This article has been generously contributed by The Sovereign Man Simon Black. Simon is an international investor, entrepreneur, permanent traveler, and free man. Learn to Survive and Thrive in the age of turmoil by subscribing to his regularly published newsletter.
In his seminal work The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William Shirer recounts how the struggling Weimar Republic printed its way out of reparation debt from World War I. Out-of-control printing caused the German mark to fall from 75 per dollar in 1921, to more than 4 billion just 3-years later.
Talk about chaos. After a brief period of credit-fueled economic respite, the onset of the global depression in 1929 had people in the streets clamoring for change. Hitler’s National Socialism promised the world… and under such economic distress, people believed him.
There are two important lessons here. First is that hyperinflation comes very quickly. Confidence languishes for months, even years… until one day the currency begins to slide, slowly at first, then exponentially.
The second is what followed. Economic disaster begets social unrest, the two are inextricably linked. Populist rebellions and roving gangs became a constant presence in the republic.
It’s at this point, when people are really hurting, they’re the most impressionable. They’re looking for somebody, anybody, to lead them out of the turmoil. What they got was a charismatic leader with a grand plan.
Here in Cambodia, a similar story unfolded in the 1970s.
Years of constant American B-52 bombing campaigns during the Vietnam War took its toll on the country. Over 500,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodia during the war. By the time the last US forces withdrew from Vietnam in 1975, nearly three-quarters of Cambodia’s agrarian economy was destroyed.
Malnourishment and starvation were rampant, and Cambodians were ready to follow anyone with a plan.
Pol Pot’s agrarian socialism struck a chord. After years of civil war, Cambodia’s economic ruin opened the door for his communist forces to take over the country.
Just like Germany in 1930, economic hardship swayed just enough people to allow a criminal madman’s rise to power. Neither case required a popular majority, but merely a critical mass of vocal activists. The rest of the country either fell in line or was exterminated.
Under both regimes, people never got what they expected. Pol Pot waged mass genocide on his own people, murdering as much as a third of Cambodia’s population. Teachers, doctors, students, artists… anyone who could possibly pose a threat was neutralized.
I’ve had the opportunity to learn first hand about many of these cases during my times here. And not far from Phnom Penh, the infamous killing fields are still littered with human remains.
History is full of examples of governments taking draconian action in times of economic-fueled social turmoil. Faced with terrible circumstances, people cry out for their governments to ‘do something’. Politicians happily oblige.
It’s concerning right now to see the early stages of economic decline spawning populist uprisings; most are being met with unconscionable force by the police state.
Mark Twain used to say that while history may not repeat itself, it certainly rhymes. I’d encourage you to think clearly about what’s really happening in the world, and not simply write off such events as temporary aberrations.
Let me be even more clear: it’s not crazy to have a plan. You’re not a lunatic for considering your international options. In a world fraught with so much uncertainty, it’s the only sane choice.
This article has been generously contributed by The Sovereign Man Simon Black. Simon is an international investor, entrepreneur, permanent traveler, and free man. Learn to Survive and Thrive in the age of turmoil by subscribing to his regularly published newsletter.
I love Twain and his writings, he is buried in Elmira, NY. I have been to his grave a couple times. There is no doubt in my mind that hunger will drive people over the edge, making them do things they never thought they would, Murder, robbery, lie, whatever. This is why I play my cards close to the vest about my preparations. I encourage those I love to prepare while they can, but I would never let go of how much I truly have in supplies to them. That is the reason I like this site, I can talk to similar minded people and not worry much about letting go of a secret or two. Clay
Most of the local people know that I raise a garden and keep a few animals,live frugal, but I, like you do not let people and relatives know how much I really have. those rumers up town about that nut who buys canned food by the case are just rumers. I do tell people that they should stock up on a few months food like I have, some do see our pantry and it is full, but if they ever saw our real preps, they’d be speechless, we could open our own general store. Our kids come here to shop before going to the store.lol
Good for you Just me, my big fear as my kids will spill the beans, my oldest girl is twelve and we have left her out of the food prep plans, I love her, but she has no filter what so ever. Clay
Claymation,
Greetings from a former New Yorker. I grew up in a rural area south of Oneonta and east of Binghamton. Many people still think the state of New York is all city. LOL! Growing up…I remember the first day of hunting season most of the high school students and teachers were absent. My family still lives there.
You are probably making a wise decision about not telling your 12 year old daughter about all the food prep plans. She is young and may let the plans slip to a friend/neighbor, etc. That “slip” may come back to haunt you.
KY Mom
Yep, My dad was in the Navy for awhile and we followed him from duty station to duty station. Every time you told someone you from new york they would always ask how we liked living in NYC. I always had to assure them I was a country boy, we had farms, cows, forests with deer, the whole nine yards. Oh yeah, there is no such thing as a former New Yorker, just one who has been away from home to long. Before any one says it, yes the taxes suck here, our county is 8.5% and it includes clothes. I shop a lot in Pennsylvania like the Canadians used to shop here in the US.
Claymation,
It has been many years since I lived in NYS. Since then, I have lived in many places over the years. With my husband’s old job we moved often and lived in other states & countries. I do miss my family, but now Kentucky is my home.
The saddest part about coming home to visit is how the area I grew up has gone down hill. Businesses have closed. So many people have moved away. 🙁
The taxes, utilities, groceries, etc. are lower here and the winters are milder. In the winter we sometimes have snow in the morning, but often it is melted away by noon. 🙂
The growing season is longer here too. I still have peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, peas & green beans growing in the garden.
KY Mom
Just remember, in lean times, you don’t want to be the fattest guy on the block…..a dead giveaway that you got something stashed.
America is about to be experience the most colossal, weight loss group plans ever administered in the history of slimming down. Unfortunately, it’s going to be “force-fed” and it won’t be supervised by Weight Watchers.
+1 on being here around similar minded folks for which I am grateful to Mac and his foresight on the need.
I like that people here are willing to think and act out of the box. For those unable to grow outdoors during the winter, consider indoor gardens. Yes, you can grow enough salad greens, tomatoes (cherry type), peppers, chard and lots of herbs for daily use and I’m not just talking container gardening.
I’m using aerogarden (dot) technology. I had bought five gardens to grow the above for daily use before it dawned on me I could DIY using a Wally Mart fish tank water pump and bubble tube , plastic container, coconut pad (type in hanging baskets) grow lights and liquid grow stuff and water.
It’s ancient technology, great OPSEC and I’m not worried about e-coli or listeria. I’d suggest buying one to see how it works and then DIY clones or if anyone wants the how I do it, maybe it can be worked out to get the information to you. Having access to greenery year round is healthy and great barter.
Wow. Ok…I am totally new to this site and this mindset…sort of. I believe just as all of you, but my family is just beginning to recover from unemployment/underemployment. While we live in a very small town, we are still in a subdivision and own no land. Need to get out of debt; feels like we are drowning. We own guns, but need to take a class and get permits. I have 3 boys and a hubby, but we are clueless. Where do we start? We know this is coming and it sometimes scares me.
lordluvsu, It can seem overwhelming. You ask where do start. Just by asking the question, you have taken the most important step, you realize a need for whatever your reasons are. On the left of this webpage you will see the title “Ready Nutrition Homesteading & preparedness.” There are many good articles on getting started and what you may need. I myself originally started by just picking a couple more cans of veggies, spaghetti sauce, whatever I knew my family would eat whenever I went grocery shopping and put then up, I was just worried. I did not realize it was a lifestyle. Fear can be a good motivator to get prepared. Welcome to the club.
Do you have any yard at all? I suggest getting some landscape timbers and build some 4’x8’x1′ raised beds, some top soil and screened compost (usually super cheap from landfills)and/or baggd manure/compost- mix 60% soil, 40% compost/manure. Learning basic gardening with heirloom seeds is critical, IMHO.
Water purification and potential storage and collection kit. Google this and see what works for you. I have several food grade 5 gallon pails with lids, several gallons of non-scented, regular bleach, as well as many gallons of Spring Water from the $1 store. Think 1/2 gallon per person per day for reference.
Next, look at your food storage situation. How long could you go with your pantry and your family size? Think needs vs wants… The eas(ier) route is buy a bit at a time and rotate as necessary- bagged long grain rice, pinto/black/other beans in bags, and varies cereals (oats, bread flour, etc.) as well as sugar, fats, and learning to can.
That is all in the details, however. Start small and evaluate. Defense is a primary concern, but should not be the absolute focal point of prep, IMHO.
You do not need to break the bank and go all high-dollar on your kit/outfit like prepackaged ‘surival’ food and designer gear (think used military spec instead) (unless you can toss piles of cash at things, which it doesnt sound like you can). Lots of good prep sites out there- some are listed on the list column of this website.
Lots of great books to read and consider taking the best, most applicable strategic and tactical guidance. Amazon and other booksellers got em:
When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes, Cody Lundin (GREAT BOOK!)
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, Cody Lundin
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times, James Wesley Rawles
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Abigail R. Gehring
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis, Peggy Layton
When Technology Fails (Revised & Expanded): A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency, Matthew Stein
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, Carla Emery
I own all of those books (and others) but consider these a great base to start. However, one think that you can’t get from a book is the right attitude, tactical judgement, intuition and confidence- those things must be developed, discovered and practiced.
Good luck from a non-tin foilhat, self-sufficient prepper in WI.
lordluvslu: Welcome to the site, you will find some great people here willing to help with ideas and suggestions. First pray and seek his guidance, Food and clean water will be your greatest resource. God bless and again welcome to the site!
James Wesley Rawles “how to survive the end of the world as we know it”. Sounds like a crazy title but a wealth of knowledge in its pages. The “Bible” for preppers.
Keep getting out of debt. Stock up on canned goods, pasta, rice, flour, and similar. Garden seeds and tools. Ammunition for the firearms. Make sure the firearms are common calibers, such as .223, .308, or 7.62x54R to take advantage of surplus ammo pricing. Get a couple of .22s and lots of .22 shells. Have a garage sale to raise some funds. Scope out a vacant piece of ground near your house for a community garden when it comes to that. Get to know the neighbors. Get oil lamps, oil, wicks, spare glass shades. Don’t overspend, you need to get out of debt and take care of today.
I’ve talked to friends, family members, and people from church about what’s happening. Nobody I know is prepping. Even those who think hyperinflation is coming aren’t prepping. I live in an area with a lot of multi-family housing. A lot of people have seen us hauling in groceries and water jugs day after day. It’s a good thing we’re armed.
Yes.It is odd. Even people who say they can see or feel that things are not right, can’t be bothered to prep. I can only guess that they feel “it” won’t happen to them. The the disaster of whatever kind, won’t keep their local market or restaraunt from going about it’s usual business so all is ok. But they won’t even consider what would they do IF SOMETHING happened to disrupt the system even for 2 weeks. Food? Water? Heat?
And the scarey thing is that most people have less than 3 days of food in their homes.
I’ve heard the saying “People (sheeple) are nine meals away from anarchy”. I know my grocery store would only last 2-3days even if they rationed. Can you imagine if 25% woke up tomorrow and said we are screwed we need provisions now! Chaos would ensue, no grocery store or their suppliers could last very long! Peace
Unfortunately i find people who say something like, “well if it all collapses i wouldn’t want to live through it anyways… i guess not having reality tv and having to really work would be to much for them.
Farm cat…same thing here!! I worry for my family, feel let down by my church family and just quietly keep doing what I know I have to do to provide for my family!
Farm cat says: “I live in an area with a lot of multi-family housing. A lot of people have seen us hauling in groceries and water jugs day after day. It’s a good thing we’re armed”
I leave the water in the back of my truck w/ a campershell until night fall, most of the non perishables can stay in the vehicle until the sun goes down.
If you know you have peeping Toms watching you then why unload the stuff that doesn’t spoil?
Change your habits so they know not to come to your house first?
Since they must know by now you are prepping food what says if they can’t get to your preps because your armed? then what says they can’t burn you out 🙁 ?
Do you have a garage you can unload in?
Also I use 2 shopping carts when I go, 1st one that gets emptied is the stuff I plan on consuming, those go in plastic, the 2nd is my preps that can sit until I can add it to inventory (or I have to bug out in the night) and those go in paper bags, funny the cashier never asks. I just don’t trust my neighbors anymore 🙁 since it seems I am one of the few that still have a job…
Nice post RICH99
twain is one of my favorites too. he once stated if you don’t like the weather in upstate ny…wait 20m minutes…it will change. lol. true.
the inner cities already provide us with a micro view of the comming collapse. 50% unemployment and drug trade as the only other option. stealing, shootings and murder.
I know what ya mean Rachel, it can be 40 degrees at 8am and 80 degrees by noon, but for all its faults I still love this area of the country.
No thanks, I’ll just stay in East Texas……
Keep Prepping !!!!
Hi CountryMom, I’ve talked to a few people in Texas who said there gardens were toast this year, Do you garden and how did you make out? Peace
sunny in the morning, then rain, then sunny, then coudy, then windy, then sleet…all in 8 hours.
I got yellow squash to make a little. Had to water a lot, but we have our own well……
I love my zucchini squash it has versatility, we make hot dog relish, bread or just fry it up. We even struggled to keep up with watering this summer ourselves so I can’t imagine how it was for you Texans.
500,000 tons of bombs would have required 18,500 B52 sorties. Never happened!! Someone gave you bad information. The total was probably 1/50th of what you stated.
Actually the figure from Yale University puts it at 2,756,941 tons from 230,516 sorties being flown from 10/04/1965 to 08/15/1973.
Check your facts!
http://www.yale.edu/cgp/Walrus_CambodiaBombing_OCT06.pdf
Ouch!! My son was watching a show last week, PBS I think talking about how they are still hunting down unexploded ordinances from all bomb drops, they haven’t even scratched the surface and they have pretty much been doing it since the war ended. Great link JQP.
Good thing that all those prayers kept Cambodia from being destroyed during the bombing campaign. And if it wasn’t for the strength of the Pope’s spiritual power Pol Pot might have succeeded in murdering the other 2/3rds of his fellow Cambodians. Think I am going to run out and get a rosary to add to my preps against the evil and inhumanity of other men.
John Q you have been duped. The B52s were used extensively in South Vietnam and a couple of times strategically in North Vietnam. The cambodia runs were the exception and were sporadic and relatively light (i.e. typically 3 B52s in a 24 hour period), and only when a target had been identified. I don’t know what the agenda of the good professor from a foriegn country is but it is not the truth. The main problem with using B52’s against targets in Cambodia is that the enemy rarely presented a decent target for a B52. Other planes were used as well but their ability to carry massive amounts of bombs pales in comparison with a B52 and they could never have dropped the amount of ordanance claimed in the article. Most of their activity was along the Ho Chi Minh trail and was tactical in nature (i.e. two small bombs typically). The numbers claimed are way off by at least a factor of 10 and probably a factor of 20 to 50.
14,285 for G & H models. Are you counting all bombs from all AC? There was a few other AC in war, I think that where’s statement was going.
even with mers[multiple ejection racks] on the outer pylons? single mers holds 6 or 8 mk82s? aren’t g models stretched?bigger bomb bay?
RE Cambodia, pp. 581 Black Book of Communism:
“American bombing raids were massive: more than 540,000
tons of explosives were dropped on the Combat Zones, mostly in the 6 months before the US congress cut off funding in 1973”
Simon appears to have his facts correct on tonnage. The question would be “combat zones” and if those combat zones constituted 3/4 of the agricultural land available, as stated.
I find the Cambodian situation to be nearly incomprehensible. Literally incomprehensible. This Black Book of Communism is translated to English from French, and it is very difficult to follow. It sounds like all hell broke loose and loyalties changed daily.
And America did the bidding of whatever faction had the
ear of the CIA on any given hour.
Still, what Simon is saying is beware. Be very cautious on where you cast your lot. It’s coming.
I have tried to get the people I love to get at least a little prepped. Sadly my husband family is all very over weight and on far too many pills to survive very long. I am glad though for this site as well, at least I know I am not alone. Time to go plant more winter veggies.
Be blessed everyone.
What are ya putting in, it is way to cold here, I put a cover crop on my garden but that can sometimes not make it if we snow or hard frost early.
Winter crops here in central CA, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, beets, lettuce, cabbage, peas, potatoes and the chard will over winter.
Now its official, I’m Jealous 🙂
I’m jealous too–but will still take Ky. before California any old cold, rainy, windy day.
I can count the illegal Mexicans on two hands and not use all fingers here in this county.
Collards, sir. Everyone should grow collards. Vates collards for toughness, longevity, and feeding to the stock and Georgia collards for their delicate flavor and smaller size leaves. We had 2 feet of snow last winter here in northern Arkansas after harvesting many pounds of fall collards (you don’t pull up the plants, you just clip the leaves) and the collards survived just fine. They got beat down but as soon as it began to warm up they were on the grow again. We have the vegetables justamom mentioned planted as well but when it comes to survival food you can’t beat collards. Select only one variety to let go to seed in the late spring and pull the others up so they don’t cross-pollinate. Then let ’em bloom and go to seed and you can collect enough seed to keep it going forever.
In addition to collards and justamom’s list: bok choy and Brussels sprouts.
John Hunt Morgan is right. Collards are part of the Bracassia family of plants along with Kale, Broccoli, Mustard Greens, Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage. All have the highest anti-oxidant properties to them which can help ward-off disease. I went to Seed Savers (google them) and bought some organic Siberian Kale. I can harvest it in the snow it is so durable according to them. Originated in Russia. I just planted some now for the Fall and winter Chop up the Kale or Collards and saute them or throw them in a stew for extra nutrition. BTW, Broccoli seeds are really good as sprouts and taste great with salad dressing.
Collards work the same way- they are fantastic, especially with some bacon. Yum-yum!
Do you think I could grow them in front of a window?
justamom: Hi, your comments did touch a spot in my heart, there are so many natural herbs/remedies that God put on this earth for us to heal naturally. The pharmaceutical industry isn’t about cures, they are about profits for poisons. I am sure you have tried, but continue to talk to family members concerning healthful alternatives, foods, diet, minerals are play a huge part in health and well being.
JJ- if I could leave here I would in a heartbeat.
John- bok choy and black mushrooms is a favorite, collards I think you have to grow up on, Or I just never had them made by someone that knew how to make them taste good. To hot here for the sprouts.
Copout- Thank you! I study herbal medicine, and get laughed at by the family for it. However it makes me very happy when the kids or my husband need to be healed and they come to me. Funny how we happen to be the healthiest of the family members.
Be blessed all.
Justamom…if the collards you’ve tried didn’t have a little bacon fat in them…then you didn’t try REAL southern collards!! One of my fave veggies!! YUM!! I have about 4 cases in my preps…canned, bleh, but with hot pepper sauce, they’ll do in a pinch 🙂 Oh, by canned I mean grocery store can…not home canned…gonna do home canned collards next month 🙂
If the naivete of the simple minded folks camping out in city parks all over the country is any indication millions of folks are just emotionally ripe for the picking. Just one person like Garret LoPorto or Joe Trippi will be able to amass an army of desperate followers willful to do their bidding.
These are very, very dangerous days.
Indeed.. truly perilous times..
Paid for by Soros and managed by Van Jones, and all with a mission…..4 More Years
“Might as well warn you now, I’m one of those old-style liberals who used to see conspiracies
behind everything the right wing did.” He looked at her and saw a trace of a smile.
“I used to feel the same about the left,” and now it was his turn to smile. “Seems absurd now.”
“One second after” by William R Forstchen
Love that book, Giurza!!! Really opened my eyes to all the “what ifs” that could happen…
When we ask the government to do more, they usually will: more unemployment, more money printing, more bailouts, more regulations, more taxes, more inflation, more socialist programs, more, more, more….. what we really need is less, less, less, any doubt call Greece.
Touche!!
I always ask the government to do less. They usually look at me like I’m criminally insane.
Pardon me, but I’m posting this a couple times for more advice on my food/prep storage. Its me, my wife, and our 3 kids…2, 8, and 19 yr old daughter.
I have about 100 cans of Fruits/vegetables and about 100 cans of tuna/chicken/ravioli/spaghetti, 5 six-gallon buckets w/mylar bags & oxygen absorbers…filled with jasmine rice, 15 assorted beans w/flavor packets, instant Idahoan mash potato mix, pancake mix, and powdered milk. Have small box of seasonings, big box of condiments (bbq sauce, ketchup, syrup, pb, soy sauce, ect).
I have about 110 gallons of water in juicy juice bottles, pop bottles, and such which I put bleach in, dated. How long before I should empty the bottles and fill again?
Only 1 months supply of tp, few flashlights w/few extra batteries, big box of wet wipes, small small supply of first aid, and small amount of plastic plates, cups, and utensils, 10 lighters and 2 one gallon bags of matches I got from gas stations.
I only have 1 firearm .40 sigma w/only a 100 rounds and 2 mags. Finally convinced wife to get a permit to aquire yesterday.
If the city cuts power or heat go off I’m screwed. No generator or heating source.
I make $8/hour and finally have a check of $600 to blow on my preps that I’ve been working on since I woke up in December.
What would you get now if you were me? And thank you.
I think you’re well on your way….
Couple things I can recommend you take a look at.
1. Food Storage Calculator: http://readynutrition.com/resources/category/preparedness/calculators/
2. The 52 Weeks to Preparedness series which can help you prioritize your preps and focus on what you need for emergency, 30 day (short-term), 90+ days (long-term). : http://readynutrition.com/resources/52-weeks-to-preparedness-an-introduction_19072011/
Hello iowa, Those are great links Mac put up, I refer to them from time to time myself!
Here are a couple good articles that might be helpful.
Mac posted an article last year (June 3, 2010) listing the top 100 items that would disappear first when SHTF. I found this list very helpful. Search with the title.
1. “When SHTF These 100 Items Will Disappear First”
2. 20 Things You Will Need To Survive When The Economy Collapses And The Next Great Depression Begins
Source: The Economic Collapse blog
Colman stove. Cook in the kitchen with the window raised a bit. Buy extra tanks…..Get some candles……Store extra gas for the car too……
Another thing that I never see on these sites is for people that do alot of canning from thier gardens as I do. You can have a thousand canning jars and all that, but if you dont have alot of canning lids stored up, canning is over.
We buy ours by the case, we have a local hardware type store that has a Huge canning section, you name it they got it, and if they ain’t got it they can get it quick. I’ve been meaning to look into reusable lids, anyone here have any luck or knowledge about them?
Get the reusable canning lids from Tattler I absolutly love them, never buy lids again….
“I only have 1 firearm .40 sigma w/only a 100 rounds and 2 mags. Finally convinced wife to get a permit to aquire yesterday”
I cannot eloquently articulate the anger that wells up within me when I hear that folks have to get a permit to acquire or own a firearm. If you were geographically close to me I’d drive over and give you a Smith & Wesson .357 that I have.
Screw the controlling authority.
A permit to own a firearm…AAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHH !!!!!!
I hope I never meet the worthless bastard that introduced that type of legislation. I probably would not be able to control myself.
What about the part “finally convinced wife”????
What is that??????
I buy all our guns……..
Hey do you live with in driving distance of me in Muskegon? I’d love to have that .357 🙂
R u near Iowa?
If I were in your situation, I would get out. Your food and other preps won’t help you when the city goes down.
Make a list of what you need verses want. Your TP is low, how about some medical supplies? A .22 savage/marlin rifle with ammo, maybe 120-150 dollars (depending on where you live). Game carving set. Vinegar is also a good item to have. Just some suggestions, hope it helps.
Generators depend on fuel. If you want to save up and go that route you might invest in something that can create bio fuels and use that in the generator – or go solar. The later is more expensive but also quieter if you are concerned about neighbors hearing your generator. I prefer solar – but then I live in relatively urban community of 200k and on the edgy part of town (first line of fire I suspect).
I don’t see flour and cornmeal..don’t you cook cornbread and biscuits??
I have powdered buttermilk and powdered eggs–the ONLY thing ordered from THRIVE that I didn’t get myself shopping just for biscuits/cornbread.
Now, I acquired lots of canning jars from Kmart one day–and can’t afford farmer’s market here—canned from the grocery is cheaper.
So, I used the jars canning flour and cornmeal for LTS, about 20 years—fill jar to within 1/2 inch, place on cookie sheet with no lid(so they won’t turn over), heat for one hour @ 200 degrees…Remove, clean rim, apply lid and ring, wait for ping, ping, and ping—I just love that sound.
Now, you have flour and cornmeal for Long Term Storage..LTS. and I also canned my pancake mix this way.
wow. thanks, JJ for the info on how to can flour/cornmeal! I have both in buckets, but would like some in smaller quantities to use too. thanks again for your post!!
Iowa,
Hello! Here are a few additional items that might be useful.
Screen, duct tape, foam spray – for repairs & to keep insects out
Unscented bleach
Vinegar – many uses – cooking, medicinal, etc.
Baking soda – remove from box and store in large sealed container.
Wheat berries – get some 6 gallon buckets
Wheat grinder
Large first aid kit
Extra bandaids
Bug spray
Soap
Non-latex gloves
Nail clippers
Sunblock
Eyeglasses repair kit
Sewing kit & extra thread
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental floss
Rubbing alcohol
Peroxide
Salt
Sugar
Oil lamps (can buy at Walmart), extra oil & wicks
Solar oven
Extra ammo.
Garden Seeds & Garden tools
I read to change the saved water yearly. I water the house plants & flowers and then refill the containers.
Hope this helps!
Keep praying & prepping! 🙂
KY Mom
Thank you all. God bless you.
Your water is probably good for at least a year. Do you have anything you could sell to use to buy more food?
You need some way to cook your food. You could get a camp stove and coleman fuel or propane. The best food item you can buy is just plain rice. Last time I looked it was just over a dollar for two pounds. You should buy it in 20 pound bags. Buy at least 100 pounds if you can.
There are populations around the world that have lived for generations on almost nothing but rice. Rice, beans and water can sustain you for a very long time. Certainly not exciting and certainly not the best nutritionally, but not too bad.
I totally agree with Farm Cat, about a year on the water. Maybe even more since you got bleach. I think I heard 6 months without any treatment. If its city water it probably has some clorine bleach in it anyways.
Personally, if you’re on a budget, get a few bags of feed wheat and feed corn. Costs about $20 for a 50 pound bag. 10 bags of those will keep you from starving for a very long time. The wheat will keep for around 20 years even in the paper bags if its kept dry. The corn, about 10 years. Seal them up and you can double those figures. Rice is good for about 6 years, in paper, 12 sealed.
Corn and wheat: The problem with paper bags is that various types of bugs can bore through the paper but the hulls of the grain itself keeps the bugs at bay. I’d recommend you put it in sealed 5 gal buckets ASAP, but, no hurry.
Rice: use washed and dried 2 liter pop containers. Breath a word about recycling and your neighbors will give you a truck load of them. Rice doesn’t keep as long because its hull has been removed. So, put the hull back on! …with 2 liter containers.
Good luck!
Oops! Typo: $10 for a 50 pound bag, not $20.
Sturdy boots for the family,and wool socks, looking at your food list i would add oatmeal and honey, honey can pull double duty as an antiseptic.
and a cough suppressant
Iowa,
Glad you woke up.
I’ll tackle the firearms department.
You need another 400 rounds of ammo for that Sigma. They’re a decent gun for the money. Why would you need a permit to acquire one? Thats a mystery. Just go buy one. You don’t need a permit to have a pistol, just to carry it in public.
You need two more guns.
You need a 12ga shotgun. Just about anything will do. A single shot would even do, but you’re better off with a pump. Winchester 1300, Mossberg 500, Remington 870, etc. But, if you’re trying to economize, go the single shot route. It will cost you about $150 or less, used. Pumps will be $250 or less. YOu need about 8 boxes of shells. (200 rounds). Get 6 boxes of #6s and 2 boxes of 00buck. (The buck is for longer range shoudl you need it…).
If you were rural, I’d recommend a 22 rifle, however, you sound like you’re urban so there’s probably not much game to shoot. So, instead, I’d recommend something with more punch for human targets. Get yourself a Hi-Point Carbine in .40 S&W. Shoots the same round as your pistol but much more accurate. Get a laser sight for it. They’re less than $100 and add a lot of functionality, especially low light functionality.
So, again, 3 guns:
Your Sigma .40 that you have.
A pump shotgun (single shot if you economize)
A Hi-Point .40 Carbine (less than $300, American Made, Lifetime Warranty. They are a major deal.)
This is a good list but there are lots of options. Too many, in fact for a novice to decide. But, if you have friends that understand your lack of firearms experience, you might listen to them. If they make sense and they don’t sound to radical, listen to them.
1000 rounds of ammo for the Sigma and the Hi-Point.
200 rounds of ammo for the shotgun.
Once you get a gun go out and buy and extra ammo for each and go someplace and blow up some milk jugs full of water, pop cans full of water, etc. Learn to shoot them. Be sure and take the wife with you. If you’re not gun people, just having the guns might do you more harm than good.
Beware of the gun nuts that try to talk you into specific guns and say stuff like, “Oh! You have to have this model or that model.” …or stuff like, “You don’t want that 40! You want a 10mm magnum” Blah! Blah! Blah! Guntards irritate me.
The guns and ammo I gave you above are reasonable, workable and affordable. At the end of the day you may end up with something different. Just think about my list above and investigate.
Good luck! If you have any questions or need any help, give me a holler!
ntrngr (at) gmail.com
Net here is why he may need a permit
Iowa’s new gun law looks to broaden rights for those who carry weapons with fewer restrictions and fewer people turned away by county sheriffs.
At the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, applications for a permit to carry weapons continue to pile up. On Jan. 1,2010 changes to Iowa’s gun law will take affect.
Sean McClanahan is president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition, the group that lobbied for the changes.
“There are 99 counties in Iowa. We essentially had 99 different sets of rules on how to get a permit: what type of training is required, what type of justifications or restrictions were on that permit,” said McClanahan.
Beginning Jan. 1, sheriffs in all 99 counties must follow the same rules when issuing gun permits.
Permits will be issued to Iowans who are not disqualified by state or federal restrictions after they complete firearm safety training. Proficiency training will no longer be required, which means applicants can receive a permit without ever firing a weapon.
“The training does bother us, you’ve got somebody out there that’s got a gun and they haven’t shot it or don’t know how to handle it. I guess that would be one of my concerns,” said Capt. David Knight of the Polk County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriffs will no longer have a say about where one must receive firearms training.
“Now you can get training from any NRA certified trainer. You can use prior law enforcement training, prior military training,” said McClanahan.
Most sheriffs currently require gun owners to keep their firearms concealed in public, but Knight said sheriffs can’t add that restriction under the new law, which could be the biggest change.
“I’m hoping that these folks that have had the permits for a long time have always carried concealed and continue to do so, but I guess we don’t want the public to get alarmed when they see it because there could be some folk that will be doing that,” said Knight.
The new law also allows Iowans to carry a gun in public while they are drinking alcohol, but the permit to carry becomes invalid if the person becomes intoxicated, which the state defines as someone with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
Permits will also be valid for five years instead of just one year under the new law.
Read more: http://www.kcci.com/news/26082619/detail.html#ixzz1bJjDkuLM
also add
Handguns – Permit Required to Purchase
To purchase a handgun in Iowa, you must have a permit. You can apply for a permit with the sheriff of your county. The application requires a fee and a background check. If you lie on the application, it is a class D felony – punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $750 to $7,500.
To qualify for a purchasing permit, you must be twenty-one years of age or older. Also, you must NOT: have been convicted of a felony; be addicted to the use of alcohol or a controlled substance; have a history of repeated acts of violence; have been convicted of a violent crime; determined by a court to be mentally incompetent.
A permit is not required for purchase if you are a federally licensed arms dealer; if the weapon is an antique firearm, a collector’s item or doesn’t work and can’t be fixed; or if the transfer occurs between close relatives (father or grandfather to son) unless the recipient wouldn’t qualify for a permit – for example if he’s a felon.
Also, if you have a permit to carry, you don’t need a permit to purchase. (Iowa Code 724.15.)
Handguns – Permit Required to Carry
To carry a handgun in Iowa, you must have a permit – regardless of whether the weapon is concealed. Apply for a permit with your county sheriff’s office. The application requires a fee, a background check, and you must have completed an approved weapons training course.
To qualify for the permit, you must be eighteen years of age or older, never been convicted of a felony, not addicted to the use of alcohol or any controlled substance, no history of repeated acts of violence, not determined by the sheriff to be a danger to any person, and never convicted of a violent crime.
If you acquire a permit to carry, you must keep the permit with you whenever you carry your weapon.
Penalties
Breaking weapons laws in Iowa results in serious penalties. Here are some examples:
Reckless use of a firearm. Reckless use of a firearm if no one is hurt is a class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $750-$7,500. If an injury occurs, it is a Class C felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.
Possession by a felon. A felon who possesses or transports firearms is guilty of a class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $750 to $7,500.
Carrying a firearm without a permit. Carrying a firearm without a permit is an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of $500 to $5,000.
Providing firearms to a minor. Selling, giving, loaning or making available a rifle or shotgun to a minor is a serious misdemeanor for a first offense and a class D felony for second and subsequent offenses. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in prison and a mandatory fine of $250 to $1,500. A class D felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $750 to $7,500. The same penalties apply for the crime of providing a handgun to a person under age 21.
Trafficking stolen weapons. Transferring or facilitating the transfer of stolen firearms is a class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $750 to $7,500. For subsequent offences, or if the weapon is used in a crime, it is a class C felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.
Self-Defense in Iowa
In Iowa, shooting a firearm at another person is considered deadly force, even if the person shot does not die or if you did not intend the person to die. You may only use deadly force to protect yourself or someone else from harm. Therefore you can only use a firearm to protect yourself or another person — you may not use a firearm to defend property or if you initiated the conflict. (Iowa Code Chapter 704.)
To learn more about your state’s gun laws, read the WEAPONS chapter of the Iowa Code, starting at §724.1.
If you face gun charges in Iowa or anywhere else, seek the advice of an attorney.
Get a .22 rifle. With careful shot placement you can take a deer and you can’t beat it for small game. If you can’t afford a semi auto (better for defense) a bolt action will work. My bet is you can find one and get 500 rounds of ammo for about $100.
You can only store so much food but having the capability to harvest more food at 2 cents per round is a good thing to have.
Excellent, Kevin2. I agree completely but I think Iowa is urban therefor the game aspect is nullified, otherwise, I would have written a paragraph nearly like yours above. I like it when my thinking gets unrequested confirmation. For anyone moderately rural I recommend something like a Ruger 10/22. The semi-auto aspect gives you a reasonable thricendary self defense weapon plus small game and economically to boot. Also, pair that with some CB longs or extra low velocity cartridges and you’ve got what amounts to be air rifle noise level with better accuracy and range.
I mean, really, I think maybe the best all around rifle for SHTF might just be the lowly 22lr, semi auto. The best for small game but workable for defense and large game in a pinch.
Keep half that $600 in cash at home for emergency purchases when it does hit the fan.
Iowa, you are a thousand steps ahead of most. Keep doing what you are doing. Takes time and effort.
every city is a danger zone get away at least an hour out of town if you can all riots etc are almost all city events leave for your family if not for yourself before this country gets worse an you become victim of the crash
So basically you’re saying any city with an Occupy event going on is a good sign.
My hometown has 30,000 people in it with one of these events. Don’t go there?
What size city or town is too big to want to be trapped in? 10,000, 2,000, 500?
That is an excellent question. In the end you are the one that has to feel safe. Remember part of prepping IMHO is not just food and guns its plan A, B, C, D, for getting out of dodge. I know it sounds paranoid, but i run things through in my mind all the time, what if the power was out for a week, month, or forever. What about refugees fleeing cities. For me, Buffalo NY is an hour away and Rochester is is about an hour and thirty minutes. Am I going to have refugees in my yard camping or worse. Each person situation is unique.
As for cooking check this out. I built one for under 20.00 bucks but I had the stove pipe reducer. You can cook beans, heat up soup, whatever your pleasure. This is not an endorsement of the website per say, just endorsing a good Idea, since I built one too.
http://www.endtimesreport.com/Boils_Beans.html
Any large metro area with large populations of welfare, druggies, and lowlifes within an hour or two is a risk. I’m pretty comfortable in a town of 9,000, with 50,000 more within 15 miles, in a rural county dotted with small towns. The local riffraff won’t last long, you have to be concerned about the exodus from the big metros, though.
@ smokey, it does continue to be my concern, when I drive up and down my road I constantly look at trees and telephone poles that I could cut down to block the road. Probably wouldn’t stop a person on foot but would make someone in a vehicle make a tough decision. Also a bridge that could be removed, but its pretty sturdy, maybe a good spot for an ambush though. In all my life I never thought I would be thinking about this. I pray when it goes down it is the middle of winter. We get a lot o snow. Peace
The peeps I work with are a bit informed but still do not recognize the dangers coming. I agree with all the comments above.
When I hear my coworkers talk as if it is the same world and will continue as it is, I see them as future deceased people. It is sad but that is what will happen. I don’t fear what is coming, don’t welcome it either, but I do have the skills/experience and preps to survive with daughter, wife and mother-in-law.
My question to you-all is: How can you tell the people you can trust? OR is it just plain, Do Not Trust anyone?
I feel like I need some back-up, even in the bug-out place…other than wife or daughter, I think daughter will not freak, but wifey is not known for holding cool during a crisis.
http://www.lnlprotect.com
Terry,
The problem now is that nobody can be trusted because nobody can be held accountable for what they do, especially in the case of the government corp. Everybody is acting in a representative capacity as a member of a criminal corporation that exists to enslave the masses and for no other reason.
When the time comes, it is imperative that the People restore trust in each other, and TOTALLY forsake the corp and it’s representatives by declaring them the enemy of God and Man. Without trust in each other as Men and Women, we can never stand together and defeat the enemy.
Whatever your religious beliefs may be, should you choose to put out positive energy that is what you will get back. If you put out negative or threatening energy, that is what you will get back.
You can only trust those who trust you, so you must first be trustworthy yourself.
Also, trust not an either or proposition anyway. You may trust someone to fix your toilet, but not operate on your brain.
You should never fully trust anyone, because that would mean abdicating your own responsibility. But you must trust some people in some areas, and it will always have to be given before it can be earned.
Trust in every Man to do what is right, but be prepared to control the situation in case that trust is misplaced. I believe you will find it is far easier to misplace your trust now than it will be after a major SHTF event should one occur.
Gods Creation: You sir are correct. A man from my wifes church was a plumber, I have known him only from observing him at church and fellowship gatherings. I had told my wife I could not put my finger on it but felt something was not right, anyway he helping put in bathtub in my home and charged 400.00 for about 3 hrs of plumbing work I was not familiar with. I again told my wife , I don’t feel something is right, her response was you cops think everyone is a criminal. Well a few months later I asked where is so and so, she hesitated and said he was arrested for molesting a little girl, third offense! Be careful folks, go with your gut!
Copout,.
Your wife is correct! Cops are hard to win over. I’ve seen it first hand. You guys are walking, talking professional lie detectors.
I think every personnel department should have a current or ex-cop to do the first interview. More of the worthless and dishonest would be kept out of places where they can do much damage.
One of the most sickening crimes I can think of. You sensed the sketchiness underneath the surface – that talent will serve you well!
Terry, make sure you stay calm and don’t use the phrase ” I told you so”. Look for people that are self motivated (and if possible debt free), can talk without ranting or repeating themselves, and finally they’ll ask for advice (don’t tell them what to do or what you would do, give them options); such as yourself and others on this site.
NetRanger: I recently purchased a braztech (taurus) .22/410 at wally world for 130.00 beans, its a single shot, break open, extremely small lightweight, and fits right into my backpack. Checkout YouTube vid. Matched pair. Also in 12gs,. 243, and 20ga great little survival gun, the butt plate can be removed and firestarter, knife, extra ammo, etc.can be stored!
NetRanger: I wish more people thought like you, I probably would already have a job. Little hint, next time you suspect someone is not telling the truth, ask a pertinent question, if they look down and too the left, they are not being truthful. Please send check right away for your first lesson, LoL I will send a junior G man badge on your first payment! Ah, just joking.
Disengagement:
Close Out
Turn Off
Unplug
Ignore
Terry,
my feeling is that hunger, extreme situations can change the most trusted friend into an enemy. which is so sad. I’ve warned my co-workers for years. they used to roll their eyes @ me; now they perk up their ears a bit, but still continue on hoping things will get better.
I see it all crashing down soon.
I’m in a “starter” neighborhood, but have lived here frugally for 21 years. we have a pool (water source sanatized by minerals instead of chemicals). our neighborhood has gone downhill; we’re in the south & have a high %age of blacks, whites who are in their 1st home. to be honest, I’m NOT comfortable in my home as I know this place would degenerate in a heartbeat. I’ve thought long about getting a Yurt in case we need to bug out. but it would be super difficult to move our food storage, especially without drawing unwanted attention. thankfully, our house’s design makes it more challenging for a break-in, and we have dogs to alert.
my company is moving out of state next year; I’m not sure what we are going to do. so many things are happening SO fast.
I just keep on prepping.
take care,
Jenn
Jenn,
You bring up a good point about the pool as a water source.
As I have a good deal of knowledge about pools and pool water chemistry,
I have thought long and hard about it as a water source in shtf scenario.
I think I will go into depth on this topic in the future if fellow preppers are interested.
Hint…
To be a drinkable water source you must be able to keep it sanitary,
Electricity or not.
“Bam — Headshot!”
True to the point.
RED
I tell friends and family to prep, I tell strangers to prep. The more our society is taking responsibility for their own lives, the better off all of us will be.
Fortunately, I live in an isolated valley. Most of us here garden, can, hunt and fish. Over the past few years I have noticed a big increase in the prepping lifestyle here.
Community churches are coming together and starting up canning groups/kitchens. This helps everyone in the valley ease the burdon of canning and it educates those who have never canned.
Whole families have gone out hunting. Teaching the younger ones proper gun techniques.
I see a lot of cottage industries taking off. And I see our valley inhabitants helping these small industries stay alive. As a community we need these small industries to service the needs of our valley.
The barter system has always been practice where I live. But now it seems to have taken on a life of its own. People have taken more to the bartering system, as the value of money has proven worthless.
If you live in a large metropolitan area, I suggest STRONGLY that you move to a small country comunity.
Having a city job, making city money is not worth your life or your families life.
Learn NOW how to live a simple life. Learn how to be self-sustainable. Give your family the comfort of knowing where their next meal will come from.
The city life will bring desperation to all. When the collapse hits, it will bring confusion, anger and a violence that will desimate an entire metropolitan area and bring its citizens to their knees.
God bless and keep on prepping.
My wife and I moved to the country about 4 years ago and have been slowly working our way into the simple life. We garden, can and freeze, raise chickens, dairy goats and cattle all for personal use. I just took a ham out of my smoke house the other day and am enjoying it now.
We will be ready when required and even if things don’t go bad, the enjoyment from living this way is worth every bead of sweat.
You sound like a guy who might have a wood fired oven in his yard as well, that’s my goal to build next summer. Although. a smoke house would be cool too. I’d love to put some of cheese in it and let it go to town. Peace
@Claymation:
I have plans to build one. I use a wood stove in the house for heat though and love it.
And of course, as my name states, I brew my own beer as well. Nothing beats the taste and the price is less than half of what you pay in the store.
Claymation: I have tried that with the cheese, got it rolled up but couldn’t keep it lit! Any suggestions?
Want to grow my own hops and live in NY any suggestions on strains would be great!! Thanks
@ copout, probably not dry enough 🙂
Don’t let it go to town and the strains of the bunnies don’t matter.
@ Anon is that you Okie
There was a book I read in ’92 or ’93 predicting our economic collpapse. Can’t recall the title and don’t recall the details, but one story at the beggining resonated and has stuck with me ( true or not).
It was about a butcher in Germany. He owned his own shop. His wife worked the counter and he prepared the meat. They saved every day for their only son to go to a good college and be even better off then they were. Every day the set some money aside for 18 years! On their son’s 18th bithday they took 18 years worth of savings out and bought their son a nice dinner at a nice restaurant.
I am now hearing freeze dried food commercials on MSM radio. Also see lots of articles about prepping on regular business websites. The slow slide down hill continues. Waiting for the avalanche.
I read Mein Kampf over 40 years ago, the tactics that are being used on us right now are taken straight out of that book. The players have changed but the game is the same.
“Malnourishment and starvation were rampant, and Cambodians were ready to follow anyone with a plan.” This statement is the clincher, pay real attention to this.
They know they are up against a significant armed private sector force in this country and its going to be a tough nut to crack. A truth; if you want to weaken an army, you starve them. If you want to break the men, starve their families.
It is evident that most people in our country have not so much as a clue as to how utterly ruthless the power is that we are dealing with and what they are willing to do to get what they are after. Wake up people!
Beware of your “Normalcy Bias” and if you don’t know what that it is, find out now!!!
The Ukranians lost 7 million to this plan 1931-32.
And I’d like to point out here, I’m not sure if the Ukranians fought back much. Sadly. When you are chronically malnourished, you lose a lot of gumption. I don’t remember much “fight” in myself, siblings, or the rest of the packs of skinny children and teens when I was growing up in the Starving Seventies. Some neighbors of ours went through periodic “starvation diets” and when they did, they got more quiet. People become more resourceful, trying new things, new types of leaves, etc to eat. New ways to catch fish, etc., but anger and violence use up calories!
The kids in the (awful) high school I went to that fought, were well-fed and had the energy to spare. Don’t back one of us skinnies into a corner though, we’d go for a kill. We actually weren’t messed with much.
I don’t remember actually *feeling* hunger the way I did later when I was better fed and it was time for a meal. It may be a blood sugar thing.
People (in the US) are so well fed now, I’d expect a lot of mental trauma, like the guy on Frontier House who freaked out when his ribs became perceptible.
Weimar could not repay reparations in German currency. They were due in gold or the currencies of the victors in WWI. Hjalmar Horace Greely Schacht ended the hyperinflation practically overnight.
A little accurate history goes a long way.
Great article today in newdawnmagazine.com by Richard K. Moore. A bit long but real informative. Pay attention to the last few sections of the article about the end of the current governments and the beginning of the NWO.
Mona: Great situation and advice. I woke up several years ago and since then have paid off debt (except house)and cut up credit cards. I have started buying extra everyday food, instead of buying 2 cans of beans I buy 4 or 6. We go to Costco and Sams and buy case lots of vegetables or fruit. Read supermarket flyers for sales. Various other basic prepping. My wife finally has one foot on board and goes to Dollar store looking for deals. I think the thing that woke her up was working with a local food bank and seeing the shelves empty with little coming in, more and more people coming in asking for help. The biggest hurdle now is solving the relocation to more remote area, employment, dislocation from friends and church groups, etc. We were watching the Doomsday Prepper on Nat.Geo. and her first question was “If anything does happens everyone in the neighborhood will be looking to take what they have”. I hope this hits home to her. Thanks for your info.
Proverbs 22:3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
Just read this on Drudge Report
Reid says government jobs must take priority over private-sector jobs…
What a moron. I don’t know what the people of Nevada see in this guy. Government jobs are done and gone if there is no one left to pay for them. I’d be interested in learning how many of the “dreaded elites” have fled Greece so far?
My friend in Vegas says the Reid campaign gave help to a lot of people to get to the polls, and didn’t really make sure those people were, umm, necessarily legal residents of Nevada.
Wonder how long it will take for the “Yes we can/Yes we have no bananas” chanters et chanteuses to become Pol Pot style supporters once that becomes the fascism.
Socialism utterly and totally DISGUSTS me.
OBAMA WHITE HOUSE: A DIV. OF GOLDMAN SACHS
This site is great. Does anyone know of some good information/website/book etc, that discusses top 5 or so global destinations for relatively more safety/soundness during the civil unrest (that I’m sure we will experience here)?
thx
The sovereign man website operated Simon, the author of this article, is hands down the best resource I have found for this type of information…. The sovereign man confidential service offered through the site has an extremelly informative monthly newsletter on all matters international and the forum available to members is top notch with lots of expats willing to share advice and experiences…
Also, you may find this article of interest: the top 5 destinations to escape the decline: http://www.activistpost.com/2010/10/5-best-countries-to-escape-americas.html
Ayn Rand’s famous dictum: “Anyone who tells you the State ought to be running something, either IS, or secretly longs to be, the State.”
Excellent article Mac.
Just because there’s a movement (OWS) that holds a fraction of truth does not mean the people organizing it are the one’s we want IN CHARGE when the system collapses! We need change, but NOT at the hands of the Marxists currently running (ruining) our nation or the same organizing the OWS marches!
When the SHTF….PLEASE don’t beg for JUST ANYONE take over and “fix” the problem. We may NEVER see our Republic again!
Oops! ^^^ ones (plural NOT possessive)
That’s what I get for posting w/out proofreading! 🙂
I cannot see the future since my crystal ball fell off of its stand in the living room a few years ago and the replacement doesn’t seem to work. Good thing I added antennee to my tinfoil hat!
However, I DO know things are not improving -food prices up, fuel prices going up, basic health care costs going up, real unemployment going up, etc. I’m going to keep adding to my larder, continue to practice OPSEC, and when I come across someone who might be in the same thinking boat I am I will feel them out and hope they are awake enough to take steps in preparation for their future.
I am glad there are some decent folks who visit here that are wide awake and doing all they can to care for their families and other loved ones.
Another Ayn Rand quote that touches us:
The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.
Just up on Drudge Report…
Obama in an interview at ABC: ‘All the choices we’ve made have been the right ones’…
LOL!!!
Sorry Mom, I just don’t find anything the Kenyan says to be funny. Listen to him speak. Replace the word rich with the word Jew, if you get my drift.
Plain Old American,
My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.
I have to agree… I don’t find anything Obama says funny either.
If anything for him to say that (‘All the choices we’ve made have been the right ones’…) is totally outrageous!
In my opinion, the opposite is true. Everything he has done has further weakened the economy and our country.
KY Mom
hows this for social unrest?
Solid Evidence That Occupy Wall Street Is A Communist Movement Run By Socialists Who Wish To Bring Down The Free Enterprise System
http://theintelhub.com/2011/10/18/solid-evidence-that-occupy-wall-street-is-a-communist-movement-run-by-socialists-who-wish-to-bring-down-the-free-enterprise-system/
If that includes bringing down the stock market, (wall street),the mega-banksters, and the nonFederal Reserve: I hope they succeed. Someone care to explain to a “simpleton” like me how a “rigged” stock market benefits ANYONE but those that rig it? What purpose does it serve beyond speculation by those that “don’t have to speculate”????
Hello everyone i am a long time reader but frist time to talk here. I’m a ladder day saint IE Mormon and it seems that we where born for this time. All i hear when i go to church is get you food storage get your food storage alot of people i know have tons of it i have met many people in my area with from 1 to 7 years of food storage that is right 7 years I’m not kidding. im not trying to convert anyone but it may be a good idea to head to one of the LDS churchs in the area and ask about food storage programs. they have programs going almost all the time from first aid training to how to jar and can your own food its very nice. does not mean you have to join lol but good to learn
A LADDER Day Saint?! Amazing how you can’t even spell what you claim to be.
RL: Could be an honest mistake?
Some more thoughts: get a waterbob. It sits in your bathtub. It holds up to 100 gallons of water. I bought one myself.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Water-Storage-/250885657652?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a69f35434#ht_1817wt_924
Another thing you might want to do is get some extra garbage cans. When the time comes, fill them up with water and use that to flush toilets. We bought a couple of 5 gallon buckets, some tall kitchen bags, and a couple of luggable loos–they’re a toilet seat that fits on a 5 gallon bucket. We also bought at least 500 pounds of kitty litter to cover the smell.
Lexington Containers in Kentucky
30 gallon drums, food grade, 10 for $100.
I meant to post this for research purposes; surely this isn’t the only supplier nationwide.
OK. This article serves to start a good discussion thread.
I have one problem, though. The author insinuates that US bombing destroyed Cambodia’s crops? That’s patent liberal BS. Most of the bombing was concentrated in eastern Cambodia and only 10% was considered ‘indiscriminate’. Read about Operation Menu here:
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Operation_Menu?qsrc=3044
Mal
Yea, all “US Military” action was for the good of the peasants we decimated. The ENTIRE southeast Asia “war” was a premeditated “false flag”. GULF OF TONKIN. There is absolutely NO intelligent defense to “our actions” in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, etc. Too many dead young Americans and millions of dead asians. FOR WHAT? For corporations and “their” bought and paid for “politicians”.
And what is taken away from this insane carnage is “actual percentages of Cambodia’s destroyed farmland”. No wonder “we” are mired down in another never ending, ever expanding, “false war on terror” SAVING another oppressed people from themselves. At least, saving the ones we don’t KILL in the process!!!!!
Enough with WAR AS THE ONLY BUSINESS OF AMERICA not outsourced to cheap labor in another country. Of course the “INDUSTRIAL MILITARY COMPLEX” is a “showing an enviable profit/loss statement”! I’m so proud.
ok I love this website and read it everyday, are we all crazy like harold camping believing the world is going to end, but we believe all hell is going to break lose. our we nuts for believing this or how many of you actually things are going to get bad as what all this prepping says will happen. I believe it. just honestly curious how many of you feel the same way and to what degree.
To the degree that I have 5 years of food stored…to the degree that I know 3 working families CAN NOT cotinue to support 7 non-working families; it is unsustainable….to the degree that I know TPTB are trying to starve the population to conserve resources for themselves…to the degree that 100 trillion + unfunded pensions, welfare, medicaid, medicare, social security, health care, school lunches and breakfasts, food stamps programs are gonna catch up with the govt. sooner…or later???
that is what I think as well, there is no way that we can have that much money borrowed and not have superinflation not kick in and all the free programs. it cant maintain and think they know it but there reelection will continue to bring us down and these dems that keep voting in more stupid people. when the banks get bailed out again that is when people are going to go nuts. but obama will bail the banks out but the protestors are on his side. so it will be interesting to see what they do. they wont be mad at obama becasue they are fed lies and will believe them, thats the sad part. i got a kevlar vest helmet mix of 7 guns 100 oz of silver. 20,000 rounds of .22. 5,ooo .45 5000 rounds of 9mm and .338 laupa got 1000 rounds, that was a lot of money. food about 2 months worth and going to get a water katadyn water purifier pocket filter in the next week. ready to protect my family but not a free handout for all the neighbors, they should of did what we do so if they choosed not to prep its their fault stay out of my way.
Can you learn to speak english?
eric:
I laugh at myself all the time. A good sense of humor is important. I used to be an anti-Gold, establishment guy that laughed at the preppers back in the 80s. Now I’m the dude prepping. It’s hysterically ironic… I think.
Only God knows the future, and maybe he’s laughing at us… and maybe he’s not!
Have a great day,
Mal
A correction for “Iowa”.
You most certainly need a permit to acquire a handgun in Iowa. If you have a concealed carry permit, that serves as both.
Iowa is about as non-urban as it gets, with the exception of a very few larger cities. If you are not in Des Moines, Iowa City, Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, etc… I wouldn’t be scared crapless of your neighbors. Wary? Yes. Scared? No. Iowans are good people, and many were self-sufficient only a generation ago.
Otherwise, very good advice from all here. My first visit. I’ll be back.
My two cents – I’ll bet you live within a few miles of a commercial hog confinement operation. When TSHTF, those pigs may be starving/abandoned to die in their pen. Get permission of course, then take some fresh pork chops home. A quick google search (print it out now) will teach you how to cure them like your Great-Grandad used to.
Buy heirloom seeds. If commercial corn & soybean growing sputters to a halt, there will be a lot of unused dirt in Iowa.
My first post on this site. I am so glad to hear I am not alone. I bookmarked the previous sites mentioned above and can’t help but shudder at what could soon be happening to us in the future. Am working at preparing. Did an aerial recon of our area and we do have a water supply fairly close by but it is not the best. LOL! Didn’t do it in a plane. Mapquest gives you the option.
This is my first visit to this site, and I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments. My husband sent me a link to this article, and I always read everything he sends me. I have a question: How do you all deal with the mental heaviness of prepping? We know what we are ultimately prepping for … chaos, hardship, civil unrest, hordes of the unprepped, etc., and sometimes the weight of these thoughts gets to me. I’m completely on the same page with my husband, but he doesn’t understand sometimes why I feel so upset about all of this. As a Christian (and I think a lot of preppers are), I rely on faith, and ultimately, I know we win in the end, but the thought of actually having to live through such dire times as we see inevitably coming to fruition is frightening and not a little disheartening. I don’t want to be a whiner, but a little encouragement would be very helpful. How do you handle it? Surely I’m not the only one who feels (even a little bit) this way …
Welcome TX! To deal with being “awake” and aware of what is happening can become disheartening for anyone. I find that getting outside and enjoying the beauty around me and remembering to enjoy my family are the best ways to lift the burdens from my mind. I absolutely have to remind myself to enjoy the time given to me. Yes, I have to keep working, keep preparing, and be mindfull things may go from somewhat stable like they are now, to terrible.
Again, I believe part of being awake is remembering to menatally care for ourselves. So go outside for a walk, send a card by snail-mail to someone who comes to mind, but absolutely take a break and enjoy the gifts you have in your life.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for your advice. I take comfort in my family, too, but if I’m honest, I also worry about my young grandchildren and their future. A walk outside sounds very good right now. We’ve finally broken the heat wave here.
Texas Prepper’s wife…I am prepared for a long time of conveniences/necessities interrupted; however, I found myself Monday painting the rooms that the masking tape last year pulled the drywall off the doorways’ walls I had sheets on to save propane–I have an open concept designed house and can’t afford the $700 special order bi-fold doors X three.
Now, I said I wasn’t gonna repair the walls, BUT I AM.
I must have some faith that our world will carry on.
Not soon, but maybe later.
I handle it by thinking of the alternative–being dead ain’t fun..and dh would miss me.
I’m a christian and try to read Luke 21 every day…it helps me..because I am reminded that He isn’t gonna leave me.
I have a friend that is paralyzed from the neck for 20 years now..and I think of her often.
THAT gets me through this…
Not a good answer, but it gets me through these days, for other than God and His word, what do I have to help??
Peace and God bless we who get it.
Yeah, God feeds the birds, but I ain’t no damn bird and I don’t like worms.
I appreciate your story about painting the walls. I have the very same issues, but it’s about whether to put new tile on the kitchen floor. It’s in desperate need. Always in the back of my mind is the thought that any funds I spend like that results in less I have at my disposal to spend on prep items. But at the same time, I live in the present. Thank you for your good advice, and the gentle reminder to keep my focus where it belongs.
TPW,
I’m a Christian AND a prepper, mom to four boys and one daughter in love (law :), and until about 10 months ago, prepping all on my own, since my H didn’t believe it was going to get that bad..thank goodness he FINALLY opened his eyes to what was happening all around us!! I understand all about your fear, when my H wasn’t involved in our prepping, I was really, really scared because I felt all alone! So I turned to scripture, Psalms 91 in particular…and I did discreetly ask around my church to see if any others worried about what was coming down the road, and I actually found 3 other families that are prepping so we had a “meeting” to discuss what we are doing, how we can help each other, etc…we are members of a great church, where just about EVERYONE is asleep!! Even the church staff…and that puzzles me because of ALL people, they should KNOW that we are heading towards end times, and things are NOT going to get better!! It totally frustrates me!!
I also found that with the more I prepped, the more secure I felt! As I saw the food and meds piling up, it really did help me mentally to know that we are doing something!!
Also,I like this verse.. Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears”. Keep looking up 🙂
Thank you for the Psalm 91 reference. As I read through this familiar psalm, an instant calm came over me.
I think it must be much harder for the wife to be the prepper and the husband the non-prepper. I’m glad he’s on board now. I completely understand what you are saying about the church being asleep–both members and church staff! It’s incredible, isn’t it?! It frustrates us, too. He who has an ear, let him hear.
Libraries censoring websites. Land of the free?
The USGov spends 410 million an hour, we have a labor force around 60 million,in order to balance the budget all 60 million would have to pay a tax of almost 7 dollars for every hour worked, and that if they worked 24/7 365 days a year.And that if everyone is employed. And this is just the Federal Goverment. Obviously this is unsustainable, so get ready for the big one, it is coming.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I really appreciate it. We are pretty far along on making preparations for the hard times to come, and we’ve been at it for a while now, but it seems like these times are really near and closing in around us daily. It’s suddenly becoming all too real.