Convert it to something real and save that real thing. You do the research and fiqure out what that “real thing” should be for you.

            Makes me wonder how the term “It’s money in the bank” ever became a term for a good deal!

            • Oh, and I forgot .
              At least you have free health care.
              (maybe thats what they used the gold to buy)

            • Rick. If by free you mean waiting 3 years for a MCL surgery, yeah. Check out our income tax sometime and tell me its free.

      26. I have learned very valuable lessons from prepping but the two most important to me are:

        1) You can correct the irresponsibility of your past, it may be difficult and testing but it can be done.

        2) The most important thing is that it is beginning to teach my children complete self reliance. It is teaching them the importance of being responsible for themselves and each other. It is teaching them that you cannot count on others for your own well being and in particular you cannot rely on nor can you trust government.

        Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
        Thomas Paine

        • Exactly so, Centurion! That’s why I always say that I am NOT a prepper, I am an AMERICAN. I love my freedom, and I will be as self reliant as possible. Part of that means being ready for the kind of upheaval that has happened throughout history, not burying my head in the sand and thinking “that could never happen here” or “the government will take care of me”

          Btw, does anyone here besides me remember the old Boy Scout motto? Wasn’t it

          BE PREPARED

          just sayin’

          stand strong until freedom dawns

          • Hence my username, SOS. 🙂

      27. Well, other than philadelphia cream cheese and cool whip, I haven’t needed anything from the grocery for about a year.
        That’s gotta be a plus, folks.

      28. If food becomes unavailable here in the crowded northeast, all hell will break loose. In my opinion, no amount of joining together to overcome the hardship will save many from death. Roving bands of desperate people will just take what they can. The government will do the same, just confiscate whatever food you have and declare “hoarding” a crime. You’re seeing the spin on this already on reality tv with eccentric and crazy people hoarding different stuff. This sets the scene for gov’t to make its case.

        • “nine missed meals from ANARCHY”

        • Slick Willy got that hoarding thing through back in the 90s when I had my Army/Navy survival store…lots of folks were upset…I told them then the same thing I say about this illegal prezs health bill and such…IGNORE it,tyrants edicts dont apply to freemen!

          • you go that right REB… its just like the gold confiscations in the 30s: how many people actually went to jail for not turning over their gold coins? None! And how many people got screwed by their own government, turning in their phyzz for paper that the very same government then turned around and de-valued? Millions! And how many more said “Fuck you very much, I paid for this gold and you can kiss my ass from now on”? Again, millions!

            When TPTB are babbling lawless and unconstitutional nonsense, I pay them no more heed than I do to bratty school children or dopeyass “Dilbert” type bosses.

            stand strong until freedom dawns

        • Its called a cache. Cant take what they cant find.

      29. @ IOWA him too :>)

      30. @Survivor Mike – yes, it’s similar to taking out an insurance policy for the unlikely. Also, I see two additional attributes. First, canned food can be stored safely for 2 yrs. So, if I buy a can of beans today for $1 & then the price goes up to $2 a can in two years, I’ve made a solid investment & I can eat the beans. Second, the survivor traits are not lost…those traits that, just one hundred years ago were necessary skills Americans needed to survive.

        Besides, inflation could go up & things could get worse in America where people are killing for food (and they will kill to feed themselves). Need to read a book out where Americans in a small town take a stand against tyranny & people are standing in food lines to live (like Greece today). It’s a great read so I recommend it. http://www.booksbyoliver.com

        Remember, our ancestors once canned food to survive so what’s with the ridicule of people preserving food today?

        • We have a large family that has been prepping for years. Our experience has shown that the most difficult task is proper rotation. First In = First out. That is the best policy but putting the date on everything as some suggested and shuffling the cans around on the shelf is sooo much work. My wonderful husband gave me a great shelving unit for my birthday. He bought it at http://www.srmarketplace.com Look for it on the special deals page. The price is unbelievable for such a huge unit. It is so easy now to use the FIFO method plus my kids are fighting over who gets to put away the groceries this time:)

      31. Something will happen, just depends on how much. I don’t think its a total meltdown or new world order coming, I think this is a debt deleveraging era. I also think the US will still remain on top for another 100 years, its just too strong and China and Russia have their own problems; they’re not about to take over.

        IMO, Greece is the one to watch to know what to expect. Right now they have food lines(aka food stamps in the US), some looting, bank holidays(aka limiting your ability to get your money) and random power outages. I expect the same in the US and that’s what i’m preppeing for. Keeping food, water, fuel, cash, neccesities and ammo for periods of no power, banks, fuel and food. My only concern there is who may come to my door and is why I recommend having stockpiles of pepper spray and going to a gun only if you have to as police are likely just going to lock you up too as they most likely will have too much going on to worry about who was just defending themselves.

        If nothing happens and Europe, the US and the rest of the world right the economic ships, then i’ll have a few thousand worth of stuff that my relatives will have year to make fun of me for; but I will also have no debts, lots of money piled into savings and be retiring in much better shape than I ever would have if the 2007 recession just turned out to be like the 2001 recession and the world gone merrily on.

      32. I’ll just add this: what…part…of…drought…do…you…NOT…
        understand????
        Geeze!!

        • officially
          no drought here
          unofficially
          its dry as hell

          heat factor 107 degrees today
          tomorrow it will be 112 or better

          AC unit went out this morning
          fortunately got it going again
          thank you Lord !!!

          stay cool guys !

          • Officially, we’re in a “recovery”

            Unofficially, TPTB are pumping trillions of dollars in funny money into Wall Street to make it look like there’s a recovery…. it reminds me of that movie “Weekend at Bernies” where a couple of guys use ropes and other tricks to make it look like a dead guy (Bernie) is really alive. The problem is that more and more people are catching on to the trickery; hence, you get news stories about how, for example, enthusiasm among Obama supporters is plummeting. Hell, when even the Kool Aid chugging ObamaNazis are waking up to reality, you know that the game is over!

            stand strong until freedom dawns

          • 104 with the heat index 90 without and not a cloud here mid day, house was 72 all without AC / pumps, nada, and not a tree on the land 🙂 Build a home right and comfort will abound even with no power. My house ain’t pretty but it is built to last.

      33. Trust me folks, something IS going to happen and soon. We just had a storm happen here and these people flipped. totally unprepared and this shit happens every year. When the BIG ONE hits a it will be a mess.

        • Before Hurricane Wilma, my family used to make fun of me, behind my back(or so they thought), about my closet full of things “just in case”. After Wilma beat the crap out of Ft. Lauderdale, we were without power for 17 days. I’m sure glad that both the brand new, never been out of the box, multifuel Coleman 2-burner stove and lantern fired right up without a problem. As they stood around out on the patio drinking cups of MY hot coffee, watching the turkey fryer heat up a huge pot of water; my entire family all got the chance to individually apologize profusely to me for their previous doubts of my mental competence.

          The feeling that you get from knowing that while you couldn’t quite make the problem go away completely, that you were at least able to mitigate the effects of the problem upon your loved ones? It’s a pretty good feeling.

          Hurricane Wilma took the “what if?” out of the equation. IT had already happened. IT could and probably would, in some form or another, happen again. I used the experience of Wilma to lure my family to the ‘dark-side’; now we all work together to prepare for an uncertain future.

          God Bless & good luck to all.

      34. “What if nothing happens?” That’s like saying “What if the world doesn’t spin?” Stuff happens ALL THE TIME. Stuff HAS BEEN happening. It’s NOT a matter of “if/when” stuff is going to START happening. Stuff has ALREADY begun to happen. The question is: How long will it last, and how deep will the impacts be?

        Economists talks about us versus them, or stair-steps, or second shoes to drop, or “next phase” or “round two,” etc.

        They are all taking a here & now view/perspective. If they back off to a high perspective — of a broader duration, you get a better idea of the whole situation.

        Did 10%+ inflation stop? No.
        Has unemployment been eliminated? No.
        Are there still people starving to death daily in every county? Yes.
        Do we still have diseases with no known cure? Yes.
        Do we still have homicides? Yes.
        Are our politicians truly honest and caring? No.
        Do we still have people who CLAIM to be “religious” going into war/battles to kill fellow humans? Yes.
        Do we still have tropical storms, hurricanes, heat waves, global warming, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods, power outages, tidal waves? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
        Are all of our governments still freely printing un-backed cash/currency? Yes.
        Are e still paying taxes? Yes. (By now, our governments should be self-funded via earned-interest on their capital — instead of still taxing the citizens. EVERY government program/budget should have a ROI/break-even point — where it finally supports itself via earned-interest on saved capital — instead of continued/increased taxes, or fees for what we are already being taxed to support.)
        Do we still have a government-run delivery service (even though we have a dozen civilian companies who can do it better/faster/cheaper?) yes.
        Since Banking CEOs are receiving 4X salary increases — are WE (the public/account holders) also going to receive 4X increases in our dividend/interest returns? No.
        Since companies are generally operating at their highest profit-margins EVER – are they hiring new employees? No.
        Are we still sending jobs offshore (contrary to customer desire/satisfaction?) Yes.
        Does a car made in a third-world country save the PUBLIC 75% on the retail price of the car? No.
        Have the petroleum companies FINALLY learned to apply “actual” expenses/costs to the price of their products — to stabilize fuel costs and stop the yo-yo effect at the pumps? No.
        Has our government given-up all the hidden/redundant taxes, and switched to a FLAT sales-tax based system so we all know the REAL cost of our government? No.
        Has our government halted the price-fixing of the petroleum monopoly? (After all, issues in the Middle East should impact the price of fuels coming from Venezuela and South America, nor those produced here in North America.) Nope.

        Bottom line: Open your eyes. Something HAS BEEN happening — for DECADES. It’s snow-balling on so many fronts — NOW!!! It happened already. Today, yesterday, last week/month/year/decade.

        Banks are still being closed (aka “rescued”) by a bankrupt FDIC. Cities (not just companies/individuals) are defaulting and claiming bankruptcies.
        Infrastructures are declining faster than the repair rate.
        Rich are getting richer, everyone else is getting poorer.

        So, don’t ask, “What if nothing ever happens?”

        Peace.

        • Exactly! “Something” will always happen. It may not be the end of life on the planet, but look around us, right now! Mother nature will always have severe storms, there will always be hurricanes, there will be forest fires, there will always be dramatic shifts in the Earth’s crust, people will do stupid things, people will be selfish and greedy, and accidents happen! I spent my time getting Red Cross certified, I spent my money gathering supplies and building a great First Aid kit. Have we had any crisis in our business since then? Nope. Only a minor cut to bandage. Do I regret preparing for it? Nope. An accident is bound to happen, and the knowledge I have of medical treatments has a very, very long shelf life.
          We also use our generators to power our vending tent displays at some events where we don’t have power access. They are useful now, not tucked away in a corner waiting for “someday”.
          I drive my 4×4 all the time. I go geocaching in some remote places, where you really need a truck. It hauls stuff, gets rid of stuff, and tows stuff. I drive it everyday. I didn’t buy it for a “what if” event, I bought it for use right now.
          I cook over my outdoor fire pit all the time. Its great, relaxing. And I take down the wood to fuel it, prepare the food for it, and take pride in doing it. Not because I HAVE to, but because I CAN.

      35. blacklistednews.com/Utah_Garden_Challenge_Actually_Government_Registration_In_Disguise/20406/0/38/38/Y/M.html

        The Utah Garden Challenge is a voluntary contest to register 10,000 gardens. The data mining project has a broad interest in any “resource” who is growing food:

        Whether you grow a tomato in a pot, a row in a community garden, have backyard gardens, a CSA or working fruit and vegetable farm, we want to hear from you because you are an important resource as a food producer.

        • THE PUCKIN MORMONS HAVE SOLD OUT TO THE NWO !!!

          THE MORMON CHURCH MASSIVE DEBTS ARE OWNED BY THE ILLUMINATI OF EUROPE !!!

          THE MORMONS ARE NOW OWNED DEBT SLAVES OF THE NWO !!!

          ~TRUTH

          LOOK IT UP !!!

          DO NOT TRUST THE UTAH GOV NOR THE MORMON CHURCH BOTH ARE BOUGHT PAID OWNED BY THE NWO !!!

          IN EXCHANGE FOR KNEELING TO THE NWO THE MORMON CHURCH WILL BE ALLOWED TO SURVIVE WHAT IS COMING !!!

          • Why are you still impersonating ninao?

            Is youe life that empty?

            You are just making a fool out of yourself.

            “ignorance breeds imitation”- Neil Piert

            You are a debt slav, a goy(stupid animal) and an ignorant animal at that..

      36. Just the great sunsets and beautiful starry nights, watching the ducks and geese on the pond, is worth the cost of getting out of the city onto a small acreage. No matter what happens I look forward to the day(s) the grandkids and I can sit on the bank and catch a fish grandpa. I love the smell and warmth of the wood stove in the cold winter, and the freedom being outdoors gardening, cutting stacking wood and doing daily chores. I like the rural lifestyle and the neighbors are all similar minded, so the community should blend well together when we need to count on each other. Though I still work most days long hours within the system, I relish evenings and weekends when I can extricate myself and contemplate the future. In the end if I spend all I have earned preparing for whatever comes our way, trying to attain a self sufficient existence is its own rewards…
        Beans Bullets Band-Aids, plan for the worst, hope for the best, find pleasure in the simple things & love your family because in the end, what is more important than your God, wife and kids!!!
        Peace to all.

      37. For me, this is a strange article at a strange time. I would assume that many are anticipating something to happen in the near future and have been in some ways impatient for it to occur. Waiting for something can make one anxious and nervous. However, things are happening now to at least half of the U.S. population at this moment. Flooding, fires, droughts, intense and killing heat, storms, odd weather in general, the largest tax hike in the history of the country about to hit, entitlements through the roof, class war fare, health care system in shambles and about to get much worse, men unwilling to seek gainful employment, college students wanting a free ride, schools teaching anything but what is important, demonizing free will and democracy, homeland security stamping anyone who disagrees with bigger government a terrorist, banning of religion and religious tones to anything that an atheist does not like, destroying the sanctity of holy matrimony between a man and a woman, Government lying to the people and manipulating the poor, liberal media covering up the crimes against humanity, I am sure the list could go on and on and on. When I think of the future now, it is hazy and hard to imagine. I never used to feel that way before.

        Everything is falling apart right now.

        • @ Ohcumgache…someone sent me an email today, and I would like to share it with you all. (Talking about the breakdown of society)…Goes like this…….

          “When 1/2 the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other 1/2 is going to take care of them, and when the other 1/2 gets the idea that it does NO GOOD to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for….that is the BEGINNING of the END of ANY Nation.”

          I kinda thought that says it all!!

          • Canada Canuk,

            I agree with you completely.

          • For us it only pays to have a single income and claim the rest as dependents. Once you factor in a 2nd vehicle, gas, insurance,daycare and not to mention a higher tax bracket it means I would take home $3 an hour after all these expenses. I was making $19hr and the spouse $27hr. I would work if the government didn’t take most of it. So I say screw it. Now because of the 3 dependents she brings home what she makes. I can spend the time home schooling and growing our own food which in turn saves more money and I can sell what we don’t eat at the farmers market for the cost of my diesel for my tractor. Take away all entitlements including our child tax benefits (that goes for everyone) and then I will think about re-entering the job market. Hand-outs must end, this is my form of protest.

      38. If nothing happens anytime soon, we all have a little more borrowed time, but that is simply it, “Borrowed Time”. Collapse and violence/hardship is imminent, no way around it. We are like a Modern Day Rome with our expansionist policies, turned away from hard currency to toilet paper money backed by $0.00 actual wealth. We all know what happened to Rome, it dissolved. I do hope the collapse comes soon, the “so called” American Government needs to be exterminated and wiped from the Earth as well as all the other crony systems out there. Death to Zog.

      39. what do you mean “nothing happens”? shit is already happening. every day

        • tell those 36,000 in colorado..nothings happening

      40. “IT” might be happening now.

        The banking “glitch” has reached germany today.

        Yesterday russia.

        That makes-

        Britain
        Ireland
        France
        Russia
        Germany
        and one more(I forgot)

        Looks like a slow tide so to speak.

        • How do anchors on in the MSM say bank holiday?

          Answer-

          By not talking about it.

          • Pasted-

            Considering that RBS is saying their glitches won’t be fixed until July 31st and now Russia’s largest bank Sberbank is stopping all credit and debit card transactions. Then there is BNI who are saying they will not reopen until July 31st. Something big is happening with the banks shutting down.

      41. We need a reset button on greed!!Bankers,polotitians,wallstreet,ect,is all out of control.There is nothing behind most of the markets,,prepping is about paying attention,being aware…because the reason most of us prep,is because we know something is about to happen,just what is it?

      42. Look at it as a 1950s cold war bomb shelter , we hope we never have to use it . I wouldn’t consider it a waste of time , like others have mentioned , its like insurance , you get it and fork over the cash , and hope you never need it .
        Mormons have been ” prepping ” as a way of life as long as the church has been in existence , some generations needed it , some did not …..but it was there . My grandparents went through the great depression……people dont get over an experience like that , they saved EVERYTHING . so as kids , when we went to visit them , we needed NOTHING . I have read several times how preppers lost their jobs in this economy , but because they were prepping ….their families had a few less worries until they were able to get back on their feet . I say prep and feel good about doing it …..ya never know .

      43. Noyhing Happens?

        Fukushima-

        Pasted-

        Tokyo Electric ran a probe into the basement of Unit 1. This is not inside the containment, this is outside the containment. On the top of the water surface they found lethal radiation, 1000 rem an hour.

        But then they put the probe down into the water and what’s even worse is the bottom, the sediment on the bottom, was thousand of times hotter than that. And what that indicates is that fuel, nuclear fuel, has left the containment, as particles, and settled out on the bottom outside the containment. So, I think that’s a pretty clear indication that the containment was breached. It just makes decommissioning these plants… it was going too be hard already, but this information makes it worse.”

        -Arnie Gundersen

      44. … What if nothing HAPPENS ???

        ARE YOU F-IN KIDDIN ME !!!

        LOOK AROUND YOU , OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES PEOPLE !!!

        THE SHIT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW GLOBALLY !!!

        THE SHIT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW NATIONALLY !!!

        THE SHIT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR OWN HOMES AND small town shit hole AmeriKa NEIGHBORHOODS !!!

        ” You are all simple simon muthapukers aren’t you ??? ”

        ” You could All see the Forest – Except the Damn Trees are in the way of blocking your view of the forest – aren’t they !!! ”

        This is Darwinism at its Best !!!

        The way of the the Puckin Doo Doo Bird is the way of AmeriKa –

        EXTINCTION !!!

        YOU ALL NEED TO ARM UP STOCK UP PREPARE TO FIGHT FOR YOUR NATURAL BORN RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS !!! CAUSE EVERY OTHER RIGHT IS PUCKIN GONE !!!

        YA’ PUCKIN IDIOTS !!!

        • “ignorance breeds imitation”

          Mac-When are you going to upgrade the site with a sign in so people stop impersonating people?

          @impersonating jewish troll and America-

          Question-

          Why is isreal the usa’s #1 ally in the middle east?

          Attacked the USS Liberty.

          Uses illegal weapons of war on civies.

          Apartheid type living conditions for the palestinians.

          Payed Pollard to spy on america, and sold those secrets to ussr.(he is considered a hero there)

          Has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

          Has over 400 nuclear weapons.

          Rounding up “illegal” immigrants from africa and throwing those people in consentration camps because they say they want to protect their heritage(they just support illegal immigration here, to destroy the goym heritage)

          NONE of these actions are based on(what used to be) american ideals.

          • I’m starting to wonder if this site is just an intelligence gathering site for some gov outfit gathering names of decenters?

            • All web sites are intelligence gathering sites for some gov outfit….. This is the purpose of Fusion centers and the new NSA Utah data center, IMHO.

            • Well they have my name-

              KEVIN

              @feds-

              POUND SAND FEDs!!!!!!!!!!

            • I just don’t care. I’ve been under surveillance for years, mostly by the Pa State Police, but some FEDS, and always at a distance. (Directed by the Fusion Center in Pittsburgh.) I’m ready when they are.

          • Same ole, same ole.

            Red thumbs do not answer my questions. (come on you 5 red thumbs ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!!!!!)

            Saying- “your anti-semitic” does not answer my questions.

            Saying- “NOT ALL JEWS ARE ZIONISTS” does NOT answer my questions.

            Saying-“I know jewish people, and they are good people” (which is true of all religions, you got good people and bad) does NOT answer my questions.

            I am talking about the NATION STATE of our #1 ally in the middle east, whom we have a “special” relationship with.

            ANSWER PLEASE.

            Thats ALL I want.

            WHY,WHY,WHY are they our #1 ally?????????????????????

            TRY to answer red thumbs.

            • No thumbs down, but we are not their ally….we do their bidding because the Zionists control the biggest part of the Western world, including the DC corp.

            • We used to be a Christian nation and this is residual submission to the Bible which is referring to Israel when it says:

              “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:3

              Since Jesus is Jewish and nearly every nation has either some Christians or has received aid from a Christian organization this prophecy is close to being fulfilled.

      45. If nothing ever happens? Are you kidding me? Something will always happen whether it is a hurricane, floods, drought, job loss, economic collapse, earthquake, etc. Just being prepared is smart living, unless you are an idiot and you don’t want to have food, water, or medical when a natural or man-made disaster occurs.

        However, let’s talk economics. Many of the skeptics say, “Preppers always say the world is going to end and nothing ever happens. That’s just stupid. You guys are all idiots.” RICH99, I don’t want to pick on you, but you are one of those that clearly doesn’t feel as if there is going to be an economic issue. So…Allow me to provide you with this info:

        Sequestration goes into effect 1/2/2013. $109 billion dollars WILL be cut from defense and non defense funds every year for the next 9 years ($55 bln from each). The WARN Act will require all employers to give employees that will be terminated due to budgeting a 60 day notice. For those employers, 11/2/2012 is 60 days out from 1/2/2013. That is 4 days before election. Do you really think that this many pink slips will go out silently across the United States, especially right before we head to the polls?

        “As the recently released study by the Bipartisan Policy Center points out (full disclosure: I am a member of the Center’s Task Force on Defense Budget and Strategy), the sequester will result in the loss of about a million jobs in 2013 and 2014 and America’s GDP will decline by half a percent. Moreover, of these million lost jobs, it can safely be asserted that at least half will come from the non-defense sector. In other words, the sequester is not just a defense problem that should agitate only hawks. It is a national problem, and it demands immediate relief.”

        Who gives a rat’s a** about Obamacare and all of these other new federal programs? There will be NO money for any of them if you have to cut spending equally by $109 bln/year. Unemployment is still high and will only continue to grow. I can only assume that welfare, WIC, food stamps, etc will be cut as well, though more people will be forced to get on it. Imagine what will happen education! Do you really think that Joe Public is not going to be effected by countless programs being cut or completely underfunded? Joe Public will be jobless. Joe Public won’t be able to feed their children, pay for medical care, provide a home. There is a REASON why Obama has the ability to put martial law into effect during peace time. This right here is something that could very well cause ridiculous civil unrest.

        A storm is coming….a perfect storm of economic chaos combined with a country that has been plagued with horrible weather creating near dust bowl conditions and people at their wits end. If you can’t see these storm clouds then you are NOT looking in the right direction.

        • Liberties only hope is a massive banking collapse.

          Oboma has been perging the military for all his term, but theirs more good guys then bad.

          Liberty will be victorious again.

          They wont be able to stop it.

          They are scared.

          Example A-

          My senetor(who happens tp be an a$$hole) travels with a personel army.

          He and 1000’s of other crimunals will have to flee the country, then OUR military will hunt them down.

          I see this happening, and it gives me wood.

      46. WHEN IT HAPPENS, EXACTLY. Just because something has not happened yet to flatten the civilization doesn’t mean it won’t happen tomorrow. The next window from Israel to strike Iran is one week from now, July 14-24, with the new moon being on July 19.

        How about a nice pandemic that is overdue to collapse everything? There is a deadly unknown disease killing kids in Cambodia, exactly in the area that I would suspect such a deadly new virus to begin, around the tropical areas around India, where pathogens are happy in a petri dish with all the filth and the hot moist conditions. Check it out: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/world/asia/cambodia-children-disease/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2

        Mac, it might be time to show everyone, if you think what I sent you about preventive measures people should take when a pandemic strikes, is good enough in your opinion for people to read. I have found what I mentioned here works quite well in preventing the flu, as it will likely work well during a pandemic. Again, please edit it anyway you choose, but these measures I wrote about do work.

        • I for one would like to know what works for prevention. I am new here but am getting a lot from your site,Mac. Thanks, granny c.

      47. If the BIG SHTF never happens( but something will , what i dont know, it has too, cant keep going on this way) I for one has learned alot from this wonderful site!! Ive learned how to be prepared for hopefully anything that pops up whether from mother nature etc..If nothing ever happens i will still live this lifestyle, i have learned much and i believe my 11 year old son has also learned to always be prepared for life is unpredicatable..

        • Thumbs up LouLou !!!!!

      48. …if nothing happens….that will make Rich99 right..

        …….that will go against karma……………

        ………………………………I will prep…..

      49. @ JJ……I know….just tried to keep the story as simple as possible….the lord did indeed shut them in….and thanks for reminding me about that other quote from the bible…will use it for sure. :>)

      50. What’s not going to happen? Red Dawn happened Nov. 2008 as Marxism took over The Government. Only the really stupid don’t see that.

        Marxism has killed more American soldiers in the past 50+ years than any Nazi ever did. Marxism has murdered more of it’s own people than Hitler did. 100 million and counting.

        Marxism enslaves 1/3 of The World’s population and placed it’s “workers” into our Government, both major Political Parties, our Media, Churches, and Schools.

        Thru the “Active Measures” program it has fed sooo much bullshit to you stupid American’s, that I often wonder if so of you can walk and chew gum at the same time.

        Marxism will take only any form or cause to advance it’s agenda. Look at you really clueless Ron Paul supporters. So called “True Conservatives”. Only problem is The Libertard domestic agenda is pure 1960’s New Left, It’s foreign policy would make the Old Soviet KGB happy.
        It’s economic policies are conservative, but so are Putin’s.

        I fought these bastards in Viet Nam and went back to do the same in Central America. You stupid, STUPID, ass clowns have no clue as to what you are dealing with, at all.

        I weep for America and It’s people.

        Psalm 149:6-9
        Let the high praises of God be in the Saint’s mouths
        And a two edged sword in their hands,
        To excute vengence on God’s enemies
        And punishments on the peoples who oppose God’s will.

        • According to the American Communist Party, “It is essential to the World Communist movement that President Obama gets re-elected”. ESSENTIAL

          • We need a White man in the White house . Dont get me wrong , I’m not a racist , just ask any of my black friends how the second they felt like they were getting sick , I was the first person to put them in the back of my truck and take them to the vet .

      51. Nothing happening? Interesting! There have been a couple of earthquakes of decent size along the Carribean Fault that destroyed Haiti. Only 5.1 in The Dominican Republic and a 5.1 in the Anguilla Region, around the Leeward Islands a couple of days ago. This fault affects the New Madrid big time, it runs along the island chain from Cuba out to the Lesser Antilles and it capable of annihilating Puetro Rico and the Virgin Islands that are of course part of the United States. There is also a deep trench thrust fault line north of here capable of producing a 25-30 foot tsunami along the southeastern Florida coastline.

        Most earthquakes in this region average 3.3-4.6, see then all the time in the Virgin Islands and Puuetro Rico areas. These swarms have been getting less frequent as they were years ago. Much like the creep in california that prevents an earthquake from occurring in certain areas, small earthquakes help to release pressure build up. When there are less of these swarms of small earthquakes, it shows that tension is building.

        Yes, a very large earthquake on the Carribean fault region could trigger the New Madrid, especially on the eastern flank of the fault. This is a region to keep an eye on, especially if you don’t have many more smaller earthquake swarms and start seeing these larger quakes like these two 5.1 quakes.

        • Definitely WAY more activity in the middle of the US. But the coast of California and Alaska are on FIRE!!! Also saw the two 5+ ones way down south, this week should be interesting. LOVE the posts BI…Please keep us informed!!!

      52. Rich99’s stomach might get a wee bit empty before this one is all over. I actually think Rich99 doesn’t believe the hot-air he is spewing….he must work for the nsa.

      53. If you are complaining about the hypothetical question posed within this article then may I ask you another – How many meals have you had to miss in the last week?

        Certainly, we will always have hardship, but this question isn’t about if our standard of living suffers a little. It is about total collapse. People know their home has a chance of burning down (0.8%). They know they could lose their job or become disabled. These things have always been possibilities.

        When people ask “What if Nothing Happens,” they are asking “What if nothings happens that immediately threatens our continued existence.” While I too believe the possibility continues to increase, I have to admit I have not experienced a single day since my birth when my fundamental needs of food, shelter, and water were not met on some level.

        There were days in the last century when people often had nothing to eat all day. Times it felt as though the hunger would never be stemmed. Hardships like that is what this question is about.

      54. I maybe stupid even though I have excelled through school, work, etc… but I feel like my eyes were opened in 08-09 to how things really are going. I laughed through Y2K because I work in the Tech Industry but things really feel different now. Things no longer pass the “I” test anymore and I really think people are blind anymore to what’s happening. I’m late to prepping properly but have the means to try to do what I can. I’m having issues with friends who think my thinking is all GOP/DEM issues, of which I think are both one and the same so it’s a moot point (to me) when that comes up. I guess my limited rant is me asking a question…do you waste your time trying to wake people up or do you just say F it? I could really care less what people think of me but I would like to help but it falls on deaf ears. Friends that do take “interest” in these type of things are people that are hearing it from others beside myself and in my opinion have the feeling in the gut that things don’t feel right. So what say you? Try to inform or just stay silent? OpSec is the right term?

        • At this point don’t waste your time trying to inform folks-just prepare for you and your family and don’t tell others your preparing because they will show up at your door- they had their chance. Well that’s the way I see it

          • Thanks, that’s kind of how I feel. Fortunately my immediate family feel the same as me, or at least dont think I’m paranoid or it’s not a bad idea. One other question, my parents live close (walking distance) to an unlimited supply of fresh water and have agreed to let me place my food supplies with them. They live in an area that is better suited for a shtf scenario whereas I’m maybe 15 miles from the inner city (Detroit), and they’re more like 60 miles. I was thinking of putting more than 75% of my supplies with them. Not an acceptional bug out location but it’s accessible on foot/bike if needed, not to mention it would help them out. I know it sounds like newbie questions and I probably know the right answer but reassurance does help.

            • …trust your gut…

            • AORNR, fix yourself of bug-out-bag(s) with at least three days of food and water if you transfer some supplies to your folk’s house. If you can get to their house by car, an hour’s time. On foot, your looking at three days (20 mile a day) and that depends on small children.

        • I have given up trying to tell others to prepare. Most are like you describe and its just not worth exposing yourself. Too many of my neighbors already know too much about my preps. Don’t make the mistake I made.

          • Yea, I’m to that point. I almost get nervous about how much food I unload from costco, etc…And with the heat we’ve been getting the last week or 2 I’m starting to think how inadequately supplied I am in terms of lack of generator, fuel, water. I came home after a night away to a brown out and my frozen meat was all thawed. I just dont get how this doesnt register with normal people.

            • hoping to have an off-grid bungalow on mother and father in-law’s remote and secluded Texas ranch property before TSHTF so I can evacuate my family, guns, food and preps before the sheeple neighbors here in suburbia start getting hungry.

          • I wouldn’t worry about your neighbors highspeedloafer: they no doubt have the “jersey shore” attention span of a gnat. When anything happens to jolt them out of their Kardashian dreamworld, they won’t remember that you even exist as they feebly line up for that nice man from the government

            stand strong until freedom dawns

        • Ayatollah…I used to think I was trying to inform the ignorant..but they aren’t ignorant.
          As a former teacher, we didn’t use the word stupid.
          I can say the ignorant are not our problem…the stupid are.
          Ignorant are those unlearned and not taught; stupid is slow to learn or understand.
          You can’t fix stupid.
          Use the first rule of the prepper club..tell no one about your preps…and the second rule..tell no one about your preps.

      55. Home burglaries are up 22% from last year where I live… and those are just the ones that have been reported. 3 people who I know personally have had their homes broken into in the last month (all during the morning). Please harden your homes with alarms, a dog, window film, motion sensor lights and placing a wood or metal stick in the door and window tracks.

        Ecomony goes to the crapper = crime sky rockets.

      56. if nothing happens, God willing….i’ll have extra food and ammo….if the shtf, i’ll have food and ammo, i don’t see a problem with that

        • Hey, if you like to eat food and shoot guns — and what real American doesn’t?– isn’t this a win win no matter what happens?

          stand strong until freedom dawns

      57. If nothing happens, then it was an adventure I was glad to be part of.

        But, like you said, there is too much writing on the wall, and it’s fine print, and the wall keeps extending higher and longer to make room for yet more writing.

      58. Re:opsec,this thread,the unexpected…just taking this occasion to make
        My first post-informing y’all that I was testing that spray can rubber coating “flex seal” to see if it really would allow me to use a flex seal coated screen door as a suitable replacement for the bottom of my SHTF GOOD Bugout boat and wouldnt you know it:it did t work and went down with my e tire fireArms collection on it;as I was also testing to see if the boat would hold me and them together…
        When will we ever learn? if you haven’t already had a similar sad occurance LEARN from our mistakes, fellow readers.

      59. Life is always to be viewed as a 1/2 full glass..

        If you had a full glass all the time.. Life wouldn’t mean a hill of beans.

        We as humans have the tendency – its in our DNA- to complicate our lives..this makes us grow in knowledge..

        Basically – we are still 1 step ahead of the common Ape.. In the way that we live our lives in general.

        I have grown to learn that by making mistakes in like as a responsible adult – I say to Myself- “another trip to college” – thus it cost me $ to learn Not to make any key decisions in life without thinking things through 1st..

        This is the major problem I see in this country.. People do not think and just act.. And do not learn from the life experiences they have.

        I bet If Nothing Happens this year and we flow into 2013-14 and things do get better- most will never remember this happened in the years to come- and continue to be consumers not the Acheivers that we once were in this great land.. We call our home..USA!

        Call me crazy.. But I am buying into doing my own thing.. Making my own future through redefining my life, assets, and career.. And let all other fall by the wayside.

      60. the folks that are suffering the heat and the power outages right now should be asking themselves “what if the power does Not come back on”…and start doing what they need to do for themselves and their families..i have no real sympathy for them right now…well, i do feel sorry for the very young and the very old…because whoeer is responsible for them and their needs is letting them down big time by not having a plan and not having prepared.

      61. Greeting Everyone!
        IF “nothing” happens…..
        Massive Drought worldwide,criminal international bankers(US ones included),only 80,000 jobs added NATIONWIDE here(and that’s their “funny numbers” not mine).Ongoing prices on basics(except gas,perhaps)increasing monthly,Health care gone nuts,and state and local governments going broke everywhere(thank you to the bankers,thereby severely reducing retirement benefits for the 65+ folks in the bargain!).You can call it what you will,but if it quacks like a duck,walks like a duck….
        Personally I’d say we’re on the brink of what is in the Bible called “The Great Tribulation”.I doubt it will be one BIG event.Rather several ongoing middle-sized events(except to those killed by them).One “possible” massive event happening you might scoff at,but the several ones that are undeniably happening as we write?It’s getting closer,folks!
        Call it what you will.
        Best to All!
        LTR,
        GFG
        P.S.
        And we won’t even talk about our very own insane clown circus Congress(All branches included!)
        LTR,
        GFG

      62. Is There An Echo In Here?…here…here…ere…ere…

        “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” -Louis Blanc 1839, popularized by Karl Marx
        “I think it’s better if we spread the wealth around” -Barak Obama, speaking to ‘Joe the plumber’ during campaign of 2008

        “We have to pass the bill to see what’s in it” -Speaker of US House, Nancy Pelosi, 2010
        “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get” -Forrest Gump, 1994

        “If congress won’t act, then I will” -Barak Obama, 2010
        “Just do it” -Nike slogan since 1988

        “In all my years of public service…” -Every crooked politician in every speech forever
        “Dirty deeds and they’re done dirt cheap” -AC/DC 1976

        “So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key” -The Eagles ‘Already Gone’ 1974
        “Engage your employees or be enslaved by them” -Durango Kidd 2012

        “I’m as mad and hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” -Peter Finch as Howard Beale (film ‘Network’) 1976
        “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” -every damned taxpayer in America, 2012

        • Okie…How many hours ARE you spending in the truck stop parking lots??

          • According to my wife and my check stubs…way too many!

      63. Our power was out for 3 days. I lost everything in the freezer. I love my husband but I should have put my foot down. I told him I am buying a generator. Period. Stuff happens all the time. It may not be major, but it does happen. I like to use cash, thank gooodness. Debit card machinces do not work with out power. I can cook with out power. We were just hot and cranky, I didn’t wash clothes by hand because I knew it was coming back on. So that’s the reason I prep.

      64. Oakie: WE do need to spread the wealth around, in a manner of speaking.

        Wealth and the political power that comes with it is concentrating into fewer and fewer hands, while the middle class has lost 40% of its wealth.

        This gives the PTB the ability to tax the middle class to support the poor, and allows the investment class (1%) with the political power, to use tax dollars to enrich themselves at OUR expense through corporate fascism.

        When 25 of the top corporations in the world control 40% of global commerce; when 147 global companies control 60% of all global commerce; when just 6,000 families in America control the major portion of the wealth in America; when the biggest reason for personal bankruptcy in America is from medical expenses; when Wal Mart has more income than the GDP of many large NATIONS, while their slave labor employees qualify for food stamps to feed their families …..

        Yes, I agree with O’bummer: “its time to spread the wealth around”.

        Just saying people. I know you will thumb me down because its O’bummer, but if you do you have swallowed the propaganda of the LSM. 🙂

        • @ Durango,
          Marxist! How about we spread your wealth around? Sell your Double-wide, EBT card and 1999 “compact” and divide up the $400 bucks we get for the lot.

          Those big companies you hate so much are owned by stock holders with 401K’s. Yes plain old workers like us, dumbass, or folk’s pension plans. You anti-American son of a bitch.

          Typical for one of Life’s losers, always wanting to take what someone else has.

          Maybe you might want to figure out what “Thou shall not steal” means.

          • @SK: Your right, they are own by the 401k’s and the people, but right before it fall guess who gets the cash. The boys behind Wall Street, your funds in the market are what they use to get richer, OPM is what they play with not their money. I for one pulled mine all out so I could use it not them. If everybody would cash in I bet thing would happen in a very short time. They are not going to use their money to carry on now would they, Huh. I think your retirement is what you have in your hands or can get hold of very easy and not numbers on a piece of paper or a computer screen. But thats just me.
            Live Free and Stand Tall and Proud
            (“stand for something or fall of anything”)

            • You said it…Wall street loses, the taxpayer pays….Wall Street wins, the CEOs get bonuses of millions..I haven’t seen one damn dividend from any of those bastards since 2007 in my mail box.
              Why is that??

          • SK: Marxist? LMAO! 🙂 You have swallowed the propaganda of Wall Street and the LSM. The pendulum has swung too far to the right.

            I don’t hate corporations … I have my own and making plans to create a couple more … offshore of course.

            What I hate is the way that corporatism has financially raped America. The numbers are in, there is no denying it. Look around.

            If you really knew anything about economics, finance, and shareholders, you would understand that shareholders have been totally hosed too.

            And your 401K …. how much is THAT worth? 🙂

            I don’t agree with the GB’s and the PTB with respect for what’s best for Americans economically, but being classically schooled in Economics and Finance, I will conform to the business program that they have established for America and excel at it, while working to change it.

            I already have.

            And yes, I have plans to spread my wealth around and use it in a number of different ways to promote the Liberty Movement, for your benefit.

            If I could only find a buyer for my double wide! 🙂

          • If it isn’t in your hands you don’t own it.

            Gerald Celente.

          • wow

            talk about drinking the Kool Aide

        • Here’s how I would distribute the wealth….Instead of giving massive subsidies to the banks and corporations who just use it to speculate and drive up commodities, how about the Fed gives a one-time subsidy to the PEOPLE. If you owe debt,it must be used to pay on it. If you are a saver or debt free, this will not penalize you. You get to spend it or save it.

          • @JRS
            Somewhere Karl Marx is smiling over your post. As most Libertards on this site you first set up a strawman. “All Bankers and Corporation are crooks”. Maybe that is what you Community Organizer taught you, but it’s not true. Some yes, not all.

            Secondly, where in hell does anyone get off trying to distribute what is not theirs? That’s Marxism! Two wrongs NEVER makes a right.

            So keep you stupid, ideas to yourself and your cotton pick’n hands off other people’s money.

            • SK: You are absolutely right:

              “Where in the hell does anyone get off trying to distribute what is not theirs?”

              And the biggest thieves among US are located in Congress who steal OUR wealth and distribute it as grants, subsidies, corporate tax incentives, and bailouts.

              That’s what I call “spreading the wealth around” but it’s being spread in the wrong direction. The state of the economy and the balance sheet of the American treasury attests to that fact.

              What more evidence do you need? 🙂

            • SK….My comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek.I am certainly not a Marxist. Notice I did not say REdistribute.I am no fan of our current fiat money system.I did not involve gov in this plan unless you consider the Fed part of gov. The Fed can create money out of thin air and trade it to the big banks for toxic MBS. This supply side BS is not working so why not try some demand side and let the people spend it to stimulate the economy. I do understand this is unrealistic as it would cause massive inflation, but what is working now?

        • …hmmm,you dont sound like DK…

          • REB: The concentration of wealth and power under the globalist/corporatist system instituted by the PTB at the behest of the GB’s is a threat to American Sovereignty and OUR personal freedom.

            Look up. There will soon be 30,000 drones in American skies, spying on US.

            They have shipped 33% of OUR manufacturing base offshore, destroyed OUR financial system, corrupted OUR government, bankrupted the nation, destroyed the wealth of the great American middle class, and undermined OUR Constitution; while encouraging illegals to invade the nation take OUR jobs and be subsidized by US while they do it.

            The system that has developed from Reaganomics is out of control. Reaganomics was a plan to “spread the wealth around” too.

            He spread it to Europe by outsourcing defense contracts to European firms and expanding the MIC to include Europe and destroy the Soviet Union.

            That corporate system is out of control.

            CEO’s make thousand’s of times the pay of their hourly worker. Historically that range was 40-50 times. Even CEO’s who are failures are paid tens of millions of dollars before they are booted out.

            The propagandists for the NWO Corporate Globalists like to point to the warrants and options that managers receive; but this massive transfer of equity is theft from the Stockholders, and is approved by interlocking corporate boards who increase their own compensation much like Congress. Thus “Crony capitalism” was born and instituted into the American business system.

            So what I mean by spreading the wealth around is returning it via a balanced, fair, and equitable system. What is good for the American family and taxpayer is what is good for America.

            I got mine and I am getting more; but that’s because I prepped for it.

      65. ~~~Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Mexico CitySaturday against the presidential election win of Enrique Pena Nieto, accusing him and his party of widespread vote-buying.~~~

        That’s not legal??

        • Actually, vote buying is ‘kind of’ legal there. According to a short segment I saw on tv news, it’s not illegal for a party to give stuff to voters. They just have to promise they aren’t trying to buy voter influence. Sort of like crossing your fingers while lying, I guess.
          And one party (PRI?) evidently bought millions of $ worth of store gift cards and passed them out. Disclaimer #1- this is from mainstream media, so add a grain of salt. Disclaimer #2- I know almost nothing factually about the laws in Mexico. Perhaps some others here can help us out with better information.

          Of course we don’t do it this way in America. Buying votes from citizens is way too innefficient. We just sell the officeholder themselves, after the election. It cuts out the middleman (us) and saves tons of money for the corps.

      66. The question du jour is not “if”, but “when”. If you take a serious look at what has been in the works since about 1910 when Paul Warburg began the crusade to end our “national sovereignty” with the creation of the Federal Reserve and the Council on Foreign Relations and leading up to the UN; you will see an agenda that has all but come to it’s fulfillment. The players have multiplied and all is set for the NWO. One of the next steps is to crash the dollar and implement the final phase. That phase, we have been warned about many times by the letter our Heavenly Father sent to us. What level of “preparedness”your at, your belief and acceptance, will determine your situation at the critical time. If you are at the best level of preparedness you can do, then everything is considered “peace of mind” until the day you “check out” or until that day the SHTF. For some of us it may not be a collapse orchestrated by TPTB. It may be a financial collapse due to a natural disaster,serious health problem,etc. Whatever way it comes, there will be some “trying” times ahead for most. Until then, give thanks for what you do have,smile as often as you can, and share some joy and laughter with friends.

      67. I suppose that it is possible to beat the galactic odds against it and have nothing happen, although millions of our fellow East Coast citizens are only now all too aware of how long these odds really are. But if it could somehow happen, that would be a good thing… a VERY good thing.

        But we do know this for certain… that US government and central bank policies create inflation, the slow melting of the purchasing power of our hard-earned money. The inflation game is ALWAYS played by governments that perpetrate the game of fiat money… always. As in the movie “War Games”, the only solution to the game is not to play it. So, how do we not play the inflation game? Simple. Just use REAL money for your savings and use whatever minimal amount of fiat currency is needed for daily living expenses. Yep, that’s it and it really is just that simple.

        Since preppers know that their food and water supplies have to be rotated by eating and drinking the oldest of our supplies and refreshed by buying new supplies, at the very worst, we will have bought food when it was a little cheaper and saved a little money. I think that I can survive that risk. How about you? 🙂

      68. We have 500 million people of the European Union about to lose their currency . Our nation is borrowing 43cents for every dollar we spend . Uncle Ben has his thumb on the scales of the free market . He is keeping up the Dow with his plunge protection team . Just because this debt bubble is so huge it can be seen it can pop . This is not going to end well and everyone will suffer.

      69. I knew a family, (several several years ago before all the current crisis took hold) who slowly built a 2 year food storage supply on a limited income. With the horizon looking fairly clear in those days…oh, the good old days…they decided they wanted to go to Disneyland. Well, they were still living on one income and so they ate one year of their food storage and saved every cent of regularly budgeted grocery money and had a great family vacation at the end of the year and still had one years food supply. I wouldn’t do this myself right now under the current conditions, but just trying to show how one family made use of it and it didn’t just sit there and go to waste. It provided a vacation! Of course when they got home, they became obsessed with getting it back up to two years!

      70. I recently had a very similar conversation with my old college roommate at his wedding. He works in finance…and is a very level-headed guy.

        His gave me a two part response/reply to my question of “Dude, I am going nuts or what?”

        First, he suggested that I look at my various “investments” as sort of an insurance policy (similar to some of the comments above). IF things do ever get real ugly, I’m going to be very, very glad that I have taken at least some steps to be at least somewhat ready…

        Second, he also suggested that many/most of the items I’ve purchase in recent years (especially firearms, etc.) would most likely retain a fair amount of their value no matter what happens. This is especially true for food items…

        In fact, he told me that back in ’09, after that deflationary scare, he personally went out and purchased what he thought was about a year’s supply of food – obviously, in non-perishable form…because he thought the next big “event” wasn’t too far off. Over the last few years, he’s slowly gone through most of it.

        The irony is that while most people would say that what he did was “crazy,” that little move, at least in a sense, saved him money…as food prices have gone back up since he made that purchase (as some of the comments above have noted).

        One other note – I’ve now heard from several pretty good sources that a big price increase in ammo is coming up within the next few months…or at least that it is a serious possibility. If for no other reason, supposedly, several government agencies are about to make very large purchases…which could lead to a serious shortage of popular calibers – especially .223/5.56.

        That said, I remember last year when I was also getting warnings of major ammo prices increases…and I remember seeing a spike late summer/early fall…but it was short-lived…

      71. Then we continue to live the good life that we, as Americans, deserve. I will enjoy eating and drinking what I have provided for me and my loved ones. What could be better?

        • young girls that put out….

          • RE: D n T

            Mac, you might seriously consider deleting predatory, obscene, repugnant remarks like death n taxes posted.

      72. Ohcumgache has it spot on for me. One thing I am noticing is that a significant proportion of young people seem to have already “woken up”. They are just left floundering for sensible guidance though, not having the educational levels, life or critical thinking skills to do more than really struggle to figure out their path. They get that it’s a totally different situation out there, than the one their parents faced though.

        The over 40’s seem to be wandering around with blinkers on, refusing to acknowledge the world has changed, until they lose their own job iykwim. The macro financial situation is enough to set any reasonably intelligent person to thinking about “prepping”.

        Here in the UK, the lack of coherent leadership and general corruption at all levels is at times hard to comprehend (e.g Barclays bank libor rate scandal – any sensible person says cart the perpetrators of to jail for fraud, yet we are told no criminal offence was committed?). Parts of the country are also suffering from flooding, thereby proving the fragility of the infrastructure, for those who didn’t take on board the lessons of the 2010 riots.

      73. the people of Argentina have already lived through one economic
        collapse

        looks like round 2 now happening

        http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2012/07/argentina-now-you-cant-leave.html

        hyperinflation setting in
        “Clarin and La Nacion newspaper show headlines of the official dollar ban, along with the new increase of electricity and heating, which have gone up 350% and up to 576%( yes, not a typo, 576%!) The price of stoves has gone up 50% as well. Keep in mind its winter right now in the southern hemisphere.’

        and I hope you guys are keeping a watch on solar activity
        the sun is really popping off the flares here recently
        so far only one X flare,and it was a small one
        but it ain’t over till the fat lady sings
        this situation bears watching

        • There have been a lot of M-class flares (two were almost X-class) and one X-class in the past several days. I get emailed alerts from http://www.ips.gov.au. Check them out. If I get an alert for a flare of X-20 or greater, more of my equipment will go in the Faraday cages.

          • What a coincidence, I just finished “One Second After” yesterday. Found a used copy, you must read it, I know most have.

            So with the East coast storm,now these solar flares people are still not getting the “Prepped” message. People chasing around for gas, food and water. It is the same story everytime some event disturbs peoples daydreams.

            Heard about X class flare from U.K. Mail newspaper. Nothing on Fox News. But we do get the latest info on movie stars without delay!!. Would have liked if the media had interviewed those affected yo see what they will do different.

            Death&Taxes @8:58 below. That is how I think of my preps along with the idea that they are insurance.

            Archivest, I will plug in that website, thank you!!

            (MM)

            • A few other interesting reads are ‘A World Made by Hand’ and ‘The Long Emergency’ by Kunstler and ‘Lights Out’ by Crawford.

      74. A bothersome issue for me right now is the total lack of honey bees in my gardens. I have never seen this before, not one honey bee, previous years I had hundreds if not thousands. I also note that there are very few dragon flies. This is extremely disconcerting and sad, not to mention the ramification of these bees disappearing throughout the world. The spring was unusual in the North East, warm then frost, so perhaps that is the reason. Has anyone else noted this phenomenon?

        • I have noticed this too. It has been hot here- over 100 degrees every day. I have been putting water out for the wild life but when I check, it looks untouched. I see a few adult rabbits but no deer, turkeys, raccoons, or skunks. It is very worrisome. The birds and insects are also missing.

          • loulou and Meree,

            Things are quite strange this summer. I do have many birds in the area but no bees and very few insects. Even the wasps are not as abundant as last year. I usually see at least a few raccoons and numerous turkeys but this year only one turkey. Very unsettling.

          • I live in the NC mtns. The wild honey bee is just about extinct. Up until the mid 80’s we had many bees and many who “kept/hived” many wild bees. If you were good and patient, you could walk slowly along a branch or small creek and find them watering. Then, if conditions were right, you could follow the direction they left for and usually find a “bee tree”. Now days if you are lucky enough to see one watering, it will lead you to a commercial/hobby hive. We are blessed with plenty of bumble bees and they do a good job of pollinating the garden, but not like the honey bee. My sister-in-law lives about a quarter mile away and has two hives this year. Our gardens are putting out more than ever.
            If you have a large garden and/or fruit trees the bees are very important. Sweet corn is self-pollinating by the wind. That’s why it is important to plant it in blocks. Oh yea; If you are not seeing any racoons or groundhogs, be thankful. Trapped four coons(gave them to a coon hunter to train his young dogs with, about 20 miles away) and counting, and shot a groundhog in the beans in the past two months.

        • O…I live in the northeast and someone mentioned on here about the honey bee population. I decided to sit out back and check. In 10 minutes I counted 6 honey bees within my view on the clover by my garden. I’m assuming this is a good population. I live in an wooded area with mainly Amish farms around(NO pesticide). This may have something to do with it.

          • JRS,

            You should be able to count many more than that. At least you do have some though. I am looking into bee keeping.

            • I just went to a beekeeping class for this exact reason. Honey never goes bad, they help with the gardening and make AWESOME bartering. When TSHTF, what are you going to barter? Beekeeping isn’t as hard as you think.

            • you don’t need to know,

              Thanks for the information, I am looking forward to starting this venture.

          • No worries here; I didn’t kill the clover and dandelions like my neighbor; I can’t walk in my yard without shoes..stung once, shame on me, stung twice????
            The grass is gone, it’s crunching, but the bees are still getting something from that lawn.
            It’s hard to water my 4 tomato plants in the flower garden by the porch for the bees swarming–neighbor has swarming problem too.

            • Glad to hear it, at least they are swarming somewhere.

        • We may get to the days of self-pollenizing with a little Q-tip.

        • You can take the hive just outside my window. Last year we had so many it was nuts. I think it must be a climate thing or some unknown. I may buy into the Monsanto theory when more evidence is known. Don’t get me wrong I can not stand Monsanto, but the root of the problem may not be Frankenseeds.

      75. Ohcumgache…..Me too..only ONE bee this whole year.For my non self pollonating trees, i had to go around and pollonate them myself…really scary…Have alot of dragonflies BUT no hummingbirds

        • I planted a garden especially for bees-lavender-mexican mint-butterfly bushes-annuals and put out hummer feeders- it’s attracting both.

          I’d like to note, that there are less than 100 registered bee keepers in Will Co. There should be over 1000.

      76. I’ve told myself repeatedly that if I never need my guns, gear and preps in my functional lifetime (I’m 42) then my kid’s most certainly will.

        It’s a part of their inheritance….

      77. If nothing happens, you’ve lost nothing. My larder is incorporated into a regular rotation. Everything will be rotated in a 10 year cycle even the long term items and ammo.

        Different stored ammo, food and seed has a shelf life of 1 to 25 years, but by eating, growing or shooting on a regular basis you know what you like or don’t like. I’ve found foods I don’t like, ammo that has problems and seed that doesn’t grow. I would rather find the bad stuff in the good times, then depend on it in bad times.

        It’s a lifestyle now so nothing is lost or wasted unless we have to abandon it. If that happens the shit has already hit the fan.

        • Patriot One;

          Damn good advice !!!!! 🙂

        • “lifestyle” is the right word

          prepping is increasingly not about preparing for some possible future catastrophe
          but about living your life differently
          realizing that the way we have been doing things just isn’t right

          • Let us not forget that having a lot of money in banks right now is not a wise thing.

            It is a lifestyle change, but once you have built your larder its only a matter of rotation. By using your stores you learn what you like. There are brands I like and brands I don’t like.

            In austere times if you have ammo, beans, band aids and seed you have a alternate form of currency that could be priceless.

            Thanks for the feedback Satori & Eagledove

      78. Create a sustainable lifestyle which will be much better for you in the long run. #10 cans are okay but to have fresh eggs, fish, game and veggies is much better than bacon tvp and some dehydrated carrots. Having a sustainable life will make you feel much better mentally than a basement full of crap you may never use/need.
        If you can, build a smoker and learn how to preserve your fish and meat. Learn to can your veggies and meat. Build a humanure outhoure, collect rain water. All these activities will get you to a sustainable life!

      79. http://www.dns-ok.us/

        Here is a link to check your computer

        Red screen-you lose service3 tomorrow

        Green screen-your cool

        • Personally I think this is a way to get our computer/online interactions captured by the authorities. They were determined to control the ISP and then ultimately you. What a bunch of paranoid freaks our government is.

      80. Don’t waste your time trying to educate folks. I left my folks with some supplies and they and my siblings just laugh at me like the family nut.

        Just be prepared and plan well, and live in peaceful silence and happiness.

        SILENCE CAN BE A PREP. LEARN TO USE IT WISELY.

        I was as a family thing and some family member started making fun of my spam collection. I just played dumb and it was funny to see the look on her face.

        Be smart like a fox and pack things away like a squirrel readying for a long winter.

      81. Off topic…

        New Obama Executive Order Seeks ‘Control’ Over Communications During ‘Crisis’
        (www.infowars.com/new-obama-executive-order-seeks-control-over-communications-during-crisis/)

        Executive Order — Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions – 7/6/12
        (www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/06/executive-order-assignment-national-security-and-emergency-preparedness-)

      82. TEOTWAWKI has already occurred. There is no turning back. Gone are the lifestyle guarantees of the past several generations. Gone is the safety behind warranty and guarantee contracts. Gone is the belief there are honest bankers and financiers. Gone is the assumption that product and service delivery is 100% reliable. And worst of all, gone are our God-given rights.

        The question “What if nothing happens” is irrelevant now. We are living in unexplored times. We have already arrived.

        • Its no question it will happen. It
          Just won’t be as soon as we think.

      83. “What if nothing happens” Let me think about this for a second….. Congress spends like there’s no tomorrow, the PTB will blame it on the people and the strong, rich, evil/preppers will survive.

      84. stthomasmore.org/parish-clergy/video/invocation

        A Republican State Assembly

        Move on over to 1:25..this will make your day!!
        Yee–haw, you tell ’em father.

      85. Greetings!
        Just read the link that Satori posted.So far we’re about 5 years behind the hapless “normal” folks in Argentina.But in true American fashion,we’re making up for lost time.I might be crazy,but watching how calm the current C.I.C. is acting these days,I suspect he’s in for a THREE or longer set of terms.And the weather around these parts is getting odder and stranger(storms coming out of nowhere over extremely DRY areas!).The Tribulation is certainly looking like it’s arriving on time and on target.Best make sure you don’t have a bullseye painted on your back!
        LTR,
        GFG
        I’d wish everyone the best,but it seems almost pointless now.Like being halfway in a long train tunnel and discussing the color of the headlight of the oncoming freight-train at the far end.
        LTR,
        GFG

      86. I heard 19 years ago that the collapse was coming. There was plenty of information to show why. With nearly 20 years notice, it is hard to see how people just blew off all the indicators. Some are waking up now, but it seems a day late and a Federal Reserve note short.

      87. What we know thanks to well-established scientific knowledge about biological evolution as well as the finite and frangible physical world we are blessed to inhabit would lead sensible people, I suppose, to conclude that there is nothing or precious little that can be done to change the ‘trajectory’ of human civilization. So powerful is the force of evolution that we will “do what comes naturally” by continuing to overpopulate the planet and await the next phase of the evolutionary process. So colossal, reckless and relentless, too, is the unbridled expansion of the global political economy now overspreading the surface of Earth. Even so, still hope resides within that somehow humankind will make use of its singular intelligence and other unique attributes so as to escape the fate that appears ‘as if through a glass darkly’ in the offing, the seemingly certain fate evolution appears to have in store for us. Come what may. In the face of all the global ecological challenges that we can see now and here, I continue to believe and to hope that we find adequate ways of consciously, deliberately and effectively doing the right things, according the lights and the science we possess, the things that serve to confront and overcome the evolutionary trend which seems so irresistible. Perhaps others would comment on human agency, human population dynamics, endless economic growth and the potentially catastrophic consequences of the unrestricted overproduction, overconsumption and overpopulation activities of the human species on our watch.

      88. a neighbor’s sister makes $86 every hour on the computer. She has been fired from work for 10 months but last month her pay was $20054 just working on the computer for a few hours. Go to this web site and read more makecash16. çom

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